The Day I Let Go

I had just taken the ring out, and we were about to exchange rings. Suddenly, my husband Julian Clarke’s childhood friend barged into the hall, wearing a pure white wedding dress.

“Julian! I’m here to stop this wedding.”

Her eyes were red, and her hair was a mess, as if she had just escaped a disaster.

Hundreds of guests turned around to stare at her. Without a second thought, Julian flung my hand away from his and hurried straight up the aisle.

“Wendy, what are you doing here?”

Wendy Dunn walked down the aisle, looking at Julian with tear-filled eyes. “Julian, you said you’d marry me.”

Julian’s eyes were filled with heartache, and he completely ignored me, the bride.

Sitting at the front, my parents’ faces were dark with rage. Mom clutched her chest, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

Julian grabbed Wendy’s hand and pulled her over in front of me.

“Haley, Wendy’s depression is acting up again. She’s very emotionally unstable today.”

I looked at him without saying a word.

“You know she’s against marriage and will never get married in her life,” he continued. “Her biggest regret in life is that she’ll never experience what it’s like to get married.”

I slowly closed the ring box in my hand.

Julian frowned and carried on, “Please sit aside for a bit while I go through the ceremony with Wendy. Once her wish is fulfilled, we can resume ours.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked in a deep, steady voice.

His face darkened, and his tone turned cold. “Haley, she’s sick. Can’t you just be more understanding?”

In the three years I had been with him, I had heard that line no less than eight hundred times.

When Wendy had a stomachache in the middle of the night, he climbed out of my bed to get her medicine and told me to be understanding about it. On Wendy’s birthday, he abandoned me while I was running a high fever to watch the fireworks at Disneyland with her and told me to be understanding about it.

Now, at our wedding, in front of all my relatives, friends, and bosses, he was telling me to step aside so his childhood friend could take my place and experience it.

I didn’t lose my temper, nor did I demand answers or start an argument like I used to. Instead, I simply pulled off my veil. Then, I walked up to Wendy and put the veil on her.

I patted her shoulder gently. “Congratulations.”

Turning around, I took the microphone from the officiant, who was practically on the verge of tears, and announced to the stunned guests, “Dear friends and family, I am sorry for taking up your time. The groom has a special arrangement today. The bride has been swapped.”

I handed the microphone back to the officiant.

Looking at Julian, whose face had instantly frozen on the stage, I smiled.

“I wish you both a happy life together.”