The Wedding He Stole From Me

The holiday weekend. I stood in my wedding gown, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

The door opened. Godfrey Delgado wheeled himself in.

I smiled and started toward him, but a single raised hand stopped me where I stood.

There's something I need to tell you.

I was still wrapped in the joy of almost being his wife. He kept talking.

I can go through with the wedding, but I can't make it legal.

My smile froze.

Whwhat do you mean?

He was quiet for a long time.

Your best friend and I got our marriage license on Valentine's Day. I'm in love with her.

My voice went shrill. I stared at him, unblinking.

Do you even hear yourself? Today is our wedding!

He glanced down at his legs and forced a bitter smile.

I know. I tried to love you.

But every time I look at you, all I can think about is that I lost this leg saving you. I'm permanently disabled because of you. Whatever love I had turned into resentment.

April Pruitt is different. When I'm with her, I feel like a normal person.

My hands hung at my sides, fingers white-knuckled in the fabric of my skirt.

Tears pooled in my eyes. I refused to let them fall.

Outside the door, the wedding march was playing. It had never sounded so cruel.

My voice shook. I forced myself to smile.

Godfrey, today is our wedding. Please stop joking around.

I reached for him.

He rolled the wheelchair back a step, putting distance between us.

I'm not joking.

April is pregnant. Six weeks. I have to take responsibility.

He pressed his lips together, then went on.

You know she never had a family growing up. I have to give her one.

The tears I'd been holding back spilled down my face.

Because he had promised to give me one, too.

We were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together.

When I was twelve, my parents died in a car accident.

I couldn't take it. I locked myself in my room.

Three full days. No food, no water.

Through the door I could hear the relatives arguing over who would take me in.

Every one of them wanted custody, wanted my parents' money. Not one of them asked what I wanted.

I was pressing a razor blade into my wrist when fifteen-year-old Godfrey climbed in through the third-floor balcony.

The window frame sliced his fingers open. Blood dripped onto my bedroom floor, but he didn't stop to deal with it.

He grabbed the first-aid kit and rushed to me, pressing down hard on the wound.

The moment I saw him, all the grief I'd been choking back broke loose.

I don't have a home anymore.

He pulled me into his arms.

Yes you do. Wherever I am, that's your home. I'll give you a home, I promise.

Now he was giving that home to someone else.

I opened my mouth to speak, but someone knocked on the dressing-room door.

Godfrey wheeled over and opened it.

April walked in wearing a wedding gown.

He took her hand and brought her to stand in front of me.

When I saw the dress on her, I couldn't hold it together. My voice cracked.

That gown?

His throat moved.

The one I designed myself.

Every last ounce of strength drained out of me.

He had designed that gown when he was eighteen.

On the award stage that year, he told the audience it would one day be worn by the woman he loved most.

I had always believed that woman was me.

When this wedding came, he hadn't given me the gown.

I told myself he must have had his reasons.

It never crossed my mind that this entire wedding had never been meant for me at all.

I stared at that dress and couldn't say a word.

Godfrey continued.

Gladys, the truth is I've only ever seen you as a sister.

After everything I've done for you, can't you just let me go this once?

I bit down hard on my lower lip. The taste of blood spread across my tongue.

My gaze dropped to his legs, motionless in the wheelchair.

I closed my eyes and forced the word out.

Fine.

April came over and took my hand.

Gladys, I know this is hard to accept right now, but Godfrey and I are truly in love. Thank you for giving us your blessing.

Every word sawed through me like a dull blade dragged back and forth.

I said nothing. April went on.

Gladys, you're my only real friend. I want you to be my maid of honor.

My head snapped up.

No.

The moment I refused, April's eyes went red.

Godfrey, you know Gladys is the only close friend I have.

I just want someone from my side there to witness my happiness. If she won't do it, I'll regret it for the rest of my life.

Godfrey looked at her, something soft and aching flickering through his dark eyes.

He wheeled himself in front of me.

Gladys, please. Say yes. I'm begging you.

Manhattan's golden boythe one everyone deferred todropping himself this low for April Pruitt.

My nails dug into my palms.

And suddenly I was nineteen again.

My parents' enemies had taken me. Kidnapped.

I thought I was going to die. Then he appeared, like something sent from heaven.

He was outnumbered, and they grabbed him too.

When they came at me, he dropped to his knees and slammed his forehead against the ground, over and over.

Please, let her go. Whatever you want to do, do it to me.

That day, he shielded me, and they broke his leg for it.

I was sobbing, tears all over my face, and he reached out, wiped every one of them away, smiled, and pulled me into his arms.

Don't cry. You're safe. That's all that matters to me.

He had been so sincere then.

I thought a love like that was forever.

But when I looked at those legs, the legs that were ruined because of me, the word "no" wouldn't come.

I stood beside April as her maid of honor, face blank, body numb.

When they exchanged rings, I stepped off the stage and sat in a corner.

Whispers rose around me.

Look at her. Gladys Mason. Chased Young Mr. Delgado for how many years? And the bride still isn't her.

Obviously. He never wanted her. She's the one who kept throwing herself at him.

I heard she tried every trick in the book to marry him. And still, the bride isn't her. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Each sentence, a needle pushed straight into my ear.

I gripped the hem of my dress until my knuckles ached.

Up on the stage, Godfrey was sliding the ring onto April's finger.

Slowly. Deliberately.

I couldn't take another second. I fled the reception hall and locked myself in the restroom.

That was when I heard the voices outside.

Godfrey, you're really something. Kept up the act for years. Does your little childhood sweetheart still think you crippled yourself for her?

Think about it. Her parents have been dead for years. Who's still coming after her? That kidnapping was just a round of truth or dare we played with Godfrey.

Still, you married her best friend and faked a disability to keep her in line. Aren't you worried she'll find out and leave?

She has no parents, no family. I'm the only one she can depend on. Even if she finds out, she won't leave.

The voices drifted farther away, word by word.

My legs gave out. I hit the floor.

So all of it had been a lie.

I don't know how long I sat there before I could move again.

I got up off the floor, pulled out my phone, and dialed a numbera former student my father had once sponsored.

I need to leave. Can you help me?

Two seconds of silence on the other end. Then a low male voice.

Tomorrow. I'll come for you.

I hung up and leaned against the wall.

Godfrey Delgado, I'm done with you.

Once I'd pulled myself together, I walked out of the restroom.

A hand shoved me from behind, and I went straight into the pool.

The woman responsible stood a few feet away, pointing at me and screaming.

You shameless homewrecker! You think you can throw yourself at my husband? I'll make you pay for this today!

I couldn't swim. Ice-cold water flooded my nose and mouth, and I thrashed, clawing at nothing.

People crowded around to watch. Not one of them spoke up for me.

My vision went dark, and I felt myself sinking, inch by inch.

At the very edge of despair, a strong hand locked around my waist and hauled me to shore.

I coughed until my lungs burned raw. Through the haze I heard someone calling my name.

Gladys, you have to wake up. Wake up, come on.

I opened my eyes and met Godfrey'scompletely bloodshot.

The moment he saw me conscious, he pulled me into his arms.

Gladys, you're finally awake.

I pushed him away, my face white.

He hadn't expected that. He froze.

Who are you?

The woman who'd pushed me in was still shrieking.

Young Mr. Delgado, don't let this little fox fool you! She seduced my husband

Before she could finish, one of the bodyguards backhanded her across the face.

Godfrey sat in his wheelchair, smiling coldly.

I don't think you understand the situation. Gladys Mason is under my protection. Nobody touches her. Apologize.

The bodyguard kicked the woman's knees out from under her.

She went still for a second, then her voice turned shrill.

I knew itshe IS a homewrecker!

Everyone, look at this! Young Mr. Delgado just got married today and he's already shielding herisn't that a slap in his own wife's face?

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

My heart seized. I gripped the soaked hem of my dress without thinking.

But the next second, April came running over in her wedding gown.

She was still smiling, her voice gentle.

Everyone, please don't misunderstand. Gladys is like a little sister to Godfrey and me. She's family.

Of course Godfrey's upset when he sees his little sister getting bullied. Right, Godfrey?

She tilted her face up at him, smiling sweetly.

Godfrey's gaze fell on me. He said nothing.

April walked over to where I sat.

Gladys, you're soaking wetyou'll catch cold. Let me take you to change.

She reached down to help me up.

The next second, she pitched backward and fell hard to the ground.

She clutched her stomach, her face drained of color, tears spilling instantly.

Godfrey, my stomachthe baby

Godfrey's expression changed completely.

He stood straight up out of the wheelchair, walked to April, and scooped her into his arms.

As he passed me, his steps faltered for half a beat. He left me with one sentence.

You're going to give me an explanation for this.

Before I could even change out of my wet clothes, two bodyguards seized my arms and dragged me into a car.

At the hospital, they threw me to the floor. Godfrey stood over me and gripped my chin.

April is hemorrhaging. They don't know if the baby will survive.

I looked up into his eyes.

I didn't push her.

Godfrey cut me off.

You didn't push her. So what you're saying is she used her own baby just to frame you?

Gladys, you're still lying to my face!

All at once, I didn't want to explain anymore.

It didn't matter what I said. He would never believe me.

I felt my lips twist into something that might have been a smile, bitter and mocking. Then I stopped talking.

Godfrey turned his head.

Draw her blood. However much April needs, take it.

The doctor hesitated, but they still wheeled me into the operating room.

One vial.

Two.

Three.

I heard the doctor's voice.

Mr. Delgado, we can't take any more. If we keep going, her life will be at risk.

Godfrey's voice carried not a trace of feeling.

As long as it saves April and the baby, I'll bear whatever consequences there are. Keep drawing.

I listened to his voice and tried to find some trace of the Godfrey who had once loved me.

When I was nineteen and away at college, I'd gone to donate blood without telling him.

On the walk back to my dorm I got so dizzy I nearly collapsed on the side of the road.

He found out somehow. Drove three hours to campus. When he burst into the dorm room, his face was whiter than mine.

He pushed me onto the bed, wrapped me up in the comforter like a cocoon.

His voice was furious and frantic all at once.

Gladys, listen to me. No more donating blood. No more donating anything. You don't get to lose a single drop, you hear me?

I told him donating blood was a good thing to do.

He looked at me.

I don't need you to do good things. I just need you safe and healthy.

Mr. Delgado, we really can't take any more. The patient is already The doctor's voice broke through again.

My vision was going dark. A low buzzing filled my ears.

But I could still hear Godfrey.

I said keep going. She hurt April. Even if it kills her, it's what she owes!

My body was going cold, little by little. Somewhere close, a monitor beeped.

She's pregnant! The patient is pregnant! Stop, stop now!

I turned my head and looked down.

Blood. Everywhere beneath me, blood.

My lips tugged faintly at the corners.

So I was pregnant too.

Panicked voices rushed in from all sides.

Godfrey crouched beside me, the rims of his eyes red.

You were pregnant. Why didn't you tell me? His voice was so hoarse it barely carried.

I looked at him and slowly, slowly smiled.

I pressed my lips to his ear and used every last ounce of strength I had for one final sentence.

Godfrey, why don't I give our baby to April too.