ve y

oice telling me this as if it were now. It's like a ghost chasing me

yor of the city. There is a special glow on your face. She smiles when she looks at me, but her eyes take on a distant, worried loo

rainy day erased the brightness of his eyes. I can dazzle her dressed

, Zoe? – She asks,

iful, Mom, – I

htly emotional, and wraps

nd look into her eyes – befo

e when you first hold your bouquet of flowers. That wedding dress, with that beautifully d

t of seeing my mother getting married is unreal to me. It is likely that the penny has not dropped yet. It's also likely that I'm i

w your desire to walk again one day, and I know how fundamental this step is. Surely it wasn't that difficult for him to give up something so important for something much bigger at his brother's request. After that day when he proposed to me, we didn't talk anymore. "I love you" was the last thing I heard from him since then. He told me that, and left, leaving a choking lump in my throat. Two day

ile. My heart hammers in my chest, my hands shake as I hold his once more. I want to say something, anything. Maybe a hello would be enough, but I can't. Nothing comes out of

ll you how beau

at me. I look down at the wheelchair,

earing anything like

entering the church one by

, Zoe, after a com

oung man I met one day – I commente

're referring to die in that terrible accid

ze your hand affectionate

tenderly, and we

like the worst woman ever for hurting him like that. I wonder how long he's been watching us, and I haven't had a chance to produce an

to follow the pr

omfortable in

refer not to imagine falls on us. The smile almost disappeared from my lips. I'm once again being the center of attention, and I hate it. I watch Arthur with his head held high

lmost had to force my legs to carry out their simple role of supporting me. Elisabeth would h

so slowly straight into his arms. I watch the man at her side who leads her to the altar. Strangely, he looks more handsome than he used to. An almost perfect gentleman that any good girl in that city wou

over, and I realized I got more emotional than I should have. Pe

heard that voice behind me an

– I hug her happily

st sermon I've ever heard – we laughed togeth

of the head, and we are

about the changes

what she's talking about – incredib

ms happy ab

g funny, so funny that their eyes sparkle. Next thing I

oo, – she

e w

y when I realize what a ri

hat you two live und

girl - I say - I'm cer

to be afraid of, dear Zoe. The most that can happen under that roof is y

to be afraid of, dear Zoe. The most that can happen under that roof is y

ther word. She was being too kind in concluding that, because, deep down, I kn

our new family? - She asks, teasing me – Y

d out in the middle of the crowd looking for

f me – I hug her saying goodbye

– she

comical way in which Naomi treats the facts of my

e for the event cuts through the crowd of guests, stopping right in front of us. For a mom

lisabeth,

'm immediately sure that she knows him well and

can see the dread spread across the beautifully made-up fa

u imagine?

e he realizes that Elisabeth is not well, but h

I think about asking her what's going on, but I decide against it because

away, – El

need to meet my daughter,

art f

that grabs my shoulder and lovingly asks me to calm down. I look a

aug

ho. Elisabeth walks quickly towar

s to finish, but

him approach, just asking myself that alr