father to me. When Kevin told me his dad had terminal liver cancer and this might be his last big celebration, I cleared my schedule. My wife, Olivia, coul

s and Super Bowl parties. The backyard was packed with people, a large tent decorated with balloon

when I

Miller, looking frail but happy. Kneeling before them was a woman in a traditional, elegant dress.

as O

ress I' d never seen, performing a "daughter-in-law tea" ceremony. My first thought was t

, the way she tucked a strand of dark

ighed contentedly. "Kevin is so lucky. His fiancée is

me like a physical blo

in. "And so beautiful. Mr. Miller look

my wife. And everyone here seemed to know about it except

racticed smile froze when she saw me standing there. The color drained from her face. She

d harshly, grabbing my arm and pulling me towa

erously low. "The real question is, what the hell are you do

ed, glancing around nervousl

ncée to my best friend. It looks like you'v

that faltered when he saw mine. He put a familiar, broth

said, his voice a little too loud, a little

," I said, shaking his arm off m

"You know he's sick. His dying wish is to see the family complete, to see a '

Ethan. We just... we did this for him. To give him some peace. It' s just a little wh

nt of deceit, asking me to be a willing participant in my

ie was so elaborate, so perfectly staged. This wasn't a spur-of-the-

clarity was

aight at Olivia, who was still technically my wife. "Does his dying wish also incl