She grabbed my arm, her voice sounding like she was about to cry as she pleaded, “I promise that once the baby is born, I’ll return George to you, so please, can you not ruin my wedding? I beg you!”
I extricated my arm from her grip. “You’re overthinking it.”Nonetheless, Winona refused to leave me alone. George also approached, his brow furrowed deeply.
“George, I don’t want a wedding anymore. Have Mom and Dad tell everyone that the wedding is canceled.” As Winona spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks.
Frowning harder, George yanked me aside to reprimand me. “Mary, can you please stop being so insensitive? Stop agitating Winnie. Rest assured, I’ll marry you, so don’t do something as foolish as crashing the wedding.”
A sense of bitterness welled in me, but I simply turned and headed for the restroom.
I was drying my hands when I spotted Winona in the mirror, a smug look on her face.
While caressing her belly, she said with a smile, “Marilyn, do you know just how gentle George looks when he touches my belly? Once the baby is born, they will call George ‘Daddy’ and me ‘Mommy.’ We will be a happy family of three.”
I tossed the used napkin in the trash bin before answering blithely, “Oh, then congratulations to you. I wish you two a happy marriage.”
There was silence behind me for a while, but I could still sense that gaze fixed intently on my back.
