His hand was covered in blisters now.
And he was still saying he was fine.
I couldn't take it anymore. I reached out and pulled him toward me.
"Dad, let me get something on that burn."
My mother fumbled through her bag and pulled out two cash gift envelopes.
I knew there wasn't much money inside.
But it was all the dignity they had to give.
For this wedding, my mother had gone to the bank a full month early to trade for crisp new bills.
She'd pressed them flat inside a thick book, one at a time, saying they'd look better that way when the time came.
She'd even tucked the envelopes under her pillow and slept on them for days.
Afraid the corners would curl.
The day she showed them to me, she smiled a little sheepishly.
"Carter, your dad and I can't give you much."
"But it's all clean, brand-new money."
"You take it. For good luck."
But the moment the envelopes went out, Rupert leaned in and took a look.
"Sir, ma'am, isn't this envelope a little thin?"
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, his smile went even lighter.
"Though I suppose it's no wonder."
"I hear Carter sold the old family house just to marry into the Fox family."
"Sir, ma'am, you didn't hand over every last cent to prop up his engagement gift, did you?"
"Because this envelope here doesn't exactly look respectable."
My parents' faces went white.
Down in the crowd people were murmuring, one ugly remark after another drifting up to us.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
That old house was the last safety net my parents had left me.
In the old downtown district, in a great location.
Word of a demolition-and-relocation deal had gone around again and again over the years, and people had long been offering high prices for it.
But my parents could never bear to sell.
They said, "We're keeping the house."
"So that if you're ever mistreated, you'll at least have somewhere to come home to."
Then, half a month ago, Wallis's company ran into a cash-flow crisis.
She couldn't sleep, night after night.
I saw it, and quietly talked my parents into selling that house.
I wired the money into the escrow account of Wallis's company, as emergency funds.
But now it looked like there'd been no need.
I took out my phone and messaged the escrow lawyer, telling him to transfer the money straight back to me.
In those few seconds while my head was down, my father was already reaching anxiously into his pocket.
"There's more, there's more."
"We put a little aside too."
He pulled out a small, crumpled stack of cash from his inner pocket.
It was the money he'd scrimped on the way here, skipping water, skipping meals, secretly saving up for me.
I finally pressed his hand still.
"Dad, don't."
"You don't owe anyone anything."
Rupert threw up his hands as if my voice had startled him.
"Carter, I didn't mean anything by it."
"I just figured, for a wedding this big on the Fox side, the groom's family should show a little class too."
"I was only worried people would laugh at your parents."
Wallis's expression finally darkened.
"Rupert, that's enough."
Rupert lowered his head at once.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Fox."
"I've said the wrong thing again."
Wallis sighed, her voice softening.
"No one blames you."
Then she looked at me.
"Carter."
"The ceremony's almost over."
"Don't drag this out."
I stared at her, dazed.
The Wallis who had sat at my family's dinner table five years ago and stepped in to save my father from embarrassment.
It seemed she really had died at some moment I never saw.
The person standing in front of me now.
Her heart was already full of Rupert.
And I had nearly brought someone like this into the rest of my life.
Down below, the guests were still whispering.
My mother tugged carefully at my sleeve.
"Carter, let it go."
"Your dad and I really are fine."
"Don't ruin your wedding over us."
I looked at the red stamp still not wiped clean from her face.
At the burned, reddened back of my father's hand.
At the way they kept desperately trying to save face for me even after being laughed at.
And the last bit of hesitation in my heart finally shattered.
Slowly, I drew my hand back.
Picked up the teacup from the tray.
Everyone thought I was about to go on with the tea ceremony.
Even Wallis visibly relaxed.
But the next second.
I slammed the teacup down onto the floor.
My voice was ice.
"This wedding's off."
