3: 3
"Bride, where's the groom? He's the only one we're missing."
The wedding host prompted me again.
I gripped the phone that no one would answer.
In the end, I called Alison.
"Something wrong?"
It was Mason's hoarse voice.
"You two are all that's left for the rehearsal."
"Got it."
After the call ended.
I heard the staff whispering nearby.
"They're getting married tomorrow, and they don't even show up for the rehearsal."
"The bride's been here waiting since first thing this morning."
"If you ask me, the groom doesn't want to marry her at all."
The staff had all clocked out, and they still hadn't come.
"I'll send you the run of the ceremony. Just follow it tomorrow and nothing will go wrong."
"Thank you."
They only arrived after everyone was gone.
"Do you two even know there was a rehearsal today?"
I looked at them, my face far from pleased.
"Elaine, honestly, rehearsal or no rehearsal, it's the same. As long as we're both there tomorrow for the wedding, that's all that matters."
"He's right, Elaine. The rehearsal's just a formality. Showing up is enough."
I stepped back, out of reach of the two hands trying to take mine.
"Still upset about yesterday? Next time we'll order the split broth, I promise."
"Don't be angry. Mom's still waiting for us to go book the reception."
Mason's mother had always been good to me.
Every holiday she sent me something.
She often called just to ask how I was doing.
She probably had no idea the two of them had ever been together.
At that thought.
I glanced at the diary I'd tucked into my bag.
What if she found out and couldn't take it, and passed out from the shock.
Better not to bring it out yet.
"Elaine, come look at what dishes you want for the wedding."
"I know both your parents are gone. From now on, I'll be your mother."
At her words, my eyes went red in an instant.
A warmth spread through me.
"Mom, you're so good to Elaine, I'm going to get jealous."
His mother didn't so much as glance at Alison.
She held on to me and went over the wedding details.
"Mom, Ali's talking to you."
Only when Mason spoke did his mother give a flat, indifferent hum.
The whole meal left me uneasy from head to toe.
I didn't know how to bring up calling off the wedding.
Coming back from the restroom, I stood outside the door for a moment.
And heard his mother's cold voice.
"Once you and Elaine are married, I won't interfere with you and Alison anymore."
My hand stopped halfway to the door.
I pressed myself flat against it, straining to make out what they were saying.
"I know, Mom. Elaine's a good person. I like her well enough too."
Alison's crying drifted out in broken pieces.
"Alison can't have children. Playing around with her is fine. Marrying her isn't."
My heart skipped half a beat, and the blood went cold all through me.
So his mother knew about them too.
"Elaine said before that she wanted to start having kids after the wedding. She even turned down an overseas assignment for him."
Hearing that, my whole mind went numb.
Now I knew why Alison kept asking me when I planned to have children.
And why she'd introduced Mason to me.
"Whatever you do, you can't let Elaine find out. The wedding's tomorrow, the invitations are already out. I won't be humiliated!"
"Mom, she's starved for love. She won't leave us."
The world went dark in front of me.
I took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
