"So Uncle even prepared a speech?" Mariz unfolded the paper with a smile. She had barely read the first sentence before she burst into laughter.
"Today... I am entrusting my most precious daughter to Derrick..."
She looked up at Derrick, amused. "Isn't this a little too old-fashioned? Who even says things like this at weddings anymore?"
Several staff members nearby chuckled along with her.
My father's face flushed a deep red. He reached out, hoping to take the paper back.
"My French isn't very good. And... I'm not good with words. So... I just won't say it."
But Mariz ignored the embarrassment written all over his face. Instead, she flipped to the next page.
When she noticed the annotations my father had carefully written above difficult words, she laughed again.
"Uncle, were you worried you'd mispronounce the words?"
"You really don't have to be this nervous. Honestly, no one actually wants to hear a speech like this."
The surrounding staff laughed even harder.
My father's face burned crimson.
At last, Derrick spoke, but not to defend my father. Instead, he nodded in agreement.
"Mariz has a point. "This speech really doesn't fit the style of today's wedding."
"Uncle, let's just cancel the speech."
My father tightened his grip on the paper. His lips moved slightly, as though he wanted to say something. But in the end, he only smiled faintly.
"Alright. We'll do whatever you think is best."
I watched him carefully fold the speech back into neat quarters before slipping it into the wrinkled pocket of his wine-stained suit.
His movements were painfully slow. As if, together with that speech, he was quietly folding away the last shred of his dignity.
He had spent half a month preparing those few pages.
I still remembered coming home one afternoon and finding him sitting alone in the living room, recording himself on his phone.
Whenever he stumbled over a sentence, he would delete the recording and start all over again.
He smiled sheepishly and said, "Donna... your dad isn't educated."
"But when you get married, I have to do this properly. I can't let anyone think your family has no one standing behind you."
Back then, I had laughed at how nervous he was.
"Dad," I told him, "just being there is enough."
But today, he wasn't even given the chance to stand on that stage.
...
Mariz handed the ceremony schedule back to the emcee.
"I'll give the speech instead. I know Derrick well, and I'm familiar with how everything will flow."
She turned to my parents with a gentle smile and continued, "Since Uncle and Auntie aren't comfortable speaking in front of everyone..."
"I'll offer my blessings on your behalf. It'll be the same."
My mother lowered her head while my father didn't object.
Perhaps they had already grown accustomed to it.
As long as it was for my sake, they were willing to endure anything.
At that moment, the emcee walked over. "Miss Newman, please get ready. You're up next."
Mariz smoothed the wrinkles from her dress and walked past me.
She paused beside me, lowering her voice. "Don't let Uncle and Auntie feel too bad, Donna."
"Since they can't go onstage, I'll say a few blessings for them. At least that will help save the situation."
When she finished speaking, a flicker of triumph flashed across her eyes.
I didn't even look at her. Instead, I lowered my gaze to my phone.
A message from the wedding planner had just arrived.
[Everything is ready. Should we play it now?]
I slowly lifted my head.
At the end of the red carpet, Mariz had already accepted the microphone.
Derrick stood below the stage, watching her with eyes full of warmth and indulgence.
Meanwhile, my parents sat alone in the darkest corner of the banquet hall.
One held the speech he had never been allowed to deliver. The other clutched the oversized black hotel uniform that didn't even fit her.
I slowly typed a single word. [Play.]
The next second, the massive LED screen behind the stage lit up.
What appeared on it made every single guest in the banquet hall gasp in shock.
