I was only moments away from marrying the man I loved when my father suddenly stopped beside me. One terrified expression on his face destroyed everything I thought I understood.
I always imagined my wedding day ending in happy tears, never heartbreak. More than anything else, I wanted my father, Daniel, to walk me down the aisle.
Dad raised me on his own after my mother left when I was still very young. He learned how to braid my hair before school, worked exhausting night shifts, and stayed awake beside me whenever I was sick.
He used to tell me, “Your life will be better than mine. I’ll do everything to make sure of it.”
My fiancé, Julian, had only met Dad through a handful of glitchy video calls during the three years we lived in Europe. After we returned home before the wedding, Dad missed the rehearsal dinner because he came down with a fever.
