And I did understand, finally.
She didn’t see me as family.
She saw me as help.
I stayed home on her wedding day. I worked a little, checked on Mom, did laundry, tried not to imagine the dress I’d made walking down an aisle without me in the room.
I told myself I’d learned an expensive lesson and that was that.
A few hours into the reception, my phone rang.
It was Nina, another friend of mine, who sometimes waits tables at events when she’s not in school.
I answered, expecting something normal.
Instead, I got, “Claire, you are not going to believe what just happened.”
My stomach dropped for the second time that month.
Nina lowered her voice even though I wasn’t there.
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