Mom looked at me.
“You’re determined, aren’t you?”
“You’re the one who taught me not to leave a problem for somebody else.”
“Sometimes we have to accept things.”
She smiled.
“I may have taught you too well.”
I stood.
“Then let me find a way to fix this.”
She smiled.
***
I returned to the coordinator, who confirmed Jenna’s aunt’s original seat was still available.
“Please prepare Mom’s place card,” I said. “I’m going to speak to Jenna.”
***
I found Jenna talking to Daniel near the reception entrance.
“Could I borrow Jenna for a moment?” I asked.
“I’m going to speak to Jenna.”
“Everything okay, Mom?” Daniel asked.
“I’ll tell you if I need you.”
Jenna followed me into the hallway.
“I’ve spoken to the coordinator. Your aunt’s original seat is empty. I’ve asked her to prepare Mom’s place card so we can correct the change.”
“Everything okay?”
“Without asking me? I’m the bride, Cassidy!”
“Your aunt has another seat. We can fix this.”
“Please don’t change anything yet.”
“Then I’ll speak to her myself.”
“I’m the bride, Cassidy!”
“No, Cassidy. You don’t understand.”
I waited.
Jenna lowered her voice.
“My aunt paid for most of the reception. Mom told her we’d give her a place at the family table as a thank-you.”
I looked at her more closely.
“No, Cassidy.”
“Did you know about this yesterday?”
She exhaled.
“Mom told me she wanted to move Deborah.”
“And what did you say?”
“I said it would probably be fine.”
She exhaled.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because your family is so easygoing. You’ve helped with everything, and Deborah never complains.”
I stared at her.
“Did you ask Daniel?”
“No. He would’ve made a fuss.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Then you knew he’d object.”
Jenna rubbed her forehead.
“I thought you’d explain it to her… She listens to you.”
For a moment, I couldn’t speak.
Jenna rubbed her forehead.
I couldn’t believe what my daughter-in-law was saying.
I’d rearranged shifts, delivered decorations, and taken Mom shopping for Jenna’s wedding.
She knew how much we’d done for her.
And she’d assumed we’d accept this too.
“You expected me to explain this to Mom?”
I’d rearranged shifts.
Jenna’s face tightened.
“You’re making this difficult.”
“No. I’m giving you the chance to fix it before Daniel finds out.”
“You wouldn’t tell him over this,” Jenna said.
Jenna’s face tightened.
“I won’t hide it from him.”
I opened the door.
Jenna caught up beside me.
“Wait. I’ll speak to Mom after dinner.”
“My mother won’t be eating beside the kitchen.”
“I won’t hide it from him.”
I walked away before Jenna could argue again.
***
Lucy found me outside the reception hall.
“Jenna won’t fix it until after dinner,” I told her.
“Grandma hasn’t even eaten,” she said.
I walked away.
I glanced toward Daniel across the room.
“How am I supposed to tell him this on his wedding day?” I asked.
Lucy looked at me.
“If Jenna did that to me, would you want Daniel to keep it from you?”
I couldn’t answer.
Lucy looked at me.
Patricia appeared beside us.
“Jenna tells me you’re still trying to change the seats.”
“I’m going to tell Daniel what happened.”
“Cassidy, please. Think about what you’re doing to their marriage!”
I stopped.
“Cassidy, please.”
I’d wanted Daniel to be happy with Jenna.
But after our conversation, I couldn’t stop wondering what would happen the first time my son needed Jenna to choose between him and somebody with more money.
Would she expect him to accept second place too?
I turned back to Patricia.
I’d wanted Daniel to be happy.
“Your daughter made a choice yesterday. I’m not going to hide it for her today.”
Lucy caught my sleeve.
“Mom, stay with Grandma.”
“Lucy, what are you going to do?”
She glanced toward the head table.
Lucy caught my sleeve.
“I didn’t want to do this today, but she deserves it.”
Before I could stop her, she walked straight toward Daniel.
I followed, but Lucy reached him first.
She leaned down and whispered something.
“She deserves it.”
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
He stood and looked across the room.
“Where’s Grandma?”
“She’s near the kitchen,” Lucy said.
He stared at her.
“Where’s Grandma?”
“Why?”
“Patricia gave her seat to Jenna’s aunt.”
Daniel turned toward his wife.
“Jenna, what’s going on?”
Jenna reached for his hand.
“Why?”
“Daniel, please sit down. We can discuss it later.”
He pulled his hand away.
“Where is my grandmother?”
I stepped forward.
“She’s with the catering staff. I tried to get her seat back, but Patricia and Jenna refused.”
I stepped forward.
Daniel looked toward the kitchen.
“Lucy, please stay with Grandma. I’ll sort this out.”
She nodded and hurried away.
Daniel turned back to Jenna.
He called the coordinator over.
“I’ll sort this out.”
“Please move my grandmother back to her original seat. Jenna’s aunt can use the one reserved for her.”
Jenna sprang to her feet.
“You can’t do that!”
Conversations stopped. Several guests turned toward her.
Jenna sprang to her feet.
Daniel stared at his wife.
“Why not?”
“You can’t ask her to move now! She spent so much on this!”
“So that’s why Grandma lost her seat?” Daniel asked.
Jenna’s face reddened.
He turned toward me.
“Why not?”
“Mom, did Jenna know about this?”
I wanted to protect him, but he deserved the truth.
“She approved it yesterday. I spoke to her myself.”
Daniel looked back at his wife.
He deserved the truth.
Jenna didn’t answer.
“You knew I’d never agree to this.”
“Daniel, you’re making this sound awful.”
“Then tell me how it’s supposed to sound.”
Patricia approached.
Jenna didn’t answer.
“You knew what your mother was doing, and you let it happen,” Daniel said.
Jenna’s eyes filled.
“I made a mistake.”
“Then why wouldn’t you fix it when Mom asked?”
Jenna looked away.
“I made a mistake.”
“I thought you understood what my family means to me.”
“I do, Jenna.”
“Then we have a lot to talk about.”
Patricia turned toward me.
“Cassidy, surely you can see what you’re doing to them.”
“I do, Jenna.”
I looked at my son.
He’d married Jenna less than two hours ago, and now he could barely look at her.
Part of me wanted to smooth everything over.
I’d done that for years.
But I wasn’t doing it again.
I looked at my son.
“I didn’t put my mother beside the kitchen, Patricia. You did. And when I asked Jenna to fix it, she refused.”
Patricia opened her mouth.
“No. You’ve both had your say. Now I’m getting my mother.”
I turned toward the family table.
“She refused.”
“And I’m going to ask your sister whether she’s willing to give back the seat she was never meant to take.”
I’d met Jenna’s aunt before the ceremony.
She was sitting quietly, watching the commotion.
“Excuse me,” I said. “There’s something I need to explain.”
When I told her about Deborah’s seat, her expression changed.
“There’s something I need to explain.”
“Daniel’s grandmother? Nobody told me I was taking her place!”
“Your original seat is still available. Would you mind moving back?”
“Of course not.” She picked up her purse and looked toward Patricia. “You should’ve told me.”
Patricia said nothing.
“Daniel’s grandmother?”
I thanked the woman and asked the coordinator to show her to the other table.
Then I went to find Mom.
She was standing beside Lucy near the kitchen doors.
“Is everything all right?” she asked.
“Daniel wants you beside him.”
I went to find Mom.
Mom looked across the room.
“And Jenna?”
I hesitated.
“She and Daniel have some things to work out. That’s for them to decide.”
Mom studied my face.
“That’s for them to decide.”
“I never wanted to cause trouble between them.”
“You didn’t, Mom. And you don’t have to fix it.”
She reached for my arm.
“Then I’d very much like to sit with my grandson.”
We walked across the room together.
“I never wanted to cause trouble between them.”
Daniel came forward and pulled out her chair.
“Grandma, I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner.”
She touched his cheek.
“You’ve had quite a day, sweetheart.”
He smiled, but his eyes were still troubled.
“I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner.”
“Then that’s where I’ll be.”
Lucy settled beside her grandmother, and I took the chair on Mom’s other side.
Across the table, Jenna sat quietly. Daniel returned to his seat, but he didn’t reach for her hand.
“I wanted you here with me.”
Daniel turned toward my mother.
“Is that the necklace I gave you for your birthday?”
She smiled and touched the little pendant.
“Lucy helped me put it on. I wanted to look nice for you.”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
“Is that the necklace I gave you?”
“You always do, Grandma.”
Mom laughed.
Then she slipped her hand into mine beneath the table.
