During the day when Grace is about to marry the guy who was instrumental in the reconstruction of her world, her daughter, who is seven years old, murmurs something that throws the celebration to a stop. Following this, there is a gradual disintegration of trust, loyalty, and affection, but not in the manner that one anticipates taking place. The truth does not always have the ability to destroy a family. Instead, it demonstrates why it is significant.

When my daughter Natalie was just four years old, I had the opportunity to meet my future husband, Richard.

When I was in that situation, I had long since given up on the idea of second chances. My late husband, Alex, was her father, and he passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack when Natalie was just one years old.

At one minute, he was playing peekaboo on the floor of the living room, and the next, I found myself all by myself in a world that was at a loss for what to do with young widows and newborns who had no father figure in their lives.

For a considerable amount of time, I deviated from contemplating topics such as love and relationship. My whole existence revolved on Natalie. During the night, I hugged her even more tightly than I held my anguish. It was because of her that I got out of bed and smiled even when I didn’t feel like smiling. She was the reason I smiled.

Furthermore, the concept of another individual into our tight-knit circle was not only exotic but also uncomfortable.

However, Richard arrived at that moment.

In the manner in which people anticipate the beginning of love tales, he was neither loud nor charming. I was not really blown away by him. In a consistent and patient manner, he just showed up, and he remained.

He was dependable and unwavering. Richard was the type of guy who was thoughtful enough to note the smallest of details, such as the fact that Natalie disliked the crust on her sandwiches. It was before she had to ask that he had interrupted them.

In spite of the fact that he never once made me feel as if I owed him anything for his generosity, he always held the door open, carried groceries without uttering a single word, and filled the gas tank if he spotted that it was low.

Perhaps most crucially, he never made an attempt to take the place of anybody else. Simply put, he created space.

I will never forget the moment when Natalie stretched out and grabbed his hand without any hesitation. As we were leaving the bookshop, she slid her fingers into his as if she had been doing that for the whole of her life. Richard gave her a gentle squeeze and grinned as he gazed down at her with a shocked expression on his face.

In the future, he murmured to me, “She is something else,” when she was selecting a cookie from the options available. In Grace’s words, “You are both… something else.”

He was the object of Natalie’s adoration. While she was sitting next to him on the sofa, she would imitate his movements, such as crossing his legs or laughing at advertisements. She sneaked into the kitchen when he was pouring coffee and looked sheepishly at him after we were engaged. She did this while he was preparing coffee.

Could I call you my father at this moment? ” she inquired.” “I will never forget my first daddy, but my mother tells me that he is no longer with us…”

First, he stared at me, waiting for me to give him a nod. Then, he got down on his knees and embraced her tightly.

I’d be thrilled to do that, Nat,” he responded.

After that day, she never again referred to him as Richard; instead, she referred to him as Daddy.

Following the sudden passing of his aunt Caroline, our wedding was postponed by a period of six months each. Because she had been a part of his upbringing, the loss of her rocked him to his very core.

As we mourned, we went on to the next step, which was to choose a new date together.

And I recall thinking to myself, “We made it!” as the big day finally came before us. At long last, we triumphed.

There was a string quartet performing our favorite songs, and the ceremony was place in a ballroom that was filled with lovely golden light, fresh white roses, and other beautiful flowers. It seemed as if everything was a dream: understated, sophisticated, and cozy.

Natalie was dressed in a tulle dress that had pearls embroidered around the neck. Prior to the ceremony, she danced in little circles with my nephew, Will, and their laughing could be heard drifting above the music.

As I stood there and watched them, I had a sense of peace that I hadn’t experienced in many years.

“We made it,” I said to myself in a low voice. “We made it through the most difficult of times… and now we are here.”

I had a sense of fullness that I hadn’t experienced in such a long time.

After the ceremony, I was mingling with guests, chatting with old friends, and taking comments on the centerpieces, the flowers, and the food that had been provided. At that moment, I had just finished a glass of champagne when I became aware of a little pull at the bottom of my dress.

While I was standing next to her, Natalie’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright, but not with happiness. There was a small tremor in her lip.

Over the background music, she said, “Mom,” in a barely discernible whisper. “Take a look at Grandpa’s arm. I do not wish to have a new father. I beg you.”

I became numb. Suddenly, my stomach fell, and my grin began to fail.

“Sweetheart, what exactly are you discussing over here? Where do you get the idea from? In a gentle manner, I brushed the hair away from her face while bending down.

She moved closer to the point and pointed in the other direction.

In a low voice, she said, “There’s lipstick.” “On the sleeve of Grandpa. It’s a deep red color, and I noticed it.

Her stare drew my attention. From where I was standing, I could see Richard standing close to the bar, conversing with a group of colleagues in an easygoing manner, his jacket buttoned perfectly, and nothing out of place.

Do you have a doubt? When I asked, I made an effort to maintain a steady tone.

“When he saw me looking, he pulled on his jacket very quickly,” she said. “I spotted him doing that.” “I’m no longer a baby, Mom,” I told her. Isn’t it exactly the same as cheating? ”

I felt a tightening in my gut as she gazed up at me with eyes that were wide and full of sincerity.

Stumped, I gazed at her in silence. Suddenly, everything seemed to be too quiet, despite the fact that the room swarmed behind me.

Instantaneously, she continued, “I don’t want you to be sad,” while casting a glance at her footwear. “Just thought you ought to be aware of this.”

While I was kneeling down and kissing her on the forehead, I cupped her face in my hands and said, “You did the right thing, Nattie-girl.” “I appreciate you letting me know, all right? ”

Her chin was shaking as she nodded her head.

As I took her over to my mother, who was standing close to the dessert table, I assured her that I loved her and that everything would be fine regardless of what happened.

“Would you be able to spend a few minutes there with her? I inquired in a low voice.

I was given a troubled look by my mother, but she did not say anything. While she was drawing Natalie in close to her, she said something soft that I was unable to hear. She placed her arm around Natalie.

I decided to turn around and go in the direction of the corridor that led to the changing rooms. When I tried to take a deep breath, I felt as if my chest was becoming constricted. Richard was just outside the door, having a conversation with two of his colleagues, and he was still smiling as if nothing had changed across the whole globe.

“Richard,” I began, with a measured and calm tone in my voice. I would want to speak with you for a moment. Someplace that is private? ”

Even though he was blinking, he followed without question. First, I unlocked the door to the bridal suite and let him to enter. After we had finished, I softly shut the door behind us. When the heavy door was closed, the peaceful bustle of the ballroom began to fade away.

“What exactly is going on? ” He inquired, a tense grin appearing on his face as he uttered the question. Is everything all right? ”

Take off your jacket, I told you.

Slowly, I made my way across the room and turned around to face him.

“What is it? How come? Again, he blinked his eyes.

As I maintained my composure, I said, “Because I’m asking nicely.”

After a moment of hesitation, he carefully began to shrug out of the jacket. In order to check the shoulder seam of his immaculate white shirt, I moved forward and took a step forward.

Moreover, there it was.

It was a lipstick print, just as Natalie had said. It wasn’t simply a smudge; it was a kiss mark that was just exquisite. The color was bold and deep red, and it was precisely placed on the cloth, as if it had been put there with purpose.

There was a tiny blurring of the borders, that gave the impression that someone had attempted to wipe it off, but the stain clung to it stubbornly.

Can you tell me where this came from? I pointed my finger in that direction.

His body became numb.

It’s Richard, right? ‘ I inquired.

Too fast, he spoke the words, “It’s nothing.” My mother kissed me earlier as I stepped in, so it’s likely that she was the one who did it.

I was unable to look away from him as the plain untruth tore me apart.

“Your mother likes to wear a light pink lipstick. Simply put, I told Richard that she has always done so. “This is not a pretty pink; rather, it is a wine red. “Emotional red”

No words came from him.

After giving him a single nod, I stepped away from him and went back to the dancefloor. No, I did not weep. My voice was not heard. I did not even bother to notify anybody about what had just taken place.

Instead, I went in search of my sister, Melody, and drew myself closer to her.

In a low voice, I muttered, “Mel, I need you to assist me with something.” “This moment.”

After seeming perplexed for a little period of time, her face became more intense.

“Grace, what type of things would it be? She revealed a kind grin.

Just put your faith in me, I replied. “The next thing we’re going to do is play a game.”

I informed her of Richard, Natalie, and the lipstick smear in a short amount of time.

With a sigh, I said, “I need to know… help me.”

It was only a few moments until she burst into a beaming grin, and then she was standing at the microphone, her voice resonating across the whole room.

“Greetings to all of you! It is a surprise game that the bride has prepared for you, and the victors will get a very unique reward from the bride herself. ” her voice yelled out.

The audience mumbled something and then shifted their attention to the dance floor, setting off a wave of interest that spread around the room.

The smile on Melody’s face suggested that she had just conceived of the game on her own.

It’s on! Now for the first test! Who is sporting socks that are red? The way Mel smiled suggested that she had just conceived up the game on her own.

Following a few giggles that reverberated throughout the room, Will let out a shriek of delight and darted forward to the front of the room. A magician unveiling a trick, he pulled up the legs of his trousers with a yanking motion.

As expected, the socks were crimson.

I chuckled and said, “Well done, buddy,” before handing him a strawberry that was wrapped in chocolate and placed on a silver dish. When he smiled, it was as if he had just won the most amazing thing in the world.

Still grinning, Melody took another hold of the microphone.

“Now for the next one! With a jovial tone, she said. Who among you is sporting a lipstick in a wine-colored dark cherry shade? Take a step forward! ”

There was a change in the atmosphere, and the room became silent. Guests were examining the lips of one another in an effort to identify who would emerge victorious.

For a brief period of time, there was complete quiet, which was sufficient for individuals to begin whispering. The heads turned. Frown lines deepened. After then, I saw that a number of the folks at the distant table were looking in Serena’s direction.

However, she was bumped by someone as she was looking down at her drink.

The manner in which she stood was slow, as if she were going through water.

This is Serena.

She was my roommate in college, my friend throughout the split, and the lady who knew every tale I had to tell and every wound I carried. With an overly loud “Finally! “, she had started off our engagement with a toast. ” and gave me a hug as if I were a sister.

Having reached the dance floor, she moved up to it with her heels clicking and her face looking pale.

It was in the center when I first encountered her.

While I was holding the microphone in my hand, I softly murmured, “There is no prize for you.” However, it is possible that you would want to explain to everyone why you kissed my spouse. Explain to everyone why you chose to brand Richard.

Complete silence descended over the room.

The mouth of Serena seemed to open and shut. Later on, it opened once again.

She stutteringly said, “I—I didn’t—Grace, I was—” I was.

I moved out of the way. After becoming more paler, Serena ran away via the door that was closest to her.

Not a single person laughed. There was no applause from anybody. All they did was gaze.

I came up to my daughter, grabbed her hand, and then I walked out of the wedding celebration that I was attending.

That evening, Richard phoned me a total of six times.

It was not worth my time to respond.

During that particular time, there was nothing that he could say that would make things right. I was not interested in explanations; rather, I want silence. I needed a period of time in which I could experience the gravity of what had occurred without anybody attempting to dissuade me from doing so.

On the other hand, Serena phoned later that evening. As soon as I took up the phone, her voice began to break. She was weeping so hard that I could hardly comprehend what she was saying.

As she sobbed, she acknowledged that she had been in love with Richard for a considerable amount of time. She said that it began while we were still just friends, but she never imagined that he would wind up with me in the end.

“I don’t mean it in a bad-spirited manner… Grace, it’s really exactly that. It’s not the first time you’ve been married; you’ve already been married before, and now you have Natalie. Following Alex’s passing, you became the widow, and of course, we all shared your loss. However, I didn’t believe that Richard would ever commit to you emotionally.

In response to Serena’s statement, I responded, “For not meaning something in a nasty way, that came out extremely offensive.”

She continued, disregarding me, “I blurted it out to him right after the ceremony.” “It was precisely after the ceremony.” I expressed my emotions to Richard, and then I attempted to kiss him, but he refrained from doing so. Therefore, my lipstick was able to make its way onto his arm.

I did a sigh.

It was her assertion that “I swear it didn’t mean anything.” “Grace, he did not kiss me back,” she said. It was possible for him to… I just lost control.”

I responded by saying, “I am at a loss for words.”

“Is it possible for us to chat once again soon? ” she inquired.”

“No, I don’t believe that we will, Serena. My response was, “Bye.”

The following morning, Richard wrote a lengthy note to his friend. Neither did he justify what had taken place. In no way did he attempt to rewrite it. Simply put, he expressed his regret. He said that he was unable to express it in a way that would not negatively impact the wedding, so he chose to remain silent.

It was his error of judgment.

It is not true that I ended our marriage.

Is it true that my relationship with Serena?

A hush fell over the situation.

When I finally got around to telling Natalie the truth, I sat her down on the porch later that afternoon. To a certain extent, but not everything.

My words to her were, “Someone made a poor decision, baby,” as I handed her a bowl of noodles that we had prepared together. There was a terrible act committed by Aunt Serena. Oh, and I assure you that Daddy did not cheat. Simply put, he became immobile. Sometimes, when things seem like they are too enormous, people will do that.

“So… we don’t need a new father, do we? Natalie gazed at me with an inquisitive expression.

As I drew her closer, I said, “No, baby.” Daddy is not going anywhere at this time.

Sandwiches made with ice cream were what we ate while sitting on the sofa that evening. Natalie had been sitting on the kitchen counter while Richard had been working on them.

When he entered the room earlier, he was carrying Natalie’s beloved plush rabbit, which she had left in the bridal suite the day before.

In a soft voice, he said, “I believe that someone forgot this.”

As Natalie’s grin began to fade, she seemed uncertain and froze beside me.

He replied, “I’m sorry, darling,” in a tone that was kind but unmistakable. During the wedding, I made a foolish error. It wasn’t the sort that would cause a family to fall apart, but it was the kind that would leave people feeling bewildered. To add insult to injury, I never want you to have any doubts about the extent of my love for you. Oh, and Mommy.”

“That’s good. Due to the fact that I do not want to have a new father,” she hushed.

A tear escaped from the corner of my eye, and I grabbed for them while I wiped it away.

What I said to Richard was, “Thank you.” “Thank you for being the person I always knew you to be…”

Over Natalie’s shoulder, Richard flashed me a kind grin.

As soon as that happened, our small family was able to hold. Not without flaws. However, continue to stand.