“She’s my mother.”
“And I’m your wife in a few minutes!”
“Not yet,” Daniel replied quietly.
Victoria froze.
Daniel had never spoken to her like that before.
He ended the call and went looking for his mother.
He found Eleanor in a small office beside the venue manager’s room, reviewing invoices and cancellation terms.
“Mom?”
Eleanor looked up.
“Daniel.”
He stared at the papers on the table.
“Are you really canceling the wedding?”
“I’m canceling the payments I no longer wish to make. The vendors are reviewing what can legally be stopped and refunded. I won’t pretend that every deposit can be recovered.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were this upset?”
Eleanor gave him a tired smile.
“Because I didn’t want to ruin your relationship.”
“Did Victoria say something to you?”
Eleanor lowered her eyes.
“Daniel, I don’t want to make you choose between us.”
He pulled out a chair and sat beside her.
“Mom, I’m asking you what happened.”
For the first time that morning, Eleanor let herself speak honestly.
Eleanor described the bracelet incident, the repeated insults, and Victoria’s demands. Most painful of all was the way Victoria treated her like an embarrassing stranger who happened to have access to a bank account.
Then she repeated Victoria’s final words.
“You paid for things because you wanted to. That doesn’t mean you get to interfere.”
Daniel looked as if someone had struck him.
“She said that to you?”
“In front of her bridesmaids and the wedding planner.”
He covered his face with his hands.
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
Eleanor reached for his arm.
“You don’t have to apologize for everything she says.”
“Yes, I do,” he answered. “Because I should have noticed.”
He looked at the invoices.
“How much have you paid?”
Eleanor hesitated before giving him the total.
