He called, putting the phone on speaker.
“Can we call her instead?”
His aunt answered quickly.
“Edison! Is everything okay? We’re about 20 minutes away.”
“The wedding’s still happening,” I said. “But can I ask what Mariam told you yesterday?”
She hesitated.
“She texted me last night, saying Layla was having doubts about marrying you.”
“The wedding’s still happening.”
Edison frowned.
“We haven’t had any problems.”
“I thought so,” his aunt said. “But Mariam called again this morning, saying the wedding might not happen.”
I leaned toward the phone.
“Did she tell anyone else?”
Edison frowned.
“She said she’d warned a few relatives, just in case.”
I swallowed.
“Thank you for telling us.”
I ended the call.
***
I looked at my hair in the mirror.
I ended the call.
“She planned this, Edison.”
“You think she knew yesterday?”
“She warned everyone I’d abandon you. Then she gave me a reason to.”
I reached for his phone.
“She planned this, Edison.”
“Ask your aunt for a screenshot. I want to see exactly what she said.”
He called her back.
Minutes later, a screenshot arrived.
Mariam’s message read:
“I’m worried Layla will embarrass Edison by refusing to walk down the aisle. If she cancels, please don’t blame him.”
“Ask your aunt for a screenshot.”
I checked the timestamp.
She’d sent it last night.
“She planned to make me cancel. Then she made sure everyone would blame me for it.”
He sat beside me.
“I’m sorry.”
I checked the timestamp.
I put the phone down.
“Your mother was supposed to welcome me during the ceremony.”
“I know.”
“She’s not doing that anymore.”
“Agreed.”
I put the phone down.
I stood.
“And I want to tell her myself.”
***
We found Mariam in a room near the venue entrance.
She was adjusting her earrings when we walked in.
I stood.
Her eyes went straight to my hair.
“Oh. You managed to do something with it.”
“Yes,” I replied. “My sister fixed it.”
Mariam looked at Edison.
“My sister fixed it.”
“Well, at least we can still have a nice day.”
“Mom, why did you cut Layla’s hair?”
“I thought she might reconsider marrying you.”
I stepped forward.
“Is that why you warned your relatives I’d cancel?”
“Mom, why did you cut Layla’s hair?”
Her smile disappeared.
“I was concerned.”
“You told her I’d embarrass Edison at the altar. Then you tried to make sure I wouldn’t get there.”
“That’s not what happened. I was helping with your veil. The scissors slipped.”
“I was concerned.”
“Twice?” I asked. “And then you told me to cancel?”
She turned to Edison.
“Are you going to let her accuse me of this?”
He didn’t move.
“I’m waiting for your answer, Mom.”
He didn’t move.
Mariam folded her arms.
“I’ve always wanted what’s best for you.”
I shook my head.
“I came here because there’s something you need to know.”
Mariam folded her arms.
She looked at me.
“You won’t be giving the family blessing today.”
Her eyes widened.
“Excuse me?”
“Edison’s spoken to the ceremony coordinator. We’ve removed it from the ceremony.”
“Excuse me?”
“You can’t just take that away!”
“It’s our wedding,” Edison said.
Mariam pointed at me.
“She’s turning you against your own mother.”
“You can’t just take that away!”
“No,” he replied. “You did this.”
Her face tightened.
“Everyone’s expecting me to speak. You’ll embarrass me in front of my own family!”
I held her gaze.
“You were willing to let everyone think I’d abandoned Edison. I’m not going to help you pretend you welcomed me.”
“You did this.”
We left before she could answer.
***
With less than an hour to go, Natalie helped me into my dress.
“Ready?” she asked.
My makeup had survived the tears, but I still wanted my hair back.
“Ready?”
“Almost.”
I picked up the pearl hair clip she’d bought to match my earrings.
“Can you put this in?”
She smiled.
“Almost.”
“I thought you’d forgotten about it.”
“I haven’t.”
She secured it above my ear.
I turned toward her.
“How do I look?”
“I haven’t.”
“Like you’re getting married.”
I laughed and hugged her.
Then someone knocked.
The ceremony was about to begin.
Then someone knocked.
***
When the music started, I stood outside the doors with my heart pounding.
Natalie squeezed my hand before walking ahead.
Then it was my turn.
The doors opened.
Guests rose.
The doors opened.
I saw people glance at my hair. A few exchanged surprised looks.
My cheeks warmed.
But I kept walking.
Edison waited at the front.
When I reached him, he took my hands.
I kept walking.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered.
“Even without the hair?”
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“Especially with that smile.”
I wanted to smile again.
But then I saw Mariam in the front row.
“You look beautiful.”
She was watching me closely.
And I knew she still expected us to back down.
***
The ceremony began.
We’d arranged for the family blessing to come before our vows.
When that moment arrived, Mariam straightened in her chair.
The ceremony began.
She began to stand.
But the officiant turned toward me instead.
I took the microphone.
“I’d like to say something before we continue.”
Mariam stopped moving.
I took the microphone.
I looked across the guests.
“This morning, Mariam offered to help me with my veil.”
I touched the short ends of my hair.
“Instead, she cut my hair and told me I should cancel my wedding.”
A murmur moved through the room.
I touched the short ends.
Mariam stood.
“Layla!”
I continued.
“I also learned she’d warned relatives yesterday that I might abandon Edison today.”
Someone in the front row turned toward her.
Mariam stood.
“I don’t know what she expected me to do. But I came here because I love Edison, and I want to marry him.”
I looked at my future mother-in-law.
“Mariam was supposed to give a blessing welcoming me into this family. We’ve decided not to have that blessing.”
“I want to marry him.”
She pushed into the aisle.
“You can’t do this to me!”
Her voice carried through the room.
“You can’t humiliate me in front of everyone!”
Her voice carried.
I looked at her.
“You tried to stop me from coming here, Mariam. I’m not going to let you decide what happens now.”
She turned toward Edison.
“Are you going to let her do this?”
He stepped beside me.
“You tried to stop me.”
“Mom, please sit down. We’re getting married.”
Mariam stared at him.
Then she returned to her seat.
I handed back the microphone.
“We’re getting married.”
My hands were still shaking.
But when Edison reached for them, I held on.
We exchanged our vows.
And when the officiant announced that we were married, Edison kissed me.
***
At the reception, Natalie found me beside the dressing room mirror.
We exchanged our vows.
“Need help with those pins?” she asked.
“Please. They’re pulling whatever hair I have left.”
She removed them one by one, careful not to catch the shorter strands.
When she’d finished, she picked up the little pearl clip.
“Keep this one?”
She picked up the little pearl clip.
I looked at it.
“Definitely.”
She fastened it back into place.
“I wish Mom could’ve seen you walk down that aisle,” Natalie said.
I smiled.
I looked at it.
“She would’ve cried through the whole thing.”
“She probably would’ve cut Mariam’s hair in retaliation, too.”
We laughed.
Then Edison appeared at the door.
“Ready for our first dance?”
Edison appeared at the door.
I looked at my reflection once more.
My hair was still uneven, and I knew I’d have to get it properly fixed.
But I didn’t reach for the veil.
I turned toward my husband.
I looked at my reflection.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
He offered me his hand.
I took it, and we walked back to our wedding together.
