Upset fiancée Summer is preparing for Matt’s wedding. But as the wedding approaches, she notices that Matt has changed from an outgoing guy to a private one.
Summer is suspicious and thinks Matt is dating someone else. Her suspicions were confirmed. However, Summer is completely wrong about the identity of the woman.
In the weeks leading up to the wedding, my life seemed to hang in the balance, eroded by every snide look and hushed conversation my fiance Matt believed he was keeping from me.
At first, the symptoms weren’t obvious – I know, they always are – but by then Matt was completely transparent. I felt very alone with this new side of him.
Suddenly his phone was password protected and he never left it. In addition, he felt an urgent need for seclusion and wanted to use the phone outside, away from me.
However, nothing was more painful for me than the day I noticed a different perfume on him. The smell just wasn’t mine, that much was obvious. This new perfume was floral and sweet while mine was earthy and medicinal.
I still remember that morning sitting outside trying to figure out what to do.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted to confront Matt about what was going on behind the scenes or finish my wedding veil.
I needed more clarification, so I called my sister Annie.
“What do you think?” I asked. “Should I confront him?”
My sister excitedly said, “Yeah!” “Sister, you will marry this guy. You must be aware of the events leading up to the marriage. Delayed marriage is better than divorce.”
I was aware of my sister’s good intentions. She asked me to consider that something serious could happen.
“Talk to him,” she ordered. “And do it soon!”
I couldn’t imagine calling off the wedding. However, I had no intention of dating Matt if he was seeing someone else. This is not something I would allow myself to do.
That night during dinner I approached Matt. Even though my voice remained calm, my heart pounded heavily in my chest. I was worried that I was making things up. However, I feared that there might be some truth to Matt’s actions.
I sat down at the table and said, “I’m not going to play these games, Matt.”
He reacted immediately, his eyes opening wide and a bead of sweat forming on his forehead as if the accusation itself had broken him.
“Summer,” he stammered. “If you’re suggesting it, there’s no other woman. I promise. Everything at work right now is built on secrecy; this is just a private project. It requires my full attention, but nothing can be revealed. Okay?”
Matt reached his hands out to me, perhaps trying to physically restore our mutual trust.
At that moment, I saw sincerity and terror in my fiance’s eyes, despite the rush of uncertainty.
I decided to trust him.
Matt and I organized a dinner with our closest family and friends the weekend before our wedding. We just wanted a quiet meal before our big day, which we knew would be hectic due to the well-planned timeline our wedding planner had created.
I set up our garden with fairy lights with Matt and the drinks flowed smoothly.
Matt’s best friend Lucas commented, “Thank God you’re getting married, Matt.” “You’re someone else’s problem now.
The boys laughed and went back to gathering food.
Matt, on the other hand, completely ignored them. His fingers quickly typed into the phone as he was absorbed in it.
My sister yelled, “Matt!” trying to get his attention.
He looked up to see everyone staring at him and said, “What?”
Sorry, he muttered. “Just the final details of the wedding.
He looked away from me.
I wasn’t sure what to think about it. Matt’s restraint once again struck me as I collected the dirty dishes and placed them in the kitchen ready to be washed.
He seemed to be in much better health after the altercation. Or he was more adept at hiding what he did.
Just as I imagined, our wedding day appeared, glowing in the late afternoon sun.
Grace, our wedding coordinator, moved heaven and earth to get flowers to decorate the church. And the gentle murmurs of our loved ones filled the air.
I felt foolish for doubting Matt as we stood hand in hand at the altar, ready to give each other life.
I could tell the man loved me. He couldn’t be unfaithful to me.
Matt smiled mischievously as if he could read my mind. He shook my hand.
Then there was a sound that broke the silence: the sound of the church doors opening, a crash that interrupted the instrumental music.
Matt shouted as he turned to face the disturbance.
I didn’t even need to look to find out as I felt his shame wash over me like a wave and leave me exhausted. Still, I turned and noticed an elderly lady walking down the aisle.
Matt’s mother, Lisa, who was raising him, dropped her purse and clutched her heart for balance.
“You?” she said echoing through the church.
Between the two worlds he was lovingly brought into and the one he was born into, Matt served as the link between them.
It happened to be Matt’s mother who reluctantly attended our wedding. After his original mother abandoned him, he was taken in by his aunt and his upbringing was a mosaic of love laced with mystery.
In the six years we’ve been together, Matt and I have never discussed this topic. His parents, as far as I knew, were Lisa and George, the two he immediately introduced to me as family.
It was about time this long-kept secret was revealed. I would accept Matt even if he didn’t come clean until after I asked him out, once he was sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.
Rather, nothing was present.
Matt kept it from me.
During our wedding, it was revealed to all of us that Charmaine, Lisa’s younger sister, was Matt’s biological mother.
Matt let go of my hand and walked towards Charmaine. I could tell that while one part of Matt was ecstatic, another was uncomfortable.
His mother walked over to her sister and the moment hung there, a breath before the storm.
Each of our guests held their breath and braced themselves for criticism, anger, and possibly rejection. But then came a moment so sensitive that it seemed as if the church itself was breathing a sigh of relief.
Matt’s mother, Lisa, who had cared for him with all the love her heart could contain, stepped forward and hugged her sister, who spoke of a love that endures all hardships and forgives.
When the time came, our vows were not only commitments to each other but also to our families, correcting history and correcting love.
I had Matt by my side for the rest of the evening. He didn’t try to explain anything to me. However, he seemed much calmer than he had been in recent weeks.
He swore he’d tell me everything on our honeymoon, during our first dance.
“Summer, I’m sorry,” he said. However, everything happens for a purpose. I swear.”
I subsequently found out that Matt and his mother Lisa had pledged to keep it a secret.
Lisa answered, “Summer,” a few days after Matt and I got back from our honeymoon when we went out to lunch.
Lisa said, “I’m not sure what to tell you.” “We should have been honest with you earlier, I know. Besides, Matt was instructed to tell you everything.”
“Why didn’t he?” I asked. “Is it a matter of trust?”
Even though our honeymoon was amazing, Matt and I avoided talking about it until we got home.
That hasn’t happened yet.
Lisa told me, “No,” and took a sip from her drink.
“That’s because our family kept it a secret for a long time. When my sister had Matt, she was a carefree and youthful eighteen. Of course, she loved her child. But she wasn’t ready to be a mom.” “
Lisa studied the ground for a moment.
“After George and I adopted a baby, we wanted nothing more than to have my sister in the picture,” she explained.
“Like a cooler, younger aunt?” I asked with a smile.
“Yes, exactly,” she said with a laugh. However, Charmaine packed up and moved out a few months later. Years went by without either of us exchanging words. because she was simply nowhere to be found. She then called sporadically to check-in.
Before he disappears once more.”
After some time, Lisa and I walked home after getting ice cream. For once, I felt more confident about where I stood in Matt’s life. We had a talk that made me feel like I was part of the family because I knew what was going on and why Matt hadn’t told me.
In the end, he believed that Lisa should reveal the truth rather than him, even though he was at the core of it.
Matt added, “At least you know,” as we shared a bottle of wine that evening.
“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I just didn’t know how to tell you because it’s a big deal for my mom.
Matt went on to tell me about his social media outreach to Charmaine.
“I was just wondering if she would be willing to come to the wedding. as an aunt,” he continued. As a mother, I didn’t want her to come here. No, that is forbidden for my mother.”
Matt finally told me how he had been trying to communicate with her, but he did it secretly because he would have to give everything away if he told me who he was talking to.
Charmaine has been invited to dinner next week. Matt is very nervous because he doesn’t know what to expect.
I can only hope they let him in.
As Summer’s journey unfolds, she navigates turbulent waves of doubt and uncertainty to find solace in the bonds of love and family. Initially plagued by suspicions surrounding her fiance Matt’s secretive behavior, Summer grappled with fears of betrayal and the unknown. But as the truth gradually unfolded, it became clear that Matt’s mysterious actions stemmed from a deep-seated family secret – one that had been weighing him down for years.
The revelation of Matt’s biological mother, Charmaine, at their wedding ceremony, served as a pivotal moment of truth and reconciliation. Despite the initial shock and confusion, Summer witnessed a display of family love and forgiveness that transcended past misunderstandings. Through Matt’s mother, Lisa, Summer gained insight into the complexities of their family history, fostering a newfound understanding and acceptance of Matt’s journey.
When Summer and Matt went on their honeymoon and returned to a familiar home, they faced the lingering questions and insecurities that lingered between them. Through honest conversations and shared moments of vulnerability, Summer begins to understand the weight of Matt’s silence and the depth of his loyalty to his family. With each revelation, their bond grew stronger, paving the way for a future built on trust, honesty, and unwavering support.
Summer finally found peace in the knowledge that she was an integral part of Matt’s life, intricately woven into the fabric of their shared experiences and family ties. As they welcome Charmaine into their lives and embrace the complexities of their intertwined destinies, Summer realizes that love isn’t just about exchanging vows, it’s also about embracing the complexities of the human heart.
Through the trials and tribulations of their journey, Summer and Matt emerge stronger and more united than ever, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead. For Summer, the tumultuous journey to her wedding day was filled with uncertainty and doubt but ultimately led her to a deeper understanding of love, forgiveness, and the enduring power of family.