Daniel called me one evening.
"Mom, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Tiffany has a particular vision for the wedding. Her family is inviting a lot of important people, and we want everything to be beautiful."
I smiled.
"That's wonderful."
He hesitated.
"The problem is that it's becoming more expensive than we expected."
"How much?"
He was quiet for a moment.
"About forty-five thousand dollars."
I stopped moving.
I had never spent that much money on a single event.
"Daniel, that's a lot."
"I know. I told Tiffany we might need to scale things back."
There was something in his voice that made me feel guilty.
He sounded disappointed.
I looked toward the photograph of Robert on the mantel.
My husband had always dreamed of seeing Daniel married. He had once joked that he would probably cry more than the bride's father.
I wished he could have been there.
"Let me see what I can do," I said.
Daniel became excited.
"Really, Mom?"
"I want you to have a beautiful day. But I need you both to understand that this is a gift, not something you should expect."
"Of course. Thank you. I love you."
I transferred the money over several weeks.
I paid the venue deposit, the floral designer, the catering company, the photographer, the musicians, and several other expenses.
At first, I felt happy about helping.
Then the requests became more frequent.
Tiffany wanted a different ballroom because the original one didn't have enough natural light. She wanted more flowers because the arrangements looked too simple. She wanted imported champagne, a larger dance floor, and a special dessert table.
Every time the wedding planner contacted me, the budget increased.
I tried to discuss the expenses with Daniel, but he always sounded uncomfortable.
"Mom, I know it's a lot. I'll talk to her."
But nothing changed.
Eventually, I stopped asking questions.
I didn't want him to feel caught between his mother and his future wife.
I thought I was protecting their relationship.
I didn't realize I was making it easier for someone to take advantage of mine.
One afternoon, Tiffany sent me a message.
"Margaret, I hope you understand that the wedding is about Daniel and me. Please don't expect too much attention on the day. I want everything to look elegant, and we don't need unnecessary emotional situations."
I read the message twice.
I hadn't asked for attention.
I hadn't requested a special speech.
I hadn't even asked to choose the flowers.
I simply wanted to watch my son get married.
I replied politely.
"Of course, Tiffany. I hope everything goes beautifully."
She responded with a thumbs-up.
That evening, I sat in Robert's old armchair and looked at his photograph.
"Your future daughter-in-law certainly has strong opinions," I whispered.
I could almost hear him laughing.
He would probably have told me not to worry.
And I tried not to.
On the morning of the wedding, I woke up before sunrise.
I made coffee, opened the curtains, and watched the first sunlight touch the garden.
I wore a simple cream-colored dress that I had purchased specifically for the occasion. I styled my hair, put on my pearl earrings, and placed Robert's photograph in my handbag.
I wanted to feel that he was coming with me.
Before leaving, I stood in front of the mantel.
"Today is Daniel's big day," I whispered. "I wish you could see him."
Then I drove to the venue.
The ballroom was even more beautiful than I had imagined.
The flowers were arranged perfectly. The chandeliers sparkled. The tables were covered with white linen, and every place setting had a small handwritten name card.
I found the wedding planner near the entrance.
"Mrs. Bennett!" she greeted me. "Everything is almost ready."
"Wonderful."
"Your son is getting dressed upstairs. The bride is with her mother."
I thanked her and walked toward the ballroom.
Tiffany was standing near the champagne tower, giving instructions to two employees.
When she noticed me, she looked at my dress.
"You're early."
"I wanted to see how everything looked."
She glanced toward the champagne tower.
"Please don't touch anything. The photographer is coming soon."
I smiled.
"Of course."
She returned to speaking with the employees.
A few minutes later, Daniel appeared in his black tuxedo.
He looked handsome.
When he saw me, his face brightened.
"Mom!"
He walked over and hugged me.
"You look beautiful," I whispered.
"Thank you. You look lovely too."
He looked around the ballroom.
"I still can't believe you helped make all this happen."
I touched his arm.
"Your father would have wanted this for you."
Daniel's expression softened.
"I miss him."
"So do I, sweetheart."
He hugged me again.
For a moment, I felt completely happy.
Then Tiffany called him.
"Daniel! We need you for the photographs!"
He apologized and walked away.
I returned to my seat.
The ceremony began an hour later.
The musicians played a beautiful melody as Tiffany entered the ballroom with her father.