“What kind of emotional confusion,” I said, “could my own daughter’s presence possibly create at my wedding?”

Brenda glanced past me at the rows of seated guests, and then something in her seemed to decide that if we were going to have this out, she would say what she actually thought.

“Everyone here knows she represents your first marriage, Chris,” she said, with a cold new edge.

“And constantly pushing her to the front, up the aisle, beside you, it makes it look like Rebecca is still a third partner in this relationship.” “Rebecca will always be a part of Hannah’s life,” I said.

“Which means her memory will never be erased from mine, and it will never be forgotten in my home.”