“Did you or did you not tell my daughter she could not walk down the aisle today?” Brenda shuffled her feet and would not look at the audience.

“I told her that emotions were running high, and that everyone needed a little personal space.” “Did you tell her,” I went on, evenly, “that she was no longer going to be the most important girl in my life once we were married?” And here Brenda lifted her chin, defiant, and said the thing that emptied the last of the sympathy out of that lawn.

“No husband can be expected to put his own wife in second place forever, Chris.”

A heavy silence fell over the guests.