It was the day that was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I stood at the altar, filled with excitement and nervousness, ready to marry the love of my life, Nancy. Surrounded by friends and family, the string quartet played softly in the background, creating the perfect atmosphere. But as time went on, I noticed a growing unease in the crowd.
Suddenly, Nancy’s friend, Emily, rushed over to me, looking frantic and out of breath. She delivered the shocking news, “Tom, I don’t know how to say this, but Nancy…she’s run away.”
My heart stopped. “What? Is this some kind of prank?”
Emily’s eyes widened with worry. “No, Tom. I wish it were a prank, but she really got in her car and drove off!”
Fear gripped me. “Why? What happened?”
Emily took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “We were getting ready, and a porter brought in a box, saying it was a gift. Nancy opened it, went pale, started crying, and just ran…”
My mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. “What was in the box?”
“I’m not sure,” Emily replied, shaking her head. “There was definitely a letter and something that looked like a paper rabbit.”
A paper rabbit? It was a puzzling detail. I couldn’t fathom what could have caused such a reaction. All I knew was that I had to find Nancy and understand what had happened.
Ignoring the confused looks from our guests, I bolted from the altar and made my way to the bridal suite. The room was in disarray, her wedding dress strewn across the floor, and makeup scattered everywhere. On the vanity table, the mysterious box sat. With caution, I opened it, revealing a folded letter and a small, intricately crafted origami rabbit.
My hands shook as I unfolded the letter. It was written in neat, precise handwriting:
“Dear Nancy,
I know this comes as a shock, but you deserve to know the truth before making a mistake. I am your father. I have been searching for you for years, but only now have I found you. Your mother kept us apart, and I respected her wishes until now. I couldn’t let you marry without knowing your true origins. Please forgive me for disrupting your day, but this is something you needed to know.
With all my love,
Dad.”
The contents of the letter sent my mind spinning. Nancy had never mentioned her father, always stating that he had left when she was a baby. This revelation must have hit her like a ton of bricks. Anger flared within me towards the man who had chosen this moment to reveal himself.
Determined to find Nancy, I grabbed my phone and dialed her number, only to be met with voicemail. Desperation set in, and I called her mother, Linda.
“Linda, it’s Tom. Have you heard from Nancy?”
A pause filled the other end of the line. “Tom, she just called me, crying. She said she needs time to think. She’s at the old family cabin by the lake.”
“Thank you, Linda. I’ll head there right away.”
I drove as quickly as I could to the cabin, the place where Nancy had spent many summers as a child. When I arrived, her car was parked outside. I rushed to the door and gently knocked.
“Nancy, it’s me. Please let me in.”
After what felt like an eternity, the door opened, revealing Nancy, tears streaming down her face. I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly.
“I’m so sorry, Tom,” she sobbed. “I didn’t know how to handle it.”
“Shh, it’s okay,” I whispered, gently stroking her hair. “We’ll figure this out together.”
We sat down, and Nancy shared everything with me – the letter, the shock of discovering her father, her emotions overwhelming her. I listened, my heart breaking for her.
“Nancy, we can postpone the wedding,” I said softly. “You need time to process this. We’ll face it together.”
With gratitude in her eyes, she nodded. “Thank you, Tom. I just need to understand who I am and why my mother kept this from me.”
I held her close, knowing that our journey had taken an unexpected turn, but also knowing that our love was strong enough to withstand any challenge. Together, we would navigate this new chapter in our lives, and when the time was right, we would stand at the altar once more, even stronger than before.
