The church doors opened like a hurricane during our vows. Ethan, my ex-husband, arrived with my fiancé’s ex-wife and a baby! “Don’t exchange those rings yet,” Ethan shouted. Gashes echoed. My heart stopped. Is Nathan hiding something?
I stared at the figure in the large mirror, barely recognizing her. My lace and silk wedding dress fit me like it had always been there.
Harper, my best friend, taunted, “Stop grinning like that,” as she adjusted my veil behind me. “You’re gonna start crying, and I just spent ten minutes making sure that mascara doesn’t budge.”
I laughed nervously and joyfully. “I’m just…” I blinked quickly, fanning my face. Harp, I’m pleased. Very happy.”
“Yeah, well, you deserve it,” she squeezed my shoulders. “This? This is your chance. No inch belongs to Darren.”
She grounded me with her remarks. She was right. I deserved happiness after my first marriage’s hardships.
Nathan and I clicked immediately after meeting eight months ago. We both came from unhappy marriages, so we knew we’d found something nice in each other early on. We felt destined to be together.
Harper responded “Alright,” her eyes misting despite herself. “Let’s get you married.”
I heard sweet murmuring and saw fairy lights as I walked down the aisle. White roses filled every chair with their pleasant scent.
Nathan stared at me from the end of the aisle like there was no one else. His charcoal gray suit was sharp as ever, but his gaze undid me.
Was awe. It was love. It was home.
Each step made my heart thud harder. Not from nerves, but from this overpowering peace.
Finally, I could breathe after years. My life was about to change.
To a loud bang, the doors opened behind me.
Gunshot-like sound boomed across the church after Nathan’s vows. The audience murmured as heads turned toward the door.
Turning took molasses-like seconds. The big double doors opened, and my ex-husband Darren appeared like a ghost.
I choked on my breath. Not just Darren. Nathan’s ex-wife Serena held a baby girl on her hip alongside him. The baby’s innocent eyes looked at the audience, unaware of the pandemonium.
“DON’T RUSH TO EXCHANGE THOSE RINGS JUST YET!” Smug and cutting, Darren’s voice pierced through the air. “See this baby? YOU DO NOT KNOW HER REAL FATHER!”
The crowd gasped. My mother panicked and covered her mouth, looking at me. I heard Harper’s sudden breath intake as a hiss.
My body cooled. Hands trembled at my sides, fingers curling in my dress. I glanced at Nathan.
What does this mean? Nathan?”
But Nathan didn’t move.
He stared at Darren and Serena like a car collision in slow time, shocked.
“Nathan?” I choked and whispered. “Please tell me you have nothing to do with this.”
He looked at me with wild eyes.
“I don’t…” Unsure what this is, he muttered.
But he knew. I could tell by his hand twitch and weight shift. Some of this was familiar to him.
Darren demanded calm with his hands. We just need a moment with the bride and groom. Alone.”
“Like hell you do,” Harper shouted, rushing forward, but I stopped her.
“No,” I answered, focusing on Darren. My voice was clear as glass. We’ll chat. But not here.”
The four of us entered the hallway. The air was cooler and heavier. Nathan slammed the door behind us, blocking the questioning, wide-eyed glances of every visitor we’d invited to our love tale.
“Start talking,” I responded, stern. “Now.”
Serena placed the infant on her hip, gaze narrowing like a predator cornering its prey.
She focused on Nathan. “This child? She’s yours, Nathan. You got me pregnant before our divorce.”
The words cut me like a knife. I inhaled slowly and sharply to stay upright. Nathan caught my attention. The color left his face.
“Is it true?” Shock and astonishment flooded me, raising my voice.
He opened and closed his lips like he wasn’t sure how to say something. “That’s… That’s impossible.”
Serena tilted her head, staring with false sorrow. “Sure, if you forget that ‘goodbye’ night we had before you signed the papers.”
“Don’t,” Nathan shouted. “Don’t twist it.”
“Oh, I’m not twisting anything,” Serena said.
I’m telling you both the truth. Aren’t weddings about that? Truth and love? We said goodbye sweetly, and Rosie was born nine months later.”
Like I was sinking. I felt like the floor was crumbling beneath me and I had nothing to grasp onto.
Darren advanced, his smirk as arrogant as ever. Lovers, here’s the deal. Pay us $200,000, and we leave pleased as clams. We’ll pretend we were only showing off our tiny family.”
Serena rocked the infant on her hip, eyes flinty. “Or every tabloid calls Nathan a deadbeat dad. Your pick.”
I looked at Nathan. His mouth was tight and he kept looking at Darren and Serena like he was planning every action. But he didn’t speak.
“Say something,” I shouted, enraged. Right now, Nathan. Say something.”
He gazed at me with delicate eyes.
“We’re DNA testing,” he said boldly. “Right now.”
I saw him leave in a rage. When he told our guests the wedding was postponed, my heart fell, but what could we do?
I looked at our ex-lovers and baby. We must resolve this issue before moving forward, if possible.
The hospital was colder than the hallway. I stiffened on a waiting room chair, every muscle tense like a wire about to snap. Nathan leaned forward, head in hands, beside me.
Express DNA test findings were too rapid and slow simultaneously. The doctor was prompt.
“The probability of paternity is 99.9%.”
I was slammed by the remarks. I heard my breathlessness and felt my tears.
I regarded Nathan. He raised his head, determined.
“I’m not leaving her,” he whispered. “I’m not giving her up.”
Darren laughed at Serena’s flickering gaze.
“Really? What about Olivia?” He signaled me. “Would you risk losing her for a child you never knew existed? Pay up, we’ll depart, and you two may forget.”
Nathan looked at me with heartbreak. I understood what he was thinking but hadn’t said out. I stood slowly. I focused on Serena. Then Darren.
“You’ll get nothing from us,” I responded, torpedoing their strategy. “I wouldn’t marry a man who abandoned his child. Nathan will act properly.”
“We’ll start a scandal if you don’t pay Us,” Serena said. “You’ll never live it down…”
“Try it,” I said. “We’ll just be forced to answer with the truth about every cruel, petty, and mean thing the two of you have done, including this attempt to blackmail us with a baby!”
Darren’s expression showed panic as Serena grabbed his arm. They grumbled before leaving.
They left the baby behind.
One Year Later…
My hand rested on my pregnant belly at our living room doorway. Nathan lifted toddler Rosie, who giggled. Her small fists clapped happily.
Nathan glanced over his shoulder, dimming his smile. “You alright, Liv?”
I said “Yeah,” heart-filled. “Yeah, I’m alright.”
Sometimes love stories are better with twists.