“Blood always wins in the end, dear. And you’ve already proven that you’re not the type of woman a man stays for.”
She ended the call.
Lily gently pulled at my sleeve.
“Mommy, is Grandma Ida mad at me? Did I do something bad?”
I refused to let her see my fear.
“No, sweetheart. She’s just… Listen, this has nothing to do with you. You are more than good enough.”
She sniffled and nodded, trusting me completely.
I found Glen’s name in my contacts.
Ida had just told me exactly where she believed his loyalty would fall.
Now I had to find out if she was right.
I called him.
Between sobs, I explained everything and sent him the photograph.
When I finished, Glen went silent.
In that silence, I prepared myself for the words I feared most.
“Just smooth it over,” I imagined he would say. “She’s my mother. Let’s not make a scene.”
But when he finally spoke, his voice was flat and cold.
“Find another dress for Lily. A nice one. Whatever she wants.”
“And Ida?”
“I’ll take care of my mother.”
The way he said it sent a chill across my skin.
This wasn’t the usual peacekeeping Glen who changed the subject whenever his mother became cruel.
“Glen, please don’t do anything you’ll regret. She’s your mom.”
He answered without hesitation.
“Lily is my daughter. Now go take care of her. I’ll handle everything else.”
Then he hung up.
I was no longer wondering whether Glen would stand up to Ida.
I was wondering exactly what he planned to do.
I turned toward Lily and wiped her cheeks.
“Baby, we’re going to get you a brand-new dress right now,” I told her.
“But you made mine,” she whispered. “You made it just for me.”
“I know, sweetheart. And nobody can ever take away the love I put into it.”
She looked up at me with swollen red eyes.
“Does this mean the wedding is still happening? Will Glen still be my Dad?”
I forced a smile.
“The wedding is absolutely happening.”
Minutes later, Lily and I were racing across town in search of another flower girl dress.
She chose a soft ivory dress covered with tiny embroidered flowers.
“Are you sure Glen still loves us?” she asked in the fitting room.
She didn’t call him Dad.
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