My reflection in the mirror stared back at me: a beautiful bride, but a heart full of dread. The question that had haunted me for weeks loomed: with two dads, who would walk me down the aisle?
The white dress felt heavy, suffocating as I tried it on days before the wedding. In the mirror, I looked like a porcelain doll, beautiful but brittle. And inside me, a storm raged. Who would walk me down the aisle?
“Mom,” I blurted, my voice shaky. “I can’t decide.”
Mom, a rock amidst the chaos, offered a gentle, “Kaia, honey, your wedding’s next week.”
“I know, I know. It’s just…” My voice trailed off. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Mom sighed. “Sweetie, you can’t please everyone. Think about what you want.”
But that was the problem. Did I want tradition? My biological father, Jerry C., kept pushing for the honor, his voice dripping with entitlement. Or did I want the man who’d been there since childhood, my stepfather, Jerry R.?
My biological father and my mother had barely spoken since the divorce, and this was just the beginning of a stressful week. Mom, bless her, steered the conversation toward the rehearsal dinner. But the question gnawed at me.
Finally, after days of agonizing, I steeled myself. “Mom, I’ve decided. I want Jerry C. to walk me down the aisle.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed her face, but it was fleeting. “Okay, sweetie. If that’s what you want.”
“It just feels right,” I mumbled, clinging to tradition as a flimsy justification.
Mom wasn’t convinced, but she nodded. “I understand. I’ll let my Jerry know.”
Guilt gnawed at me, but I pushed it down. This was the right choice, right?
The call to Jerry C. was short. “Hey, kiddo!” he boomed once he’d heard my decision. “Knew you’d make the right call!”
I forced a smile, relieved that was settled. Maybe this would be a new beginning. But as I hung up, a sliver of doubt lingered.
***
The wedding day arrived. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs as I slipped on the veil. Mom’s eyes welled up. “You look stunning, Kaia.”
Taking a deep breath, I walked towards the ceremony entrance. The music swelled, and I began my walk down the aisle. Halfway there, Jerry C. stopped abruptly, turning to face the crowd.
“Wait a minute!” His voice boomed through the silent hall.
My heart plummeted. What was he doing?
A nervous giggle escaped my lips. This wasn’t part of the plan. All eyes were on Jerry C., his face lit with a mischievous grin.
“I’ve got a better idea,” he declared, his voice thick with theatrics. “Why don’t we make this a joint effort?”
My jaw clenched. Joint effort? Did he seriously just suggest a double act on the most important walk of my life?
Across the room, Jerry R. stood frozen, looking confused. This wasn’t fair to him, or to me. Panic clawed at my throat.
“Dad, no!” I whispered hoarsely, my voice barely audible over the stunned silence in the chapel.
Ignoring me, Jerry C. gestured expansively towards Jerry R. “Come on, J! Let’s give our little girl the ultimate wedding experience!”
The room remained silent, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. My cheeks burned with humiliation. This was a disaster.
“Dad, please,” I pleaded, my voice cracking. “This isn’t funny.”
Jerry C. winked at me, completely oblivious to my distress. “Relax, kiddo. This will be unforgettable!”
Unforgettable, alright. But not in the way he intended. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. This day, supposed to be the happiest of my life, was turning into a nightmare.
Suddenly, a voice broke the tense silence. “Maybe Kaia has something to say about this?” My mom’s voice, calm yet firm, cut through the chaos.
I was overcome with relief. Thank goodness for Mom. Maybe she could talk some sense into Jerry C. before he completely ruined everything.
All eyes turned to me. I took a shaky breath, wiping away a stray tear. This was my moment, my wedding day, and I wouldn’t let Jerry C.’s grandstanding ruin it.
“Look,” I said, my voice surprisingly steady despite the tremor in my hands. “I appreciate the sentiment, Dad, but this isn’t about some ‘ultimate experience.’” I glanced at Jerry R., his expression a storm of conflicting emotions.
The silence stretched on, thick and heavy. Jerry C.’s smile faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly. “Well, kiddo,” he said, his voice smooth now, “why not both of us? We both love you, right?”
“Exactly,” Jerry R. chimed in, “We both raised you.”
My heart ached for them both. They were right, in a way. But the thought of them walking me down the aisle together, their forced camaraderie a charade, felt wrong.
“I love you both,” I said, my voice soft. “But I’ve decided that this is a moment I want to share with everyone, tradition be damned.”
Jerry C.’s face darkened. “Come on, Kaia. Don’t you want your real dad to walk you down the aisle?”
The sting of his words was sharp. “Dad,” I countered, my voice firm, “you haven’t exactly been a constant presence in my life. Jerry R. has.”
Jerry R.’s eyes softened, a flicker of gratitude crossing his face.
“Look,” I continued, addressing both of them. “This day is about me, about celebrating our new beginning. Can’t we make it about love and support, not some grand display?”
A long silence followed. The tension in the room was palpable, but this time, it felt different. It was a charged silence, pregnant with possibility.
Finally, Jerry C. cleared his throat. “Alright, alright,” he conceded, his voice gruff. “You make a good point, love.”
He turned to Jerry R., offering a hesitant hand. “How about we let Kaia decide?”
Jerry R. looked at the hand, then back at me. His gaze held a lifetime of unspoken emotions – love, regret, and something hopeful.
Relief washed over me in waves. It wasn’t the picture-perfect wedding entrance I’d envisioned, but at least it wouldn’t be a disaster. I took a deep breath and met their gazes head-on.
“Jerry,” I started, his name rolling off my tongue with a familiarity that warmed me. “You’ve been there for me through thick and thin, always a steady hand to hold. You may not be my biological father, but you’ve always been a father to me in every other way”
A choked sob escaped Jerry R.’s lips, but a watery smile bloomed on his face. He reached out and squeezed my hand, his grip strong and reassuring.
“Thank you, Kaia,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “That means more than you know.”
I turned to Jerry C., a knot of unspoken words forming in my throat. “Dad,” I said, my voice softer now, “I appreciate you wanting to be a part of this. Maybe, down the road, we can build a stronger relationship.”
He nodded curtly, something unreadable in his eyes. Maybe it was disappointment, or maybe understanding. “I’ve changed my mind about you walking me down the aisle today,” I said.
The weight of the decision lifted from my shoulders then, replaced by a newfound clarity. This wasn’t just about who walked me down the aisle; it was about marrying the man I wanted to build my future with.
And so, I walked the rest of the distance to the altar alone, my head held high. As I placed my hands in my husband-to-be’s, his eyes held a quiet pride that warmed me from the inside out. It wasn’t the traditional father-daughter walk down the aisle, but it was perfect now in its own way.
***
Later, during the reception, Jerry C. approached me, a smile on his face. “You looked beautiful up there, Kaia. I’m proud of you”
“Thank you, Dad,” I replied. There wasn’t much to say beyond that.
As the night wore on, I found Jerry R. near the dance floor, a wistful smile playing on his lips. He hugged me, his eyes twinkling.
“May I have this dance with my daughter?” he asked, his voice laced with a hint of formality that made me laugh.
I slipped my hand into his, a warmth spreading through me. “Of course you can,” I replied, leading him onto the dance floor.
As we swayed to the music, a comfortable silence settled between us. No apologies, no explanations needed. In that moment, under the disco ball’s soft glow, surrounded by the people I loved, I knew this was my family. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine, a beautiful tapestry woven with love, forgiveness, and a touch of unconventional charm.