I have always believed myself to be a decent mother. I tried hard not to be a helicopter mom or one of those annoying ‘boy mommies’ you see on the internet these days.
I taught him to respect ladies and the elderly, as well as to advocate for the vulnerable, and he turned out to be quite a gentleman.
So when my son Connor brought home his girlfriend, Carrie, I welcomed her with open arms. Who knew their wedding would be a disaster?
Of course, I did some looking around. She appeared to be an ordinary girl: she drove an old, relatively cheap car and took public transportation when it broke down, she didn’t ask my son for expensive surprises, and her own gifts to us, while tasteful, were never extravagant.
I knew she would occasionally treat herself to a spa weekend or a supper at a high-end restaurant, but I chalked it up to her superb money management skills. After all, don’t you believe every female deserves to treat herself once in a while?
Imagine my amazement when we arranged to meet her parents and were picked up in a fancy automobile! Her father ran a well-known construction company, so their family had plenty of money to spend. When I questioned why their daughter lived so modestly, her mother described their agreement. They refused to pay for her day-to-day expenditures but promised to help her start her own business.
And, of course, they would pay for their daughter’s ideal wedding.
While Carrie stated that she did not yet have a business plan, Connor’s eyes lit up. You know, he has wanted to establish a technological company since he was in diapers, but we never had the money, and he had little luck with grants, so he saw this as an excellent opportunity.
When he revealed his plan to Carrie on the way back, she was immediately on board. They talked about it nonstop, and I was thrilled to see them organizing their business as a soon-to-be family. Carrie even suggested meeting with investors right after their wedding. I wish I had realized that all would soon be finished.
As the wedding approached, I observed Carrie behaving strangely. She did her best to satisfy my son’s expectations for their business, but I could tell she was struggling. When I questioned if there was a problem, she kindly ignored them. While I initially suspected some family troubles or a minor quarrel with Connor, I must admit that the possibility of her pregnancy has crossed my mind.
However, I decided to keep my mouth quiet for a time and let the youngsters figure things out for themselves. Carrie appeared nervous on the wedding day, but I dismissed it. She was the bride, after all, and her father had invited a number of powerful people—who wouldn’t feel nervous?
As she moved to her place at the table, nodding and accepting compliments, I spotted her maid of honor, Susan, talking with Connor. They were clearly having a furious disagreement, which surprised me, but I knew I shouldn’t intervene. I had a gut feeling that a tragedy was on its way.
When the moment for the speeches arrived, the gathering became hushed as the maid of honor raised her glass.
Her expression was that of someone who is aware that they are about passing away. She started her speech with normal thank-yous and greetings, and then she dropped the bombshell.
“Carrie. You’ve been my best friend for years and years. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about myself. This whole thing… it has to stop. Connor and I have been having an affair for months!” Silence fell, with eyes turned to the bride.
To everyone’s surprise, she erupted in a loud, almost diabolical laugh. “Wow, Susie,” she managed. “Thank God you had it in you to confess. I thought I’d have to do the talking myself!” “You see,” she stood up and started walking towards Susan, “I knew you two couldn’t be trusted from the way you looked at each other. So, I installed hidden cameras in the house. And what do you think I saw? Two lovebirds in my love nest!”
She yanked the microphone from Susan’s grasp. “Thanks to my father, we were able to construct a wonderful prenuptial agreement, which my soon-to-be husband signed without reading. In case you’re wondering what you signed, infidelity will leave you with nothing! “Don’t worry, people! I spiked your cake with a slow-acting laxative! “Enjoy your first night together.”
The turmoil that ensued can only be characterized as a tidal wave.
People were running to the toilet, spitting out the cake, as the bride and her relatives watched from a distance. Carrie approached me and grasped my hand after noticing my perplexity. “Do not worry, Mrs. Green. You have always been good to me. You’re free to enjoy the cake.”
That day, I left the wedding hall feeling absolutely crushed. I was only certain of one thing: I didn’t believe I knew the man I reared.
