But he wasn’t alone.
Standing beside him was the bride’s own older sister.
The bride stared at the photo, then slowly looked across the ballroom.
Her sister was sitting in the second row.
“Explain this,” the bride demanded.
Her sister stood up, trembling.
Michael stepped forward.
“It happened before you and I were together.”
The bride shook her head.
“The date on this photo is three years after we started dating.”
Nobody moved.
Then the little girl’s mother interrupted.
“I’m not his secret.”
She pointed toward the bride’s sister.
“She is.”
The bride’s father suddenly stood up and shouted, “Enough!”
Everyone turned toward him.
He walked to Michael, took the photograph from the table, and said quietly:
“There’s something none of you know about that child.”
The bride stared at him.
“What are you talking about?”
Her father looked at the little girl, then at Michael.
And his next sentence made the entire room erupt.
