Page 74 of Father of the Bride
Silence stretched between them.
“Grief is a strange thing,” Sunny finally said. “It can come out of nowhere. It doesn’t need a reason. It doesn’t respect your plans.”
“So true.”
“I know people keep saying, ‘she’s here, she’s watching over you.’ And I believe that’s true. But I think…maybe we could all stand to be more empathetic.”
Brooklyn turned her head to look at Sunny.
“Because it doesn’t mean a damn thing to you when you hear that, right?”
Brooklyn chuckled. “It really doesn’t.”
“People mean well, but what we probably need to be saying is that you have the right to grieve the absence. It’s hard. It feels awful. And it’s okay. It will hurt a little less as time passes, but for now, you get to feel however you want.”
Brooklyn nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek.
“If you want to talk about that with me right now, I’ll listen. And I won’t say a thing.”
Brooklyn swallowed the lump in her throat. “I think…it’s pretty simple. I thought she’d be here for this, and she’s not.” She blew out a sigh. “Effcancer.”
Sunny nodded, reaching over to wipe Brooklyn’s cheek.
“I want my big day to be happy and joyous and all that good stuff. But I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“Having a breakdown in the middle of my wedding.”
“Well, you know what’s the best part of a wedding? It’s all about you.”
Brooklyn smiled through her tears.
“The groom, okay, it’skindahis day too, but everybody knows the wedding revolves around the bride. So if you break down, we will all sit there and wait until you’re done. And it’ll be fine. I promise.”
Brooklyn nodded. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me, too.”
Brooklyn rolled onto her back, and the two lay side-by-side, staring up at the canopy. Brooklyn wanted to put her head on Sunny’s shoulder and have a good cry, but she didn’t think it was appropriate. Sunny didn’t know her well enough, yet.
“I need to tell you something.”
Sunny turned her head to look at Brooklyn. “I’m listening.”
A deep breath. A slow exhale. And then, “I saw you. The other night.”
Sunny froze. “I…what night?”
“You know what night.”
Sunny closed her eyes, swallowing hard.
Brooklyn stared at her profile. “Was that what I think it was?”
Sunny’s non-answer was the answer.
“I’m not mad, if that’s what you think.”
