For a moment, I felt like a little girl again.
The kind who used to run to her father whenever the world became too frightening.
Eventually, I looked around the ballroom.
The flowers were still beautiful.
The wedding cake remained untouched.
My simple bouquet lay on a chair near the stage.
I walked over and picked it up.
White roses.
Tiny sprigs of baby’s breath.
A pale blue ribbon.
I had chosen every flower myself.
I remembered how excited I’d been when I brought it home.
Derek had barely looked at it.
“Just don’t spend too much,” he’d said.
I held the bouquet for several seconds.
Then I carried it to Lily.
She looked confused.
“Amelia?”
I placed it in her hands.
“You know something?”
“What?”
“I used to think that finding someone who loved me meant eventually becoming important enough to deserve their attention.”
Lily’s eyes filled again.
