Chapter 2: The Letter
That night, mother and daughter sat in their small apartment.
The wedding dress still hung around Emily's shoulders.
Neither had the strength to remove it.
The room was quiet.
At last, Emily unfolded her father's letter.
The paper had yellowed with age.
Her hands trembled as she began reading.
"My dearest Emily,
If you are reading this, it means I am no longer there to walk you down the aisle.
There is something I need you to remember.
The man you marry should not only love you.
He should respect the people who loved you before he ever met you.
Watch how he treats your mother.
Watch how he treats people who have nothing to offer him.
That is where a man's true character lives.
Money comes and goes.
Beauty fades.
Success rises and falls.
But kindness reveals the soul.
If a man allows others to humiliate your mother, he will one day allow someone to humiliate you.
Choose a partner who stands beside you.
Not one who stands silently while you are hurt.
Love,
Dad."
By the time Emily finished reading, tears streamed down her face.
Her mother reached across the table.
"I'm sorry your wedding ended this way."
Emily shook her head.
"No."
She smiled through her tears.
"It didn't end."
Her eyes settled on her father's ring.
"It saved me."
For the first time since leaving the church, peace settled inside her heart.
May you like
She hadn't lost a husband.
She had escaped the wrong one.
