The groom was a man named Daniel Brooks, a tall man with a rough beard, wearing a suit so worn it looked like it had come from a donation bin. His shoes had cracks on the sides, and his tie was old and faded. Everyone thought he was a homeless man Grace had foolishly fallen in love with. He had no family present, no friends, no expensive ring, nothing.
Her close friends, Melissa, Claire, and Janet, sat together in the left row of the church, whispering loud enough for everyone to hear. Melissa shook her head and whispered, “I told her not to marry this man. Look at him. He looks like he’s sleeping under a bridge.” Claire chuckled and added, “Grace deserves better.” Janet smirked, “This wedding is a joke.”
The ceremony began. The pastor asked if anyone had a reason these two shouldn’t be together. The church fell silent, but the whispers didn’t stop. Grace could hear the stifled laughter, the pitying glances, the critical stares. Her heart ached, but she stood tall, holding Daniel’s rough hand.
