Part 3The Reception

"Chloe, let's go," my dad said, his face red. He’d only agreed to this marriage because Mark was "a good, simple guy with no family." My dad hates liars.

But what happened next was even crazier.

"Mom, stop making a scene!" Mark hissed, physically turning her around. "It's my wedding day. Why are you and Penny here? I told you to stay home! You need to help me explain who Penny is, or your daughter-in-law is going to walk."

"Explain what? If she can't accept Penny, then she can't marry into this family." His mom shot me a look of pure disdain.

"Ma'am," I cut in, my patience gone, "what century are you living in? Just tell me the truth. Whose kid is this?"

"Oh, so this is the woman you picked? No manners at all. I'm his mother. You should be calling me Mom. But I'll tell you this: Penny is my son's child. If you can't handle that, you can leave."

"Mommy, where's my lollipop?" Penny whined.

The old woman fumbled in her purse and pulled one out, shoving it in the girl's mouth.

"Wait," I said. "You say she's Mark's daughter. But she calls you Mommy. What is going on?"

My head was spinning. My boyfriend of four years hadn't just lied; he was part of some bizarre, dysfunctional mess.

"How dare you?" his mom shrieked. "She's a child! She gets confused! Only a sick, dirty-minded person would think something's wrong with that!"

"Mark told me his mother was dead. And even if you are his mom, you haven't paid the bar tab, so I'm not calling you 'Mom.' Got a problem with that, 'ma'am'?"

She lunged at me, but Mark stepped between us.

"Mom, please, just go home. I'm begging you. I really want to marry Chloe." He looked like he was about to cry.

She just stood there.

He gave up and turned to me, dropping to one knee. "Chloe, I lied. I lied about my mom. I was scared. I was scared you'd think... she's... a lot... and you'd leave me. But the kid... I'll explain later, I swear. It's not what you think. I have never cheated on you."

He looked sincere. And, to be fair, in four years, he'd never given me a reason to think he was a cheater.

My dad was pulling my arm, but my mom stepped in. "Honey, just... let's get through the ceremony. You're already legally married. Don't throw it all away and be divorced before the reception." She whispered to my dad, "We'll keep a close eye. If it's bad, we'll get her out."

It was that one moment of softness that sealed my fate.