It had been five years since I lost my wife, Elise. Five long years of learning to live with the silence she left behind. When my childhood friend Lucas invited me to his wedding, I saw it as a chance to reconnect and introduce my daughter, Emma, to someone who had been a brother to me growing up.
The wedding was set on a serene coastal cliff, waves crashing below as guests gathered. Emma, now five, wore a flower crown and clutched my hand tightly. We took our seats just as the music swelled and the bride began her walk down the aisle.
