The reception was held at the most exclusive country club in the county, a place known for its manicured greens and steep membership fees. Eleanor, the groom’s mother, had personally overseen every detail, from the selection of the prime rib to the exact shade of ivory for the silk table runners.
Taking charge was Eleanor’s nature. She was a formidable woman, draped in pearls and confidence, with a gaze that could make a seasoned contractor double-check his invoice. Her son, Andrew, was marrying Sarah, a quiet, blonde girl with a gentle demeanor and eyes that always seemed to hold a hint of guarded caution.
Eleanor viewed her new daughter-in-law as a necessary compromise, barely masking her condescension. Sarah came from a background that Eleanor considered “unremarkable”—no trust funds, no Ivy League connections, and certainly no dowry.
Sarah’s mother had passed away when she was only five. Her father, Bill, was a retired machinist from the local plant, one of those men who had spent forty years in grease-stained coveralls.
His hands were calloused and thick, his suit looked like it had been bought off the rack at a department store sale, and he spent most of the evening looking at his shoes. “Andrew could have done so much better,” Eleanor had whispered to her sister, Linda, during the rehearsal dinner.
“But he’s head over heels. What can you do?” Eleanor sighed, adjusting her bracelet. “At least she’s polite. But that father of hers… honestly, he looks like he’s waiting for a bus.” Linda nodded in agreement, her lips pursed. She didn’t approve of the match either.
Their family owned a regional chain of hardware stores, and Eleanor’s husband, Richard, ran a successful commercial real estate firm. What could a man like Bill offer the couple? A used lawnmower? A set of old wrenches?
At the wedding, the groom’s side dominated the room. They were loud, successful people in tailored suits who moved with the ease of those who owned the ground they walked on. Sarah’s side consisted of barely a dozen people: a few distant cousins, two childhood friends, and Mrs. Gable, the neighbor who had helped Sarah hem her dress. Bill sat at the very end of the head table, trying to remain invisible.
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