Lily and Jim walked into the hotel, the lobby buzzing with activity. Some guests had already arrived, while others were still on their way. It was a busy weekend filled with love and anticipation.

For the couple, this was no ordinary weekend. Soon, they would move from being just boyfriend and girlfriend to husband and wife. The thought made Lily’s heart race.

Yet a part of her felt uneasy. It wasn’t just the wedding jitters. She clutched her phone tightly and glanced at the screen every few seconds. She was waiting for a call or at least a message from someone very important to her.

In their hotel room, Lily stood by the window, gazing down at the parking lot below. Her phone felt heavy in her hand, but the screen remained frustratingly dark. Jim walked over and wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“In less than two days, you’ll be my wife,” Jim said softly, smiling.

“And then you won’t be able to get rid of me,” Lily replied, a smile tugging at her lips.

“That’s the plan,” Jim said, pulling her closer. She laughed, but it didn’t last long.

“Unless your mom ruins everything,” Lily added, her smile fading.

Jim sighed. “Come on, she doesn’t hate you.”

“Oh, really? She told me I look like I belong in a strip club in this dress!” Lily snapped, turning to look at him.

“She’s just being overprotective. I’m her only son, and I’m kind of awesome,” Jim teased.

Lily narrowed her eyes. “Promise me she won’t ruin our wedding.”

Jim hesitated. “Mmm…”

“Promise,” she insisted, nudging him.

“Everything will be fine,” Jim reassured.

“No, say it,” Lily insisted.

“Alright, I promise my mom won’t ruin our wedding,” Jim said, leaning in for a kiss.

A little while later, Lily and Jim went down to the hotel bar. They needed to unwind, to shake off the tension from earlier. As they walked in, they noticed Jim’s mother, Sarah, already sitting at the bar.

“Wow, you’re not even married yet, and the drinking problem has already started,” Sarah commented as she watched Lily order a straight scotch.

Lily clenched her jaw, her voice strained as she replied, “Your son ordered the same drink.”

“He’s a man,” Sarah shrugged, her sharp glance flicking toward Lily. Lily rolled her eyes, swallowing the sharp retort on the tip of her tongue.

“Let’s not argue,” Jim cut in, trying to ease the tension. “This is supposed to be a happy time. Lily and I are getting married.”

Sarah took a small sip of her wine and muttered, “You made too many mistakes in the word ‘happy.’” She spoke quietly, but they both heard it.

Jim’s eyes tightened, but he stayed calm. : Sarah turned to Jim, a sudden smile lighting up her face. “How about we check out that lighthouse near the hotel, Jim?”

“Sure,” Jim answered.

“Great,” Sarah replied. “Finish your drink, and let’s go.”

“Wait, you want to go now?” Lily asked, her eyebrows furrowing in surprise.

“Well, yeah. What’s the problem?” Sarah retorted, her voice cold.

“Jim and I need to welcome the guests,” Lily explained, feeling her patience slipping.

Sarah waved dismissively. “Oh, come on. You can greet the guests at your own wedding.”

“Our wedding,” Lily corrected, her tone firm. “Our wedding, with Jim, so he’s staying.”

“Lil, please,” Jim said gently. “It won’t take long. I’ll come back and help you.”

Lily’s heart sank, her voice trembling. “Why do I have to do this alone, Jim? Why is a lighthouse more important than our wedding?”

“I haven’t seen my son in half a year,” Sarah replied in a calm voice. “I want to spend time with him.”

Lily shook her head, her frustration spilling over. “I haven’t seen my mom in six years, and I don’t make a scene about it!” With tears welling up, she turned and stormed out of the bar. She ran up to their room, slammed the door, and locked it behind her.

Lily’s family lived far away in Canada. She grew up there, but it had been six long years since her last visit. She missed them, especially her mom. Now, with the wedding so close, she felt that emptiness even more.

She couldn’t stop glancing at her phone, hoping desperately for a message from her mom. But each time, the screen remained stubbornly silent.

Jim entered the room right after Lily. He saw her sitting on the bed, tears rolling down her face as she stared at her phone.

“What was that all about?” he asked, his voice unsure.

“You tell me,” Lily said, wiping her eyes.

“Lily, she’s my mom. She’ll always be part of my life,” Jim said, walking closer.

“And I’m your future wife,” Lily shot back. “I’m not asking you to cut her out. I just need you to support me, especially now.”

Jim sighed and nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll stay here, okay? We’ll greet the guests together.”

Lily looked up at him, her eyes softening. “Thank you, Jim,” she whispered, reaching out for his hand. He took it and sat beside her, giving her a gentle squeeze.

The next morning, Lily, Jim, and Sarah sat at a small table in the hotel dining room. Lily picked at her food, her mind elsewhere. Then, her phone rang. She grabbed it quickly, her heart pounding. It was her mom.

“Hello? Mom?” Lily said, pressing the phone to her ear. The connection crackled. She could barely hear her mom’s voice.

“I… I’m not sure… if I can get on the plane,” her mom’s voice stammered through the static.

“Mom, please, this is really important to me,” Lily said, her voice shaky as she held the phone close. “Just call me when you’re on the plane, okay?” The line crackled and then went silent.

Jim watched her, concern in his eyes. “Is everything alright?”

Lily forced a small smile. “Yeah… it’s just, my mom is terrified of flying. She’s panicking,” she explained, taking a deep breath. “I’m not even sure if she’ll make it.”

Sarah, who had been stirring her coffee, glanced up. “So, she’s not even coming to the wedding? Some mother.”

“She is coming to the wedding,” Lily snapped, her eyes flashing with anger.

Sarah raised an eyebrow. “It’s her daughter’s wedding, and she’s too scared to get on a plane? No wonder you turned out… like this,” she sneered, her voice dripping with judgment.

“Mom, stop,” Jim cut in, his voice firm. “Lily is my future wife. Whether you like it or not, that’s not going to change.”

“Fine,” Sarah muttered, stirring her coffee again. “But your future wife can’t even pick a hotel that serves decent eggs.”

Lily looked at her, trying to keep calm. “What’s wrong with the eggs, Sarah?” she asked, her tone icy.

“They’re terrible. I make much better ones,” Sarah replied, a smug smile on her face.

“Well, congratulations to you,” Lily said, crossing her arms.

Sarah leaned back in her chair. “I’m afraid to think about how you’ll feed my grandchildren if you think these eggs are normal,” she added.

Lily felt her chest tighten, tears threatening to spill. Her heart sank. She stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. “Well, you’re lucky you won’t have to worry about that,” she said, her voice breaking as she turned and ran out of the restaurant.

“Mom,” Jim said, staring hard at Sarah. “Lily can’t have children,” he added, his voice softer now.

Sarah’s eyes widened. “What? How long have you known this?” she asked, her tone shocked.

“I found out a month after we started dating,” Jim replied, his voice steady.

“So, I won’t have grandchildren? But you always wanted kids,” Sarah said, looking at him, confused.

Jim sighed. “No, I liked kids, but I’m not marrying an idea. I’m marrying a woman. And Lily is the best woman I’ve ever met,” he said, standing up. “Excuse me,” he added and walked out, leaving Sarah speechless at the table.

Lily sat at the bar, staring at her drink. Her phone buzzed on the counter. She looked down and saw “Mom” on the screen. Her heart jumped, and she grabbed it right away.

“Hello? Mom, are you on the plane?” she asked, hope filling her voice.

There was a pause. “No. I’m sorry. I just… I couldn’t get on the plane,” her mom said.

Lily felt a lump in her throat. “But… it’s my wedding,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

“I know, sweetie. I’m so sorry,” her mom replied. Then, there was a click. The call ended.

Lily felt like her heart had shattered. She thought this day couldn’t get any worse, but it had. She had been waiting and hoping for her mom to be there, to support her on this special day.

Tears spilled down her cheeks. She put her face in her hands, sobbing. She didn’t care about the people around her. She could feel their eyes on her, but it didn’t matter.

Jim saw Lily crying and walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. After a moment, he gently pulled back to look at her face. “Is this because of what my mom said?” he asked, his voice full of concern. “She was being an idiot. I’m sorry.”

Lily shook her head, wiping her eyes. “No. Your mom, as horrible as she is, at least showed up. My mom won’t even come to her own daughter’s wedding,” she cried, her voice breaking with each word.

Jim sighed, feeling her pain. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, trying to hold her close again.

As they stood there, Sarah approached, her expression hard to read. Lily stiffened, her muscles tightening. She wasn’t in the mood for another fight. “Please, not now,” Lily muttered. “I don’t have the strength to argue with you.”

“Mom, just stop,” Jim added, his eyes pleading. “Lily found out that her mom isn’t coming to the wedding.”

Lily shot Sarah a look. “So save your insults for later, Sarah,” she snapped, her voice still raw from crying.

But Sarah didn’t fire back. Instead, she placed her hands on Lily’s shoulders, her grip firm yet gentle. “I don’t want to fight, Lily,” Sarah said quietly. “I want to apologize.” Then, she did something unexpected. She hugged Lily.

Lily froze, startled by the unexpected warmth. “Oh… okay,” she mumbled, her arms stiff at her sides. She didn’t hug back at first, too shocked to react.

Sarah stepped back a little but kept her hands on Lily’s arms. “And you can call me ‘Mom,’” she added. “From now on, I’m just ‘Mom’ to you.”

Lily looked at her, tears flooding her eyes again. “Alright…” she whispered. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around Sarah. “…Mom.”

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