A man and his daughter attended their best friend’s wedding five years after his wife

The evening air was crisp, the garden illuminated by soft, twinkling lights. The gentle hum of the wedding inside faded as I stepped onto the dew-kissed grass. Emily—or the woman who looked like her—stood among the roses, her back turned to me, lost in thought.

“Lily, stay with Aunt Sarah for a moment,” I whispered to my daughter, whose innocent eyes were filled with confusion. She nodded, sensing the urgency in my voice, and scampered back inside.