disclosure [l.h]

forty-six

It was the moment for the reception and everyone was sat in the designated tables. Elizabeth felt lucky the boys' table was two down from hers and was blocked by her family's table so she felt like she had no worries on confrontation but she couldn't help but feel extremely guilty. Part of her just wanted to die on the spot and the other half just wanted to embrace them all with a sweaty hug.

"Hey," Melanie nudged her, "You'll be okay. Your speech will be fine."

"I can't," She whimpered, "They're going to see me, they'll know I'm still alive!"

"I'm pretty sure they knew that when you walked down the fucking aisle, there's no point in avoiding it." Melanie hissed at her scared sister, "Don't ruin this for mom, you have to speak. I already went so it's your turn next, it's only fair."

Elizabeth was about to protest when the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted her, "Hello everyone - again," The wedding planner announced, "I'm sure the beloved first daughter of Rose would like to say a few words, come up Elizabeth." A round of cheering and whistling was thrown into the room and Elizabeth felt like her stomach dropped.

She walked towards the stage - avoiding Luke's table - and stepped on, she took out a small paper from the inside of her dress before clearing her throat, "Hey," She began, "I have this paper in my hand but I don't think it'll be any use for this."

"Where do I even begin?" She asked, "Okay, let's start from the beginning. Through all the ups and downs this family has had, my mom never failed to cheer me up or stood by me whenever and however. I could be doing something illegal and getting arrested- not that I do and she wouldn't get mad at me whatsoever. I was in a bad place in my life and she took me out of it, along with some other people who shan't be named yet." She mentally face - palmed herself for indirectly calling Luke out.

"The roughest time was probably losing my brother when he was the closest person ever in my life and losing my dad right after and I hated my dad for leaving us. I hated him but as the years gone on, I never really understood exactly why I hated him except for the fact that he left. He was a great father to me and my sister and even my brother but enough about my father, he'd found someone new and I couldn't be happier for them, hence I get another brother and his name is Leo and he's amazing and he does taekwando so it's win-win situation."

"And today we're celebrating on my mother finding someone new. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't so fond of David at first, to be quite frank, I hated him. I didn't know whether it was his ego-testical behaviour or just for the fact that he owned a lamborghini and was madly inlove with it but as he progressed, it turned out that he treated me like his own daughter and I couldn't be glad. David," She pointed to David and he gave her a soft smile, "if you hurt my mom, I won't hesitate to hurt your lambo."

"I'm just rambling now but what I'm trying to say is that this is new a chapter for all of us. For my mother, for David, for Melanie and for me and this time," Elizabeth forced herself to look at Luke's table and all of them were staring at her, especially Luke. He had a weak, soft smile on his face and she couldn't help but feel like there was a glint of hope. "I'm ready."

Rose had tears down her face by the time Elizabeth walked off the stage and David was rubbing circles on her back to soothe her out, Melanie teared up too and Elizabeth looked over at Marcus's table and he shot her a thumbs up and a im-really-proud-of-you nod.

"That was emotional," The wedding planner laughed, "Now, it's time for the newly weds to dance!" As she said it, the lights went dim and Rose and David swifty made their way to the middle of the dancefloor, Elizabeth watched her mom hooking her hands to the back of David's neck and his arms were drapped around her waist - swaying to the music. It was gorgeous.