Chapter 6 - The Empty Chair
The wedding took place six months later.
Small.
Private.
No politicians.
No business associates.
No men carrying weapons inside the chapel.
That last rule required negotiation.
Gabriel stood at the altar wearing black.
His tattoos showed slightly above his collar.
Noah stood beside him in a tiny suit, holding the rings.
Elena walked down the aisle alone.
Halfway there, she stopped.
There was an empty chair beside the aisle.
A photograph of Miguel rested on it.
Gabriel had arranged it.
Elena began crying.
Noah looked at the photograph.
“That's Daddy Miguel.”
Gabriel nodded.
“He should be here too.”
That was the moment Elena truly broke.
She reached Gabriel.
Instead of beginning the ceremony, she hugged him.
Nobody rushed them.
Nobody spoke.
Not even me.
Especially not me.
Afterward, Noah found me outside the chapel.
“You didn't cry.”
“No.”
“Your eyes are red.”
“Allergies.”
“It's winter.”
“Very aggressive allergies.”
He considered this.
Then nodded.
“Okay.”
Smart kid.
At the reception, Gabriel approached me.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“All of it.”
I looked toward Elena dancing with Noah.
“You would've done the same.”
Gabriel smiled.
“I already did.”
I frowned.
“When?”
“Twenty years ago.”
He nodded toward the old photograph displayed beside Miguel's chair.
“You remember why we were outside that boxing gym?”
I looked at the picture.
Slowly, the memory returned.
Gabriel had wanted to quit.
His father had died.
His mother was sick.
He planned to leave Philadelphia.
I had stopped him.
Told him he was my brother.
Told him he had somewhere to belong.
Gabriel touched my shoulder.
“You gave me a family before I knew I needed one.”
He looked toward Elena and Noah.
May you like
“I'm just returning the favor.”
---
