When Megan was a little girl, I promised her that I would buy her a wedding dress when the time came. When she brought that promise up again years later, I was shocked by how high she had set her hopes. But what I heard her say on the phone was what made things different.
Megan had become a strong and independent woman, but the deaths of her parents had changed her. I had become her father and helped her through the hard times. We talked about their wedding plans when she came to see me with Tyler, her fiancé. I was happy to help.
I was shocked when Megan showed me the wedding outfits she had picked out because they cost $7,500 and $5,000. I offered to help Megan find a more affordable dress with $1,500, but she was sure that she wanted something special.
At that point, I heard her and Tyler talking about how they would pay for their wedding and fix Tyler’s car with the money I would give her for the dress. The worst thing was that she bought his car with money from her parents’ trust fund without telling me.
It broke my heart to feel deceived. Our faith was broken, and we would never be the same again. I chose to stand up for myself, even around my family. No matter how hard it is, the experience taught me to be careful and set limits.
Megan and Tyler got married in a small service at the courthouse without me there. I felt sad and happy at the same time because I wasn’t forced to pay for something I didn’t desire. Even though the harm to the relationship may be too great to fix, I hope that one day we can get over it and move on.
