Her eyes flicked to Dan, her husband, sitting beside her. He was smiling and laughing along with the crowd, clearly unaware of the sting in the best man’s words. She caught his eye for a brief moment, hoping for some sign that he, too, was seeing the cruelty in this. But his face was bright, caught up in the moment. He didn’t seem to realize how over the line the joke had gone.
The best man continued, his tone lighter now, feeding off the laughs. “I mean, look at her. You’d think we’d have to install extra seats for the reception,” he continued, winking at the guests. “But in all seriousness, we’re all just happy she’s here, right?”
The laughter that followed was polite—forced, even—but it still hurt. The more they laughed, the more Emily could feel the weight of the words sinking in. A part of her wanted to get up and leave, to shout that this wasn’t funny, but she stayed seated. The room felt suffocating, and the more she looked at Dan, the more she realized he still didn’t get it.