As the speech continued, Emily’s mind spun. She was no stranger to the pressures of body image. She had heard the jokes, the whispers, and the assumptions that came with being a bit older than most brides. She had always tried to ignore it, shrug it off, but now, in front of everyone she loved, it felt like everything she’d tried to rise above was being pulled back down. The best man was playing into every insecurity she’d worked so hard to silence.
Her gaze shifted back to Dan, who seemed completely unaware of the depths of the humiliation. He smiled at the guests, toasted with his drink, and even gave a playful pat on the back to the best man. He was the picture of a happy groom, oblivious to the painful tension in the air.
Was she alone in feeling this way? The audience’s polite chuckles made her second-guess her instincts. Was it her fault for taking it so personally? But no, something in her told her this was too much.