His mom, Erin, greeted us coolly, questioning my cherry pie as if it were an offense. Dinner was painfully quiet, and when conversation turned to the wedding, Erin asked about my dress. I mentioned I’d be five months pregnant by the wedding, and Erin’s reaction was harsh. She called my pregnancy “a disgrace,” and when I tried to explain, she yelled, “What will people say?” and even suggested abortion.

Mark stayed silent, and I was devastated. Outside, Mark yelled at me for speaking out, telling me I should have kept quiet about the pregnancy. I was heartbroken, realizing he hadn’t stood up for me. I spent the night alone at my old apartment, feeling the weight of everything that had happened.The next day, Mark’s dad, George, came to apologize. He explained that Erin’s reaction stemmed from her own shame about being pregnant before marriage. I was still hurt but appreciated the explanation. Later, Mark apologized too, promising to always stand by me. Though the tension wasn’t fully gone, it felt like we were taking a step forward. Mark even relayed that Erin wanted to apologize and asked what my favorite pie was. I smiled faintly, telling him to say I liked cherry pie. It seemed like we had something in common after all.