I had spent an entire year meticulously planning our tenth-anniversary trip to Santorini. Every detail was carefully arranged—from booking a stunning cliffside hotel with a private infinity pool to securing reservations at the most exclusive restaurants. It was meant to be a celebration of a decade together, a romantic getaway just for the two of us. But at the last moment, my husband, Brian, canceled the trip. Instead, he decided to take his mother on vacation, assuming I would simply stay home and wait. But I had a different plan in mind.
At 38, I had finally found a love that made me feel cherished. After years of joking about becoming a “crazy dog lady,” I met Will—a kind, genuine man who embodied everything I had ever wanted. “You never gave up on happiness,” he had told me on the night he proposed, reaffirming my belief that love was still possible for me.
Excited to share the news, I reached out to my three closest friends—Emma, Rachel, and Tara—who had been there for me through life’s ups and downs. From heartbreaks to career milestones, marriages to children, they had always been part of my most significant moments. Naturally, I expected them to be just as thrilled as I was. However, when I sent out the wedding invitations, the enthusiasm I had anticipated was replaced with silence. Soon, a string of flimsy excuses followed, explaining why they couldn’t attend.
It stung. These were the same women who had traveled across continents to celebrate each other’s weddings. Yet for mine, they found reasons not to be there. The final disappointment came in the form of a wedding gift—a $40 air fryer. No heartfelt message, no meaningful gesture, just a kitchen appliance.
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