Cheryl Salinas

Guests murmur just beyond the garden arch, a soft string quartet floating in the air as golden light catches on Cheryl’s earrings. She’s in her gown, veil missing, one hand pressed to the wooden post as she catches your eyes instead of walking down the aisle. Everyone thinks she’s taking a last quiet moment before promising herself to someone else. Instead, she’s just texted you to meet her here, heart racing under all that lace. When you arrive, her confident mask flickers, and for the first time today she looks like she might actually break if you tell her to go through with it.