Yuna took a deep breath before dialing the phone number she had avoided for years. Her mother answered on the third ring with a wary "Hello?" Hearing that familiar voice sent a complex wave of emotions through Yuna.
"Mom...it's me, Yuna," she began tentatively. "I'm getting married next month. I wanted you to know." A heavy silence followed, until her mother finally responded stiffly that she would have to check her schedule. That lukewarm reaction was better than Yuna expected, but it still stung.
Despite the pain of her parents' abandonment, a small naive part of Yuna had hoped her mother might show a glimmer of joy or pride when she learned her only daughter was engaged. But she remained as detached as ever.
Nick hugged Yuna close as she confessed it had been wishful thinking to believe her mother would magically transform into someone maternal and caring. "I'm so sorry she can't appreciate how incredible her daughter is," he said softly.
In the weeks that followed, Yuna dove into final wedding preparations with Nick's wonderful parents. She had long considered them her real family anyway. With their enthusiastic help, Yuna and Nick selected flowers, menus, decorations and music, giddy with excitement.
One afternoon, Yuna's phone rang with her mother's number. She hesitated before answering. "Hi Mom," she ventured cautiously.
"Yuna, listen, I won't be able to make it to the wedding..." her mother began without prelude. She cited excuses about an important work conference she simply couldn't miss. Yuna just felt numb as she distantly thanked her for letting her know.
After hanging up, hot tears stung Yuna's eyes. Deep down she had clung to a fragile wish that her mother might surprise her by wanting to share in this special day. Instead, the rejection cut as sharply now as it had in childhood.
Nick held Yuna as she cried out years of pent-up hurt and disappointment over her mother's disinterest in being part of her life. "This isn't a reflection on you," he soothed. "You deserve so much better." Yuna knew Nick was right, but it still wounded deeply.
The next time her mother rang, Yuna declined the call. She had nothing left to say to the woman who had abandoned her when she needed unconditional love most. Blood relations could not make up for emotional neglect.
Though Yuna was devastated her biological mother didn't care to attend the wedding, she still had a family - the one she had chosen. Nick's parents had embraced her as their own. She would focus on their joy, not her mother's apathy.
The night before the ceremony, Yuna tearfully confessed her swirling emotions to Nick's mom. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be sad right now," she apologized. But his mom just hugged her tight, saying she had every right to grieve the relationship she deserved but never received.
On the morning of the wedding, Yuna gazed at her reflection, remembering how far she had come. By choosing to surround herself with unconditional love, she had saved herself when it mattered most. Her mother's disinterest no longer defined her.
Walking down the aisle, the bittersweet tears that blurred Yuna's vision were not solely from overwhelming happiness. But staring into Nick's loving eyes as they took their vows helped soothe the hurt, reminding her this was just the beginning of a new found family.
Later during the reception, slow dancing in Nick's arms, Yuna realized she finally felt complete. Her mother's rejection still ached, but real family was not determined by blood. It was built through an unbreakable bond of trust, compassion and comfort - the truest form of love.