Helena looked at her father and asked, "Did you get her?"
Vernon frowned when he heard her words. 'Her? What did she mean? I thought she was waiting for someTHING. Instead, she was waiting for someone? Who is it?'
"Yes. I brought her. Now can you go out and attend the event?" Father Ford looked exhausted as he pleaded with his daughter.
Vernon felt sad for the old man. He looked like he had run there. How worried the old man should be, to be so flustered.
Who exactly did he bring? Vernon was confused and tried to peek behind Father Ford. But he couldn't see anyone following the old man.
When he peeked, Father Ford's eyes fell on Vernon and looked shocked.
"Vernon?" He called out to him.
"Yes, Father?" Vernon naturally called him Father because he had been calling him that for ten whole years.
Helena looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He felt that the man was a bit too smooth.
[He doesn't want to marry me but he could call my father that so smoothly? What a weirdo!]
Vernon coughed when he heard her thoughts. That was when he realized that he had never addressed Father Ford as father in this life and it would obviously come as a surprise for the father and daughter duo.
"Umm…" He looked awkwardly at Father Ford.
The latter only smiled at him and patted his shoulder, "Yes. Now that you are married to my daughter, that should be how you address me from today onwards. What is there to feel awkward about?"
Vernon gave him an awkward smile and nodded. He immediately changed the topic and asked, "Whom did you bring with you? I don't see anybody."
Father Ford realized that he had noticed Vernon in the room earlier and slipped his tongue.
He awkwardly looked at Vernon and then at Helena.
If he told him that he had brought his wife's ashes to his daughter's wedding, it would sound very weird.
Also after waiting with Helena for so long, he was sure that Vernon might have understood Helena's thoughts.
One word and Vernon would catch everything.
Even though Vernon looked silly, he was a smart man. He looked silly only under the shadow of his very smart older brother.
Father Ford looked at his daughter and tugged the corner of her hand.
Helena cleared her throat. As long as she got her mother's ashes in her hands, she doesn't want to humiliate her father in front of others.
So, she looked at Vernon and said, "He went to call for my make-up artist. She left and I realized something was messed up. So, I asked my Father to bring her before I went out in front of everyone."
"What went wrong?" Vernon asked as he looked at her face, hair and dress. He couldn't find anything wrong with her at all. She was very beautiful and perfect. She looked like a doll which was still hidden inside the package to store her. Neat and proper with no messes whatsoever.
"What do you know? Girls has girls issues. How could you men understand our problems. Now leave my room before my makeup artist comes so I get ready fast. Or we will be late for the event," After saying those words, she ruthlessly pushed the man out of her room and closed the door with her father still inside.
Vernon looked at the door that almost touched his nose and pouted. "If your father can stay inside, then why can't I? I am your husband now."
He shouted at the door and huffed like a child.
When he saw a staff member passing by, giving him weird looks and laughing at him secretly, he cleared his throat and composed himself.
He 'handsomely' put his hands in his pockets and walked away to hide his embarrassment.
But his flurried back gave him away.
The people in the room heard his voice but did not care about him.
Instead, the atmosphere was more solemn.
"Show it to me," Helena extended her hand.
Father Ford gave the bag in his hand to her and sighed.
She did not delay for a second and opened the bag.
She had taken care of most of the funeral matters. So, she knew what her mother's urn looked like.
She started to inspect the urn in her hands carefully.
Her actions made her father feel disheartened, "Do you think I gave you a fake urn? You don't trust me this much?"
Helena did not feel any guilt as she coldly looked at him and stated, "After the stunt you had pulled on me today, what do you think?"
Father Ford lowered his head and closed his eyes in defeat.
He then looked at his daughter, "Helena, I apologized to you. I even gave your mother's ashes back to you. Can you please let that matter stay behind now? Today is your wedding day. It is supposed to be the happiest day in your life. But look at yourself. Doubting me, pushing your husband out of your room while hiding things from him and denying attending your own wedding banquet. How can you spend your big day like this, huh?"
Helena's eyes reddened. But she did not look at her father. She doesn't want to show her emotions to him anymore.
She wanted to stand strong when facing him.
"Who is responsible for all that? Also, do you want me to tell the truth to Vernon? I don't mind not hiding things from my husband as you said. Let's go and tell him the truth now, shall we? I think it would be even better with you present when I tell him everything. Let's go."
"Helena. That wasn't what I meant."
"Then what do you mean?" Helena raised her head and also her voice.
Father Ford was stunned in his spot. He had never once heard his daughter raise her voice against him. This was his first time.