I stood at the back of the glittering ballroom, tugging at the sleeves of my suit that never fit quite right. My son\u2019s wedding day. For twenty years, I had dreamed of this moment, ever since his mother walked out and left me to raise him alone. I worked two jobs\u2014fixing pipes by day, delivering groceries by night. We went without heat some winters, but Jason never went hungry. I showed up at every school play, every parent-teacher conference, every scraped-knee emergency. He was my world.<\/p>\n
Now here he was, grown into a man, standing tall under crystal chandeliers, smiling with the bride\u2019s family as photographers snapped away. The champagne flowed, the band played softly, and the towering wedding cake gleamed under the lights. I wasn\u2019t used to this kind of extravagance, but I didn\u2019t care. I was proud\u2014prouder than any man alive.<\/p>\n