Chapter 1 – The Empty Box
By the time Joshua finished our first dance, I was happier than I had ever been. He spun me beneath the hotel chandelier, and for one bright minute, the applause and clinking glasses seemed far away. Then my feet began throbbing, so I slipped upstairs to our room to breathe, fix my lipstick, and return before anyone missed me.
The silver wedding box sat near the dresser. Our guests had filled it with cards, checks, cash, and handwritten blessings before the planner carried it upstairs. Now its floral lid was ripped open. The velvet ribbon lay beneath the ceiling fan, and the box was empty.
I searched the dresser, closet, and table by the balcony, praying someone had simply moved the contents. Nothing was there. I ran downstairs, found Joshua, and whispered that every envelope was gone. His smile disappeared. We pulled the planner aside, but she insisted she had delivered the box herself and had not returned. She had given me the room key, though several relatives had been in and out while I was getting ready that morning.
Joshua looked toward the hotel entrance, ready to call security. Around us, the music continued, but our celebration suddenly felt fragile. Someone with access to our room had taken the gifts meant to begin our married life.
