The Third Marriage Certificate

My grandfather raised me after my parents died. Before his health failed, his only wish was to see me married and safe.

So I begged the man I had loved for six years to marry me. Seventeen times. On the seventeenth, Grant Hale finally agreed.

Then, on the day we were supposed to sign our marriage certificate, he walked out of the City Clerk's office with his childhood sweetheart on his arm.

"I lost a bet to Nora," he said, laughing as he handed me a fake certificate. "Take this to your grandfather. He will never know the difference."

When I begged him to come with me, he shook off my hand.

"Stop being dramatic. I got married today. I do not have time for you. If you are that desperate for a husband, go inside and marry some random guy. I will not stop you."

So I did.

Two real marriage certificates and one cheap counterfeit looked almost identical under the blistering noon sun.

Nora Reed held the two real ones like trophies, laughing so hard she had to lean into Grant Hale's arms.

"You are unbelievable, Grant," she said. "You really said that to Elara? Aren't you scared she will get so mad she actually runs off with someone else?"

Grant wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled like the answer was obvious.

"Run off? With who? Who else would marry her?"

He sounded exactly the way he had sounded earlier, when he announced he was going to sign papers with Nora instead of me: relaxed, confident, untouchable.

He was certain that no matter what he did, I would forgive him.

Nora glanced at me over his shoulder. "Elara still isn't angry? Wow. She really is patient."

She was wrong.

I was not patient. I was done.

Grant and I had been together for six years. I had asked him to marry me sixteen times before this.

The first time, Nora had just gone through a breakup. Grant said he needed to be there for her, and that talking about marriage then would be cruel.

The second time, Nora had started a new job and cried to him every night. He was afraid she might fall apart, so he told me to wait.

The third time, the date I picked landed on Nora's birthday. He rented an entire yacht for her and told me, "She has no one else. If I do not show up for her, who will?"

The fourth time, the fifth time, and every time after that, the reason changed. Sometimes it sounded serious. Sometimes it was absurd. But it was always Nora.

My wishes always came after taking care of Nora.

Today was the seventeenth time. Grant had finally said yes. I thought I could finally fulfill Grandpa's last wish.

Instead, I watched him walk out married to another woman.

Nora studied my face for a moment, then said brightly, "Since we are already here, why don't we take wedding photos too? Elara will not mind, right?"

Grant pinched her nose with playful affection, as if I were not standing five feet away.

"No. Wedding photos are for Elara."

Then he turned away from me. "Enough of this. Today is our big day, remember? You said you planned a whole celebration. What are we waiting for?"

Nora laughed and pulled him toward the car.

I watched them leave in silence.

Then my phone rang.

It was Grandpa's doctor.

"Ms. Cross, your grandfather's condition has suddenly worsened. He is stable for the moment, but it is serious. Please come to the hospital right away."

I froze.

I looked at the fake certificate in my hand, then at Grant's car.

I took a breath and raised my voice.

"Grant!"

He paused and looked back.

"If you leave today," I said, each word clear, "I will go back inside and marry someone else."

For one second, he looked stunned.

Then he laughed.

"Someone else? Who? Everyone in New York knows you are in love with me."

He opened the car door. Before it shut, he tossed me one last careless line through the window.

"Be good. Stop making a scene. Once I am done here, I will go see your grandfather with you."

The car pulled away.

I stood there for a long time.

Then I took out my phone, called a number I had not expected to use, and walked back into the City Clerk's office.