My Sister Passed Away at My Wedding – A Week Later, Her Coworker Called and Said, ‘She Left a Phone for You. Come Immediately!’ 1

“You’re picking at him, Claire.”

***

The closer the wedding got, the stranger Claire became.

One evening, the four of us were at my parents’ table eating pot roast when Claire set down her fork and looked right at me.

“You should reconsider who you’re marrying, Alice.”

My mother’s glass stopped halfway to her mouth.

“What?” I laughed, because I thought she had to be joking.

Claire didn’t laugh. “I mean it.”

My face went hot. “What is wrong with you?”

The closer the wedding got, the stranger Claire became.

Mom snapped, “Just because your sister found someone nice doesn’t mean you get to ruin it, Claire.”

Claire’s expression changed; that old family hurt where she’d been cast as the “difficult one” so many times she almost wore it like a name tag.

“I’m not trying to ruin anything,” she shot back.

Dad pushed back from the table. “Then stop talking like this.”