Speakerphone.
Long hold.
Finally a reservations supervisor answered.
Daniel gave the confirmation number.
Verified his information.
Then asked whether the payment had been reversed.
Keyboard clicking.
“No, sir.”
He looked at me.
The woman continued.
“Your reservation remains paid in full.”
Daniel became still.
“Was any reversal requested?”
“Not that I see.”
He looked toward the email.
“Can I forward you something?”
“Yes.”
He did.
Another wait.
Then:
“Sir, that message did not come from our system.”
Silence.
Daniel’s face changed completely.
“What?”
“The sender address is not ours.”
She read it aloud.
One letter different.
A tiny substitution I had not noticed.
Daniel sat on the curb.
Actually sat.
In his tuxedo.
I remained inside the SUV.
“Thank you.”
he whispered.
Then ended the call.
For several seconds neither of us spoke.
I looked at him.
“Who sent it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who had the booking information?”
“You.”
“Emily.”
“Me.”
“The travel agent.”
“My mom.”
There.
Rebecca.
I hated myself for how quickly my mind moved toward her.
Because that was exactly what Emily had done to me.
Evidence first.
“Anyone else?”
“Melissa maybe.”
“The planner?”
“Yes.”
“Did Rebecca know my card paid?”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
Of course she did.
Everyone knew.
Because I had told everyone.
Repeatedly.
Paid deposit.
Paid florist.
Paid band.
Paid honeymoon.
At the time I thought I was being transparent.
Maybe generous.
Maybe also making sure everyone knew who had made the event possible.
Laura’s parking-lot lecture came back.
Wrong day.
Correct point.
Daniel stood.
“There’s more.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“The message from you.”
He showed me.
The one threatening him financially.
I read it more carefully.
It had come from a phone number almost identical to mine.
Same area code.
Same first six digits.
Last digit different.
An easy fake if someone had created a temporary number deliberately.
My stomach turned.
“When did you get this?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“Three weeks?”
“Yes.”
“And you didn’t call me?”
He looked embarrassed.
“I showed Emily.”
“And?”