The moment Edward and I walked into the wedding venue, Max noticed us. His eyes traveled from Edward’s suit to my dress before his face twisted into a familiar, cruel smile. “Your boyfriend?” he laughed. “Nobody like him would date you. Did you pay him to come here?” My cheeks burned, and for a moment, I was thirteen years younger again, standing in our bedroom while Max explained everything he believed was wrong with my appearance. Before I could respond, Edward calmly reached for a beautifully wrapped box. “Actually, Max, I brought you a wedding gift.” Inside was an enormous pair of old trousers.

Max looked confused until Edward explained that they had belonged to him when he was much heavier. Years earlier, Edward had believed he didn’t deserve birthday cake because of his size. Then I had told him how my own husband made me feel as though I had to change my body to deserve love. “She never treated me like I was broken,” Edward said. “She never told me I had to become someone else before I deserved happiness.” The laughter around us faded. For the first time that afternoon, Max had nothing to say.