Harlan invited me to attend as his personal guest and promised to introduce everyone to the man who built the arch. I hesitated because I didn’t want to turn Jenna’s wedding into a confrontation. He understood and promised to speak with his family first. Three days later, Spencer arrived at my shop alone. His father had made him read Dad’s old note and hear the stories about Earl. Spencer apologized and explained that Harlan had ordered him to spend an entire year working on a bridge crew if he wanted to remain in the family business. Then he asked me to teach him welding. I gave him a helmet and gloves. He was terrible, burned his sleeve, and blistered his wrist.
The following evening, Jenna arrived crying. She apologized for forgetting what the dogwood flowers represented. I handed her the fourteen photographs of herself beneath Dad’s tree. She studied every picture before asking whether I would stand beside her at the wedding.
THE STORY CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE… 👇👇👇
