Chapter 2 - THE INCIDENT LOG
The venue manager moved the immediate family into a side room while staff repaired Amber’s gown enough for the reception to continue.
Lila opened the wedding-planning system.
A private section was titled:
FAMILY RISK NOTES.
Hazel laughed once.
“Risk?”
Amber crossed her arms.
“It’s not what you think.”
The entries began four months earlier.
INCIDENT 1:
Hazel criticizes bridal budget in front of planner.
INCIDENT 2:
Hazel contacts florist without permission.
INCIDENT 3:
Hazel challenges guest-list removals.
INCIDENT 4:
Hazel enters bridal fitting without invitation.
INCIDENT 5:
Hazel sends hostile rehearsal-dinner message.
INCIDENT 6:
Hazel attempts to change seating.
INCIDENT 7:
Hazel confronts bride’s mother at shower.
INCIDENT 8:
Hazel threatens to “take control.”
INCIDENT 9:
Hazel interferes with alcohol plan.
INCIDENT 10:
Hazel accuses bride of isolating groom.
INCIDENT 11:
Hazel violates no-contact weekend.
INCIDENT 12:
Hazel creates scene at rehearsal.
Then a blank draft.
INCIDENT 13:
Mother of groom sabotages bride’s chair / gown.
Hazel stared.
“You wrote the ending before it happened.”
Amber snapped:
“It was a template in case you caused another problem.”
Hazel pointed through the doorway toward the damaged chair.
“You glued my seat.”
“It was supposed to be a joke.”
“If I had sat there, what would this log have said?”
Amber said nothing.
Garnet rubbed his face.
“Who could see these notes?”
Lila answered:
“Bride, groom, lead planner, venue manager, and security lead.”
Hazel’s eyes hardened.
“Security?”
Amber had requested a private protocol.
If Hazel became verbally aggressive or disrupted the reception, security could escort her into the lobby without waiting for Garnet’s approval.
Hazel looked at her son.
“You agreed to that?”
Garnet stared at the floor.
“I agreed we needed a plan if things got bad.”
“Did you read this log?”
“Some of it.”
“That means no.”
Then Hazel noticed the export history.
The file had been downloaded three times.
The most recent download went to:
“What is that?”
Amber stiffened.
“A counseling account.”
Hazel frowned.
Counseling?
The exported filename appeared on the screen:
PATTERN OF MATERNAL INTERFERENCE — SUPPORTING EXAMPLES.
May you like
The wedding log had not been created merely for security.
Amber had been using it as evidence in couples counseling.
