He was giving up his baby. Oh, sure, Jeff Parker knew that his raven-haired daughter had long since given Max Evans her soul, her heart. The only thing holding her back now was him. Then she would be Max's. Completely. Jeff had known, for a long time, now, ever since that fateful day in September, five years ago today, that something in his Lizzie had changed. She'd grown up. She'd grown up and became a woman right before his very eyes. She went from being Daddy's Girl to being Max's. All in a matter of days. As he walked her down the makeshift aisle in the Crashdown, Jeff thought back to when Liz was a little girl. He smiled, remembering the time he caught her playing dress-up. His late mother's hat looked so cute on her, and his wife's high-heeled shoes were too big, but she was beautiful. Still is beautiful. Jeff looked to the front of the cafe, next to the doors. There stood Liz's bridesmaids, Maria DeLucca and Max's sister, Isabel. He saw Maria smile as the best man caught her eye and whispered something to her. Jeff could swear that he saw Michael Guerin mouth the word 'finally' to the blonde pixie. He glanced at the other girl...woman, who stood at the alter. Isabel Evans. She was late into her fifth month of pregnancy, and by the way her dress rounded, it was easy to tell. Alex Whitman stood by Michael, beaming at his wife. His wife. Jeff kept forgetting. It had been Isabel Whitman for the past year now. He took a quick peek at his daughter, and wasn't surprised to find that she was gazing into the eyes of her husband-to-be. Into the eyes of Max Evans. The man who had taken his place in Liz's heart. Jeff knew that it was into Max's arms that Liz ran, now, when something was bothering her. It was Max's arms that held her tight when she was happy or upset. She cried on his shoulder. Her eyes lit up for him, and she seemed to come alive only when he entered the room. And, when they were together, it was as if they were in their own little world. The lights dimmed everywhere, and it was only by the shining light of their love that people saw. Everything changed when Max was by her side. Not behind her, hiding, and not in front of her, pushing her into the background. Beside her. Giving her his undivided attention and his unconditional love and support. Sure, Jeff knew that Max would step in front of her, or push her first when the time came. He would protect her from the evils of the world, and shower her with the goodness of it. He was the one she thought of first. The most important man in her life. He didn't mind, much. His daughter had found the love of her life, what more could he hope for. He knew that he would always be her Daddy, but Max was her soul mate. Who could compete with that?
"Who gives this young woman away?"
Liz glanced at her father, and Jeff snapped out of his trance. "Her mother and I do," he replied...and he handed his Liz over to Max.