Chapter One

The world had tilted off it's axis. That was the only way to explain the growing knot in her stomach. It was the only way to explain the past few weeks. Three weeks, five days, nineteen hours, to be precise. Unlike most life-changing moments, Carly knew down the precise minute when the latest disaster in her life had struck. It was the moment she'd stumbled on Jack asking Janet to marry him.

Not that she'd needed proof she was cursed, but the Universe cruelly reminded her every time she turned around.

Before she could even catch her breath, they'd set a wedding date. The kids--particularly Sage--had not taken it well. Parker seemed disappointed by the news and unenthuiastically agreed to be an usher. JJ shut down, flatly rejecting any attempt to talk about his feelings, and refused to be an usher. Sage had run into her arms, crying and begging her to stop the wedding. All Carly could do was swallow the lump in her throat and promise Sage her daddy loved her no matter what.

Now the day had arrived.

"Mom...we've got a problem." Parker uneasily approached her with a concerned look. "Sage says she's not going."

Carly sighed and headed upstairs to her daughter's room. "Don't worry, just make sure you and JJ are ready. Aaron's picking you up at eleven."

"Maybe....maybe Sage would feel better if you came along." Parker hesitated to continue. "Maybe we all would."

"We've discussed it, Parker. It's not appropriate for me to be there. You understand why, right? This is Janet's day, and----"

"But you're invited, right? It's not like with Katie---you weren't uninvited--you could---"

"Parker...that's enough. I can't...I just can't go." It was bad enough putting on a front for the kids at home. There was no way she'd be able to sit through an entire ceremony.

"Maybe Dad should know that," Parker replied, balancing his teenage sarcasm and disappointment in his role models perfectly. "And maybe you should tell him why," he added for good measure.

Carly gave him a look of steely disapproval, and continued upstairs. Tapping softly on Sage's door, she found her daughter sitting defiantly on her bed, arms crossed, and a scowl across her face.

"I'm not going...you can't make me!"

Carly recognized that stubborn face, she'd worn it herself throughout her childhood. "Okay," Carly shrugged her shoulders. "You don't have to go."

Suspiciously, her daughter's eyes narrowed. "Really?"

"Yep. If you feel this strongly, it's not right to force you. You're old enough to know what you want."

Sage leapt off her bed and wrapped her arms around Carly's waist. "Thanks, Mom."

Carly kissed the top of her head as she returned the hug. "There is one condition though. You call dad and tell him." Carly's grip tightened as Sage tried to twist and pull away from her.

"Please Mom, don't make me!"

The sound of Sage's sobs broke her heart. Carly held on tightly, stroking her hair as the tears came out. "I know you're not happy about Janet. But I know you love your Dad. And you'll understand one day how much it means for him to have you there."

"Why can't he marry you?"