I looked around, wondering if anyone else saw what I did. But the guests were smiling, oblivious to the storm raging within me. Daniel’s family and friends beamed with happiness, their eyes fixed on the couple at the altar. Lily, still tugging at my sleeve, sensed my turmoil but couldn’t comprehend its cause.

I knew I had to pull myself together for her sake, for Daniel’s sake. Yet, the resemblance was uncanny. Maybe it was a relative of Emily’s that I had never met, a cousin perhaps, or a distant family member. But why hadn’t Daniel mentioned anything? Why hadn’t I noticed before?

As the ceremony proceeded, I struggled to keep my composure. Each vow exchanged was a reminder of the vows I had once taken. Each glance the couple shared was a reflection of the love Emily and I had known. I was trapped in a surreal moment where time seemed to both stand still and rush past me like a river of memories.