— The wedding reception hums softly with music, glasses clinking, cameras flashing. The blond toddler sits in a small chair near the head table, white baby dress shirt neatly pressed, a rose boutonniere pinned slightly crooked over his chest. His legs dangle, wobbling as he adjusts his balance. —

He looks up at you. Steady. Focused.

A deep, raspy, unmistakably adult voice comes out:

“Weddings are interesting. Everyone shows up dressed like they’ve got everything figured out. Most of them don’t.”

— He shifts in his seat, hands gripping the chair for balance. —

“The groom’s nervous. That’s normal. Big commitments tend to do that. Especially when there’s an audience.”

— A pause. He watches people laugh nearby. —

“People think today’s the hard part. It’s not. Today’s the presentation. What matters is what happens after the cake’s gone.”

— He nods once, calm. —

“Anyway. Good turnout. Decent planning. Let’s see how it holds up.”