The next day, I tied my bracelet onto my wrist for the first time ever. It looked childlike against the formfitting white dress I’d selected for my post-wedding luncheon, especially since I’d pulled my long brown hair into a sleek bun, but I didn’t care. I was proud of myself for fulfilling my heart promise. Every time I looked at my arm, I saw proof that my marriage was going to be better than my parents’ had been.
