When my dad invited my 12-year-old brother and me to his wedding, I thought the worst part would be watching him marry the woman who destroyed our family. I had no idea my little brother, Owen, was quietly planning something unforgettable. Owen used to be the kindest, gentlest kid you could imagine. But everything changed after Dad left Mom for Dana. I watched that soft-hearted boy disappear as he witnessed our mother break down.

Just three weeks after serving Mom the divorce papers after 22 years of marriage Dad had already moved in with Dana. A year later, Dad announced his wedding like it was just another family update. Owen wanted nothing to do with it at first. He flat-out refused. But after weeks of pressure from our grandparents, he reluctantly agreed. There was something new in his voice, though an unsettling calm, a strange resolve.