The small folded blanket rolled across the polished floor and stopped near the doorway baseboard.
Carla stood over the fallen woman with her hands on her hips, breathing very heavily.
She pointed a long manicured finger down at Eleanor's face with deep hatred and disgust.
Carla: You ruined my mood, and you almost ruined my Italian silk dress!
Eleanor: I never meant to hurt you, I only wanted to see David.
Carla: David is a high-society man now who does not belong to trailer trash.
Just then, the heavy wooden doors of the pastor's study opened down the long hall.
David stepped out wearing a tailor-made tuxedo with a white rose pinned to his lapel.
He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the scene unfolding near the entrance.
He rushed down the corridor with quick strides, his heart pounding hard against his ribs.
David: What on earth is happening out here right now?
Carla instantly changed her harsh face into a soft, tearful expression of fake panic.
Carla: Oh David, thank goodness you are finally here to protect me from her!
David: Protect you from who? Why is this lady lying on the floor?
Carla: This homeless woman attacked me and tried to steal my diamond wedding ring!
Carla: I had to defend myself because she grabbed my expensive bridal dress gown!
David looked down at Eleanor, who was struggling to sit up against the cold wall.
Her cheek was red where Carla had struck her, and her lip was slightly bleeding.
David felt a strange, familiar tightness in his chest as he looked into Eleanor's eyes.
He knelt down beside the older woman on the cold marble surface without hesitation.
David: Are you okay, ma'am? Can you hear my voice right now?
Eleanor: I am sorry to make a scene on your special wedding day, David.
David froze when he heard her call him by his actual first name so softly.
David: How do you know who I am? Who brought you here today?
Eleanor: I read about your big business success and your upcoming church wedding in Dallas.
Carla grabbed David's arm forcefully, trying to pull him up from the cold floor.
Carla: Stop talking to her, David, she is clearly crazy and needs police custody!
David: Let go of my arm, Carla, I want to hear what she has to say.
Carla: We have three hundred rich guests waiting in the main sanctuary right now!
David: They can wait five minutes while I figure out what happened here.
Eleanor reached into her pocket with trembling fingers and pulled out an old yellowed paper.
It was an original adoption certificate from thirty years ago with an official state seal.
She handed the worn document to David with shaking hands while tears filled her eyes.
Eleanor: I gave you the name David before the adoption court signed the final papers.