I hired a stranger to give me away at my wedding. He now comes to every Christmas.

My dad left when I was six and ignored my invitation. Four days before the wedding I paid a retired man from church ₦50k to walk me down. He wore my late grandfather's agbada. My husband's family adored him so much that he now has a seat at the head table every Christmas, they ask his opinion on everything, and he has a WhatsApp group. He has never once admitted he is not my father.