Judge me for cropping my uncle out of the family photo we paid for?

We hired a photographer for my parents' anniversary. My uncle arrived late, argued with the photographer about 'real smiles,' and stood in the back row making a face in every frame. We paid. We got the gallery.

I sent my parents a version with him cropped. I did not post it. I did not tell him. He saw my mother's print on the mantel and asked why he was a ghost. I said the frame was tight.

He told the family I erased him. The photographer offered a reshoot I cannot afford.