The restaurant was winding down as Uncle Jack, the owner of the place and the only family I had left, finished his work for the night. I handed him my acceptance letter, and his soft blue eyes immediately lit up.
“I knew you could do it, Irish!” he exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug. “I’m so proud of you.”
I smiled, even though my heart felt heavy thinking about the goodbye that was soon to come. Uncle Jack was the only person who had always believed in me, who had always supported me, even when the world seemed against me.
“Are you going to go with Bobby?” he asked gently.
My smile faded, and I shook my head. Uncle Jack let out a heavy sigh, his expression one of quiet understanding. He had probably known this would happen.
He handed me an envelope. “This is the address of the Mitchell family. They’ve been waiting to hear about this. Remember, they once offered to arrange a match between you and their eldest son. But you chose to marry Bobby instead. Even so, they’re still willing to take you in while you start your studies there.”
I bit my lower lip, a wave of discomfort and guilt washing over me. “I don’t want to burden them, Uncle. I can stay in a dorm and find a part-time job.”