He was my second boyfriend, and being with him was the first time I'd ever truly wanted to settle down.
Things between us had always been good, so we'd decided to meet each other's parents over the holidays and lock down a wedding date.
Before the trip, I'd already bought gifts for his family: two bottles of premium whiskey, two cartons of high-end cigarettes, plus supplements like high-grade vitamins and health tonics.
To show my sincerity, I'd gone top-shelf on everything. It cost me a small fortune.
But I'd been happy to spend it.
I thought I'd covered all my bases. I hadn't counted on forgetting a gift for his sister.
Leo had explained, somewhat awkwardly, that his sister Libby Sullivan had bombed her SATs this year. Their parents planned to move her to the city so she could retake them next year.
I'd chosen my words carefully. "When I was your sister's age, the thing I wanted most in the world was a phone. For kids these days, a phone isn't just a toy; it's a study tool. How about I get her one?"
Leo had agreed. But then, out of nowhere, he'd changed his mind. He said his sister didn't want a phone anymore.
Better to just give her seventeen thousand dollars as a gift.