Then she spoke very quietly.
“He told us you were the one who didn’t want to get married.”
I shut my eyes.
“He said marriage made you anxious. He said he didn’t want to pressure you. He said he was waiting until you were ready.”
A memory returned instantly, sharp and humiliating. Two Thanksgivings earlier, David’s sister had squeezed my hand and said, “You’re lucky he’s so patient.” I had laughed because I had no idea what she meant.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
Elaine released a shaky breath.
“Oh, David.”
Then she revealed something worse.
Three years earlier, David had asked her for his grandmother’s ring. He claimed he intended to propose during our trip to Maine that autumn. Elaine had the ring cleaned and appraised before handing it to him. She still had the receipt and a photograph she had sent her sister because she had been so excited. Family
