“Or transportation.”
“You said—”
“I said ten thousand.”
She kept her voice calm.
“That money is already paid. That is my wedding gift.”
Ethan sounded stunned.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“You’re doing this because of the quilt.”
“No.”
“Yes, you are.”
“The quilt showed me something.”
“What?”
June looked down at her hands.
The right index finger was swollen again.
“That you and Claire have become very comfortable deciding what my effort is worth.”
Ethan said nothing.
June continued.
“And I have become very comfortable letting you.”
“Mom, this is insane.”
“No.”
She surprised herself with how little the words hurt now.
“I think this may be the first sane thing I’ve done in a while.”
Then she ended the call.
Her heart pounded.
She stood in the stairwell for almost a minute.
When she returned to the break room, Marisol looked at her.
“You did something.”
June opened her lunch container.
“I canceled flowers I never agreed to buy.”
Marisol nodded solemnly.
“Revolutionary.”
June laughed.
—
The next two weeks were ugly.
Claire sent no apology.
Instead she sent logistics.
Do you still plan to attend the bridal shower?
We need your final number for rehearsal dinner guests.
Ethan said you are confused about what you offered.
