When my sister told me she’d met “the one” and wanted to marry him, I handed over my entire house fund without question. What she did with that money was something I never saw coming. My life was finally coming together.
At 35, I had a solid job as a software developer, a decent apartment, and for the first time in years, real savings in my bank account. Every month, I’d watch that number grow, knowing I was getting closer to my dream of buying my own house. After years of careful budgeting and saying no to vacations and fancy dinners, I had almost enough for a down payment.
I was still single, but I wasn’t lonely. I had my work, my goals, and most importantly, my family. When Monica called me that Tuesday evening, practically bubbling over with excitement, I felt genuine happiness for her.
“Maddie, I need to tell you something amazing,” she said. “I met someone. I mean, I really met someone this time.”
I smiled, settling into my couch with my tea.
Monica had always been the dreamer between us, the one who fell fast and hard. At 28, she’d had her share of relationships that started with fireworks and ended with tears. But something in her voice sounded different this time.
“Tell me everything,” I said. Our family hadn’t had the best luck with love. Dad left when Monica was just six and I was thirteen.
One day he was there, helping me with homework and teaching Monica how to ride her bike, and the next day his closet was empty. Mom never talked about why he left, but I remember the nights I heard her crying after she thought we were asleep. “Your father just… wasn’t ready for this life,” Mom would say whenever we asked.
“But we have each other, and that’s what matters.”
And we did have each other. Mom worked two jobs to keep us fed and housed. Our aunts, Mom’s sisters, stepped in whenever they could.
Aunt Sarah picked us up from school when Mom was working late. Aunt Lisa helped with homework and school projects. We were a tight unit, bound together by necessity and love.
I’d always been the responsible one, the one who made sure Monica got to school on time and helped Mom with bills when I got my first job. Maybe that’s why I felt so protective of my little sister, even now. “His name is David,” Monica continued.
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