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There's another pause, and then my dad speaks up. "Finn...as in, your childhood friend Finn?"
I nod, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks. "Yes," I say, my voice tight.
My dad inhales and exhales deeply, nodding slowly.
Then he looks at my mom.
"I told you," he mutters.
I audibly--cartoonishly--gasp. "Dad!"
"Your mother has always thought you would marry that boy," Dad grumbles. "We were both shocked when you told us you got engaged."
"But I...why didn't you say anything?"
"Because it was your choice," my mom says. "It isalwaysyour choice."
"I was inclined to talk to you about it, but your mother insisted that we let you live your life," my dad says. "We haven't even met Steven."
"He's a good..."
I pause, frowning.
I was about to make more excuses for him, wasn't I?
"What, dear?" Mom asks.
"I...I don't know if he's a good guy," I say. "I need to call him and tell him...I need to..."
I stop and look down at my hand, and it suddenly feels unbearable to wear this expensive, gaudy piece of jewelry. I reach up and yank it off my finger like it's on fire, then I slap it down on the counter and we all stare at it.
"You need to call him," Mom says.
I look down at my phone, which is on the table right on the other side of my plate from the ring. I swallow hard. "You're absolutely right," I tell her. "I do."
"Do you want company?" she asks.
I shake my head. "I need to do this alone."
I go back upstairs, my phone heavy in my hand. I leave the ring on the table, not wanting to touch it; I can come back and grab it later, then I'll return it to Steven when he's back in the States.
I dial his number and sit down on the bed, my heart thudding as I wait for him to answer. The phone rings, static crackling along the line. We're in roughly the same time zone, so he shouldn't be asleep.
The line finally clicks to life.
And I'm shocked when awomananswers.
"Hello?"
"Um...hi," I say. I pull the phone away from my ear and peer at it, frowning. It's the right number. "Who is this?"
She sounds just as confused as I am. "This is Marcie; Steven just stepped out to get coffee and forgot his phone. You're his sister, right?"
My heart stutters.
"No," I say. "I'm hisfianceé.Who the hell are you?"
The line goes dead.
