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“Thanks. Both of you—for everything. And... yeah. I guess I could use a second opinion. Someone to tell me I’m fucking crazy.”
Layla hopped off the stool and held her hands as she said, “Wait, wait. Hold the fuck up. Therapist Layla can’t give her opinion without all the necessary information.”
“All right. What do you want to know?”
Mason was shaking his head to himself and the sight made me nervous. Something ridiculous was coming—I was sure of it.
“I need to see the ring.”
“What the fuck? How is that necessary?”
“It just is, Ethan,” she huffed, stomping her foot. “Do you want a woman’s opinion or not?”
“I don’t need an opinion on the ring. I need to know whether I’m crazy or not to propose this soon!”
“The answer to that is partially dependent on the ring!” she argued, her voice raising to match mine.
“That’s bullshit. The ring won’t matter to Juliet. She doesn’t give two fucks about my money.”
“Is that right? And didn’t you think the same thing about Sarah?”
Now I was pissed. I lowered my voice and hissed, “It’s different.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I offered her money! I offered to pay her bills so she could keep the house she shares with her roommate and quit her shitty waitressing job so she could go to school! All Sarah ever did was take and take and Juliet refused!”
“That doesn’t mean she’s not using you! How can you possibly know if she really loves you?”
“Because she fucking told me! Because I can look into her eyes and see it! Because I can feel it! I JUST FUCKING KNOW!”
The anger dropped from Layla’s expression, replaced with a smug smile of victory. I felt my own face slack with confusion and I blinked multiple times, unsure of what the fuck just happened.
“I believe you have your answer.”
“Wha—Oh.” I looked back at Mason, who just shrugged again.
“She’s right, man. If that’s really how you feel, I think you should go for it.”
I wasn’t entirely sure where to go from that point. I was still shocked—both at Layla’s odd method for getting my feelings out and at how easily I had fallen for it. I chuckled in disbelief and pointed to my sister-in-law.
“You. You are a sneaky little thing.”
“I try. Anger is one of the most honest emotions we have.”
“Fuck. You didn’t even want to see the ring, did you?”
“Oh, I do. But I’ll wait until you put it on my future sister-in-law’s finger.” She stopped and clapped excitedly. “Ooh! I’ve always wanted a sister.”
“So did I,” I said with a sigh. “Come here.”
We hugged again and I felt a deep satisfaction at having my family with me.
All that was missing was a wife.
My blood was still running hot from my anger at both Sarah and Layla’s little act and it gave me the irresistible urge to take action.
“I need you guys to clear out. You can hang out and finish your beers. Just lock up when you’re done.”
There was a chorus of ‘Good luck’ called out as I stalked from the room. I rushed upstairs to my safe and slid the ring box into my pocket, rushing down the stairs and back out to my car.
Crazy or not, I had made my choice.
