thick with the smell of cheap beer

party, but it felt mo

age, his car salesman smile plastered on hi

through the old microphone. "For our future. A down payment

ly and friends er

than I' d seen him in years. He has a bad heart, and mo

second chance. I had lived this day

s. Lester, let out a gasp. She clutched her chest, her fa

pt throug

face a perfect picture of te

ide and pleading. I' m a param

assive heart attack! The doctor said sh

n' t have it. I just spent everything on the down payment, on your ring.

st, an echo from a l

st time, I handed over the mo

looked him de

No

in the air,

ect mask of worry cracking f

my phone. I opened my social media

steady as I aimed the camera at his

started ticking up. Ten

" Ethan hissed, his

calmly, making sure the phone captured his mother, still the

ion on the live

? Her future mother

ick. She' s

his face a mask of desperation. He and E

welling in his eyes. "I' m begging you. Don' t

"I spent my life savings on this ring, on that down payment

eating it up, calling

linch. I kn