"I haven't decided yet."
"WHAT?" Her voice blasts through the speaker so loudly I have to hold the phone away from my ear. "Are you serious, Mads? If you marry that jerk, I swear I'll show up to your wedding in funeral attire."
"I didn't give him an answer," I say, picking up the ring. It's heavier than it looks. I turn it over, watching light dance across the facets.
Five million dollars a year. Mom's medical bills paid. Making her last days comfortable. The words ‘last days’ make tears pool in my eyes.
"What are you going to do?"
I stare at the ring, feeling its weight in more ways than one.
What am I going to do?
The door clicks behind me as I step back into the kitchen. The house is dim except for the light above the kitchen table.
Mom sits there, sorting through her nutrition logs.
“Maddie? What’s wrong?” she says, seeing the expression on my face and the elegant engagement ring box in my hand.
“Joseph was here,” I say. My voice feels like sandpaper. “He proposed.”
She sets her papers aside, slowly, like she’s afraid of what comes next. “And what did you tell him?”
“I didn’t.” I sink into the chair across from her. “I didn’t say yes. I didn’t say no."
"Did he explain why he left you at the altar last time? And what will be different now?"
"Not in so many words," I say, spinning the ring around on my finger.
"What started all this is that when we were in Las Vegas, I ended up doing him a favor. A big one. One that saved his career. This is his way of thanking me."
"Thanking you with a marriage proposal?"
"It won't be a real marriage," I say, looking up at her. "He wants me to arrange his life. Fix him."
"Sounds like Joseph," she says, her expression tightening. “And what do you want?”
I stare at the ring.
"Is there someone else?"
I turn to her, thinking of Rio. "Yes."
"And why isn't this man with you? Who is he?"
I bite my lip. "Rio."
"Ah," says Mom, a slow smile spreading on her face. "I always figured you two would end up together. You were so cute stalking him when you were a teen."
"I did not stalk him!"
Mom laughs softly. "Remember it your way. When Steven said you were joining him in Vegas, I figured something like that might happen."
"Well, it did," I say, remembering that magical night we dined at the romantic Italian restaurant. And then the delicious, slightly naughty play afterwards.
"So with Rio in the picture, why would Joseph even be a consideration?" Mom asks.
Snorty looks up at me. Then he lets forth an inquisitive yip.
