- 10.
I wore a thin silver chain on my wrist, tarnished
with time. Ethan’s first gift to me. My
nineteenth birthday. One week, I barely saw him
outside of classes. He was juggling multiple
<
jobs, working harder than ever. I told him about
the birthday party my parents were throwing for
me at an upscale restaurant, but he didn’t
come. I waited, and waited, finally receiving a
call late in the evening. He was waiting for me
outside the restaurant. Standing in the falling
snow, my boy looked tall and strong. He was
covered in mud, his yellow delivery uniform dirty
and stained, just like me earlier today. Back
then, all I could do was complain about how late
he was. Ethan ruffled my hair and said he’d
brought me a birthday present. The bracelet
was simple, inexpensive, but still probably a
stretch for his budget. I loved it. I put it on
immediately and never took it off. Then my
parents called me over, asking who I was
talking to. They disliked Ethan, thought he
wasn’t good enough for me. When I turned back, Ethan had disappeared into the snowy night. … Now, years later, a random thought: At nineteen, at least, Ethan must have loved me, right? He worked day and night for that
bracelet. Did he, like me tonight, trudge through
<
the snow, fall, and yet keep going, driven by the
desire to give me that small gift? But now? He
was trapping me, forcing me. His apartment
was filled with the luxury items I used to love.
Was he sentimental, or was this some twisted
form of humiliation? I couldn’t figure it out.
Tears welled up in my eyes. Ethan froze,
instantly panicked. He’d never known what to
do when I cried. That, at least, hadn’t changed.
He fumbled to wipe my tears. “Don’t cry, don’t
cry. I’m sorry, I was just trying to scare you. It’s
your twenty–sixth birthday. I got you a new bracelet.” “What?” I’d completely forgotten it was my birthday. Ethan held out a small box.
“See if you like it.” He reached for my wrist to change the bracelets. “Maya, can we-” The doorbell rang. A man stood at the door, a cigarette dangling from his lips. “Is Maya here? I’m here to pick her up.” “Who are you?” Ethan asked. “Her fiancé. Didn’t she tell you?” Ethan froze, the bracelet slipping from his fingers and landing on the carpet.
