“There’s also a printed list of nearby accommodations, restaurants, and emergency contacts.”
Kevin didn’t take it.
He looked at me.
“You planned all of this?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Since the day you told me you were bringing eleven people.”
His expression changed.
“You knew?”
“I knew you might not respect my answer.”
Patrice laughed bitterly.
“So you set us up.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I prepared for the possibility that you would ignore me.”
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then Kevin said the sentence I had been expecting.
“You’re becoming selfish.”
I took a slow breath.
Maybe once that word would have broken me.
Not anymore.
“Kevin, do you know what selfish actually means?”
He stared at me.
“It means taking something that isn’t yours simply because you want it.”
His face reddened.
I continued.
“For eleven years, I saved for this place. I worked weekends. I worked holidays. I skipped trips. I bought used furniture. I drove the same car until it sounded like it was going to fall apart.”
