My father had written to Jeffrey shortly before he left for college.
He explained that I was likely to be accepted into a teaching program near home.
That I had an opportunity to build a future for myself.
Then he asked Jeffrey not to make me choose between that future and following him.
Dad believed that if Jeffrey proposed, I would immediately go with him.
He asked Jeffrey to step aside.
To give me the opportunity to become my own person.
I looked up through tears.
“My father sent this to you?”
“Before I left. He knew about the ring.”
“How?”
“I showed it to him. I went to ask for his blessing.”
I sat down.
“What did he tell you?”
“That we were too young. That you were so loyal to me that you would give up anything if I asked.”
I stared at the pile of letters.
“So you left and eventually started another life.”
