And then he laughed.
“You didn’t even pay for this!” he said, loud enough to silence half the room.
My smile froze.
“Colin—”
“Don’t be defensive,” he added, still laughing. “Smile. It’s my birthday. Don’t make it weird.”
A fork clinked against a plate. Conversations faded.
“I picked it out,” I said softly. “I thought you’d like it.”
He held the box up like a punchline.
“Come on. We all know how this works. I give her my card, she buys the gift. It’s basically me buying it for myself.”
A few people chuckled uncertainly. Others stared into their drinks. My face burned. I forced a small laugh, hoping it would end there.
It didn’t.
Across the table, my mother set her wine glass down.
She stood slowly.
“Sweetheart,” she said gently, looking at me, not him. “Tell everyone how you buy groceries.”
I hesitated.
“I ask for Colin’s card. If something’s not in the budget, I wait.”
“And the kids’ clothes? School supplies?”
“The same.”
Colin shifted in his chair.
“And the watch?” my mother asked calmly. “Did she use your card for that?”
He scoffed. “Of course she—”
“I didn’t,” I cut in.
My voice surprised even me.
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