Chapter 17 - THE RING
Ryan asked to meet me alone.
Public café.
Sophie with Megan.
He placed his wedding ring on the table.
The same ring he tried to give me years earlier.
“I sold everything else I could.”
“Keep it.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then throw it away.”
He smiled.
“You always hated symbolism.”
“I married you in front of two hundred people.”
“Fair.”
He turned the ring.
“I’m getting remarried.”
I felt something.
Not jealousy.
Not exactly.
History moving.
“Who?”
“Emily Carter.”
I knew her.
A teacher.
Ryan had dated her for more than a year.
He introduced her to Sophie slowly.
Correctly.
I liked her.
That was inconvenient.
“Does she know?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes.”
“The fraud?”
“Yes.”
“Prison?”
“Yes.”
“Your mother?”
He laughed.
“Especially Mom.”
I smiled.
Then asked:
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because Sophie will be in the wedding.”
“Okay.”
“And because I wanted you to hear from me.”
That was respectful.
He continued.
“I’m getting a prenup.”
I almost choked on coffee.
Ryan laughed.
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
“I own almost nothing.”
“Still good.”
He looked at me.
“It says her property stays hers.”
“Groundbreaking.”
“I deserve that.”
We laughed.
Then he became serious.
“I used to think marriage meant everything belonged together.”
“I know.”
“I thought separate meant disloyal.”
“I know.”
“Now I think separate can be what keeps people honest.”
I nodded.
Not always.
But sometimes.
Ryan slid the ring toward me again.
“I want it gone.”
“Why me?”
“Because part of the money came from our joint account.”
I stared.
Then understood.
He was not offering symbolism.
Restitution.
Fine.
I took the ring.
Sold it.
Deposited the proceeds into the final restitution account associated with recovered family funds.
Then sent Ryan the receipt.
He replied:
Thank you.
No emotional hook.
No memory.
Clean.
May you like
That was what closure sometimes looked like.
A receipt.
