The Budget For My Final Goodbye

Synopsis

It was the first time my family had ever saved enough money for a trip to Lythara, and I was so excited that I barely slept for months. As a special treat, my parents gave each of us a shopping allowance—12,000 dollars. My sister, Olivia Gibson, had her eye on a designer handbag, while my brother, Ryan Gibson, had already reserved the latest gaming console. I clutched my crumpled shopping list, staring at the silver necklace I'd dreamed about for 18 years. For once, I wanted something that was truly mine—not something Olivia and Ryan didn't want. At the biggest department store in Pravia, Olivia and Ryan had already maxed out their allowances. My heart raced as I carefully handed Mom my chosen necklace along with my bank card. But she just gave me an apologetic smile. "I actually used your allowance for Ryan yesterday," Mom said. "The watch he wanted was a little over budget." "You've always been so understanding. You don't mind, do you?" she added softly.