The Ring, the Debt, and the Transfer She Returned

Synopsis

The night Andrew Collins escorted his first love onto the stage to accept her award, I was at the bank signing the final document. The account manager pushed the papers toward me and confirmed one last time. "Ms. Lane, this is the renewal guarantee for Mr. Collins' company, are you certain you won't sign it?" I looked down at the wedding ring on my finger. I'd worn it for three years. The name engraved inside the band, Andrew Collins, had long since worn smooth, nearly illegible. My phone buzzed on the table. Andrew transferred me fifty-two hundred dollars. The memo was two words long: Stop fussing. I stared at those two words for a few seconds, then sent the money straight back. I took off the ring and set it down beside the signed statement. "I'm certain." "I'm done being his woman." "And I'm done carrying his debt."