“It was my mother’s,” I said, voice tight. “My father bought this for her as an upgrade once he had enough money to do so. I remember when she got it. Christmas of 2012. She’d cried so hard ugly snot came out of her nose.” “I’m about to do the same,” Julep choked, and then she dropped to her knees with me, shaking her head as her eyes bounced between the diamond and me. “Are you… is this real?” “The realest.” She smiled, then bit her lip. “My dad is going to kill you for not asking him first.” “Who said I didn’t ask him?” Her eyebrows tugged inward, and then she glanced behind me at the house.
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