The phone rings. It's my mom.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Are you sleeping?"

"No, no... just lying down." (It was noon, I was dreaming.)

"You sound like you have a cold. Is my little nubbin' not feeling good? You should have some chicken soup. Depression does tend to run a person down, you know."

I hadn't really had the chance to discover if I was actually sick or just hungover so I went along with it.

"Yeah. I think I'm getting a cold or something. I don't think we have any chicken soup."

"Well go take a hot shower and force some liquids.
Oh, we bought new phones today. Now I can call you more often. We get 1000 any time minutes."

"That's awesome, mom but I hope you're going to use one of those earphones so you don't get brain cancer. You don't want brain cancer. I don't want you to die from brain cancer. You never know."

"Hmm? Earbuds? How much do they cost? They didn't include that in the package. Your uncle Jack has this fancy headset I think it cost him $130. I don't know."

"Mom. It's not going to cost that much. Mine came with my phone. I think it's like $15 bucks."

(She shouts to my dad asking why they don't have any earbuds.)

"Tell Bryan February came and went."

(I groan silently)
I shouldn't have told her about his bonus. She expects an engagement ring on my finger any day now.

---

Conversation, the previous day - with Bryan's brother.

"Do you think Bryan is ever going to propose?"

"You got me. You know how he is. It's like we're already married."

"Well it has been 9 years, right?"

"Yeah. And?"

"You realize I can't get married until he does, don't you? It's kind of an unspoken rule. The younger brother takes the cue of the elder brother."

"Is that written in stone? I think you could one-up us. We'd be bitter for a few years but then we'd come around. We might even babysit your kids for you if you're lucky."

(He laughs)

"It's not like I'm one of those bitches who's all 'Oh, but I want 3 carats and Tiffany and this and that..'. If he gave me a cigar band ring tomorrow I'd say yes. He tells me he's still saving up. I don't want him to spend an arm and a leg but he refuses to listen to me."

We both sigh.

-----

5 days earlier, I have a conversation with Bryan's grandpa while at his house.

"See that picture frame on the wall? The empty one. The big white empty one?"

"Mmhmm."

"Yeah. I could have filled that with pictures from the wedding in Mississippi." (The last family wedding.)
But I'm saving it for a special day."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. A special day that's going to happen in the next couple of years."

"Really? I hope I'm invited!"