The following year, Elise was preparing for her high school entrance exams.

Caroline called me.

"Elise's grades are decent, but she's weak in a couple of subjects. A girl with no education, what's she going to do with her life?"

"Tutoring costs eight thousand. We've scraped together two thousand on our end. Could you cover the other six? I'll write you an IOU."

She pressed the slip of paper into my hand and patted it.

"I know you're working hard. If Vincent were healthy, I'd never ask."

I opened my mouth to suggest she ask Godfrey for the money instead, but the words died in my throat.

I pulled out my phone and transferred six thousand dollars.

After the transfer, my account balance read $1,256.38.

Not even enough to stock the kitchen for reopening.

I borrowed five thousand from a friend just to get the restaurant back up and running.

Godfrey had blown through his budget on a New Year's vacation and came to me for $13,000 to pay off his credit card.

I tried to explain. "Godfrey, it's not that I don't want to help. I literally don't have it."

He paced in circles, frantic, then started rifling through the drawers behind the front counter. He found the only cash in there, two hundred dollars, and pocketed it.

"If I can't make my credit card payment and my company finds out, I'll get fired. You know that, right?"

Then his eyes landed on the gold necklace around my neck. His face lit up.

"Gold prices are pretty good right now. Sell the necklace and lend me the money."

I refused. That necklace was part of the wedding set Vincent had given me. I couldn't part with it.

Godfrey borrowed Caroline's tone, but his words cut deeper.

"My brother became a cripple saving your life. If he were fine, do you think I'd be begging you?"

They all knew that was my weak spot. My open wound.

They all knew exactly how to twist the knife.

I had nothing to say. I unclasped the necklace and handed it over.

Elise didn't get into the high school she wanted. Caroline pushed for a private school.

"Elise has a solid foundation. She just choked on the exam. Private schools have better teachers. She'll definitely get into a good college."

Another IOU found its way into my hand.

"Tuition's eighteen thousand a year. Cover it for now, and I'll pay you back. I'll quit my evening dance class and set up a street stall to earn the money."