Even so, I tucked money away bit by bit because I wanted to give my fiancé, Ben, something he had talked about for years.
He loved games, and the PlayStation 5 had been his dream purchase. I imagined the smile he would have on Christmas morning, the excitement in his eyes. That picture kept me going through the busiest season.
Or at least, I thought it did.
When Christmas finally arrived, we gathered with his family around the tree, everyone talking and laughing. Ben handed me a tiny box and encouraged me to open it first. His grin suggested something surprising, something meaningful.
Inside was… a bottle of toothpicks.
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