The Price Of Petty

Summary

“Forty thousand dollars. I’m never getting it back.”

I stared at the screen of my phone, my cousin’s social media feed searing my eyes.

A photo of a new house key, tied with a cheap, festive bow. The caption: Finally have a place of our own.

The phone rang. It was him.

“Riley, forty grand is nothing to you, but I was that short on the down payment. Can’t you just wait a little longer?”

I let out a short, hollow laugh.

Two years ago, he was on his knees, crying, calling it life-saving money, promising to repay it in three months.

Two years. Not a penny seen.