My sister had two expensive tickets for a private bus tour through Southern California. It was the romantic kind of tour where couples would be taken from destination to destination on a large bus. And suddenly I was being pressured to go with her.

Plans changed when Christine discovered that her boyfriend had been cheating on her. He begged for forgiveness, saying the secret relationship didn’t mean anything, but Christine wasn’t the forgiving type (especially when it came to cheating).

Christine refused to take him back, but she didn’t want to waste the tickets either. Plus, she was genuinely excited for the trip, which included fun outdoor activities and beautiful scenery.

Our parents overheard Christine asking me to go, and they encouraged me to accept, even though I persistently refused. Our parents felt it would be good sibling bonding time since Christine and I rarely hung out. So, I was offered the other ticket, and I couldn’t refuse.