A Family Friend Wants to Buy Me a Computer...

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Ok, almost exactly one month ago, my family and I drove to Kentucky for my cousin's high school graduation open house and party. While we were there, everyone was just sitting around talking, and when the conversation turned to me with the question: So, Mary, what are you going to do after high school? (I'm going to be a senior this year!)My mom jumped in and mentioned that I want to go to college and study english and creative writing. She also mentioned that I had posted some fanfiction that had gotten good reviews, was taking a college writing course (I took AP English Language and Composition this past year and found out yesterday that I got a 5 - the highest possible score - and am definitely going to receive college credit! Hooray!) and had plans for a story already in motion. My mom then mentioned that I had a tendency to use up notebooks really fast and I bought myself a fancy fountain pen to make hand writing easier. Then, our family friend asked why I hand wrote everything, to which I replied, "Because I don't have my own computer." He then replied by saying he'd be happy to get me one "within the month", whatever operating system and specs I wanted, for no charge to me. I didn't accept this right away, and he just told me to e-mail back when I had thought about it. This is where it gets a bit iffy. After we got home to Indiana, I did some research into laptops, and I asked my dad how I should go about sending this e-mail. My dad crushed my hopes by responding that "Oh, your aunt said we shouldn't listen to him; he has a tendency to make those kinds of promises and not keep them." Needless to say, I was disappointed, because a computer would be very useful for me, especially since I'll need a laptop of my own for college. I decided that I would just buy myself yet another (paper) notebook and continue to use that and pretend the whole thing had never happened. Well, I was sitting downstairs today while my dad was checking his e-mail. He suddenly said, "Mary, I think you should read this." The e-mail was from the family friend, saying that they had needed some time to get things in order, but that I should e-mail them with the specs that I need and they will send me the computer. My question is now: should I take up the offer? Or will they just disappoint me again? After the last statement about these people (our family friend and his wife), I fear that I am being naive in trusting them. Part of me just wants to move on because I fear it is too good to be true. Can anyone give me some advice?