Sequel: Beyond the Sun ›
The Bird and the Worm
twenty seven - the gift
((Brian’s POV))
I drew in a deep breath as I turned the car off, looking up at the store that loomed before me, a huge sign with a cutout of a diamond glistening out at me, urging me in, promising quality and shine and everything that a jewelry store should promise. It would be an understatement to say that I was nervous.
I pulled my wallet out of the glove box, shoving it into my back pocket, and then got out of the car, walking towards the store. Someone in the store opened the door for me, and I gave them a smile as I passed, trying to find the counter in the midst of the counters laden with expensive wares. I bit my lip and ran a hand through my hair as I glanced around. All the counters seemed to be covered with rings and necklaces, and not one of them looked as though there was someone who could help me.
“Can I help you, sir?”
I turned around, greeted by the smile of a man who appeared to be in his late 50s. “Huh?”
“I wondered if I could help you, sir.”
“Oh. Yeah. Um. Actually, I wanted to buy a ring for my girlfriend.” A knowing smile crossed his features. “She has one already, but I want this one to be more personal. Y’know?” He nodded, seeming to understand me, and he gestured towards a counter where a bunch of rings were displayed. I bit my lip and walked over to it, my eyes scanning over everything offered. “Do you have anything with sapphires?”
“Of course, sir. If you’ll please come this way, I can show you some of our current offerings.” I raised an eyebrow at all the salesman talk, but I followed him nonetheless. He led me to a counter in the corner of the store, and I scanned them over.
He was probably watching me, scrutinizing my reaction to each ring, and when my gaze caught one in the center of the display, I smiled and touched the glass above it. “What size is that?”
“A seven, sir.”
“Could I have a look at it?”
“Of course, sir.” He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the back of the display case, pulling the ring out with its box, setting it on the counter.
I picked the box up, and I picked the ring out of it, turning it between my fingers. The white-gold band glistened in the strategic lighting, and four sapphires that were embedded into the band practically smiled up at me, telling me that this was the perfect ring. The man in the suit watched me again, decoding the smile on my face as I put the ring back in the box and held the box up. “I think this one’s it,” I said, and he smiled. “Do we go to another counter for purchases?”
He laughed. “You don’t do this often, do you?” I shook my head. “Only a few feet this time.” I followed him to the nearby cash register, and he punched in a few numbers before looking at me. “And how will you be paying, sir?”
I reached into my pocket, pulling out my wallet and fishing out my credit card, sliding it onto the counter.
“She’s a lucky woman,” he said as he swiped my card. “To have someone like you buying her a new ring, I mean. Most men, including myself,” he placed the card and the receipt for me to sign on the counter, and I retrieved my credit card before bending down to sign the paper, “would have waited until after the wedding to do something like that.” He smiled at me as I slid him the receipt.
“She’s not my fiancé,” I told him, picking the ring box up, and he raised an eyebrow at me. “Not yet.”
“Do I know you, sir? You seem oddly familiar.”
“No, you probably don’t, but you may have heard of my band. I play guitar, and I just got home from a tour.”
He nodded. “I see. What band are you in?”
“Avenged Sevenfold.”
“My daughter used to listen to your music, before she got married.” He paused. “So you’re, uh, Synyster Gates?”
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “Not when I’m home. When I’m home, the people call me Brian.” I flashed a smile, and he returned the favor. “Do I need to do anything else?” He shook his head. “Then it was a pleasure meeting you, sir.” He smiled and nodded, and then I turned and walked out of the store.
When I got back to the car, I closed my eyes and laid my head back against the headrest, sighing exasperatedly. I was definitely still nervous, and that certainly wasn’t exactly a surprise.
“When you’re ready, Brian,” I told myself. “When you’re ready, she’ll say yes.”
I started the car. I hoped I was right.
I didn’t have to ask her today, and I didn’t have to ask her next week. But the ring on her finger now just reminded me of Michelle, and I was going to be with Heather long enough to ensure that I wouldn’t be rejected or be left behind a month before the day I’d been thinking about since I realized I loved Heather and things could possibly get serious between us.
Slipping my sunglasses on, I started off to my next destination, another step in making up for the five months that I’d been away.
I drew in a deep breath as I turned the car off, looking up at the store that loomed before me, a huge sign with a cutout of a diamond glistening out at me, urging me in, promising quality and shine and everything that a jewelry store should promise. It would be an understatement to say that I was nervous.
I pulled my wallet out of the glove box, shoving it into my back pocket, and then got out of the car, walking towards the store. Someone in the store opened the door for me, and I gave them a smile as I passed, trying to find the counter in the midst of the counters laden with expensive wares. I bit my lip and ran a hand through my hair as I glanced around. All the counters seemed to be covered with rings and necklaces, and not one of them looked as though there was someone who could help me.
“Can I help you, sir?”
I turned around, greeted by the smile of a man who appeared to be in his late 50s. “Huh?”
“I wondered if I could help you, sir.”
“Oh. Yeah. Um. Actually, I wanted to buy a ring for my girlfriend.” A knowing smile crossed his features. “She has one already, but I want this one to be more personal. Y’know?” He nodded, seeming to understand me, and he gestured towards a counter where a bunch of rings were displayed. I bit my lip and walked over to it, my eyes scanning over everything offered. “Do you have anything with sapphires?”
“Of course, sir. If you’ll please come this way, I can show you some of our current offerings.” I raised an eyebrow at all the salesman talk, but I followed him nonetheless. He led me to a counter in the corner of the store, and I scanned them over.
He was probably watching me, scrutinizing my reaction to each ring, and when my gaze caught one in the center of the display, I smiled and touched the glass above it. “What size is that?”
“A seven, sir.”
“Could I have a look at it?”
“Of course, sir.” He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the back of the display case, pulling the ring out with its box, setting it on the counter.
I picked the box up, and I picked the ring out of it, turning it between my fingers. The white-gold band glistened in the strategic lighting, and four sapphires that were embedded into the band practically smiled up at me, telling me that this was the perfect ring. The man in the suit watched me again, decoding the smile on my face as I put the ring back in the box and held the box up. “I think this one’s it,” I said, and he smiled. “Do we go to another counter for purchases?”
He laughed. “You don’t do this often, do you?” I shook my head. “Only a few feet this time.” I followed him to the nearby cash register, and he punched in a few numbers before looking at me. “And how will you be paying, sir?”
I reached into my pocket, pulling out my wallet and fishing out my credit card, sliding it onto the counter.
“She’s a lucky woman,” he said as he swiped my card. “To have someone like you buying her a new ring, I mean. Most men, including myself,” he placed the card and the receipt for me to sign on the counter, and I retrieved my credit card before bending down to sign the paper, “would have waited until after the wedding to do something like that.” He smiled at me as I slid him the receipt.
“She’s not my fiancé,” I told him, picking the ring box up, and he raised an eyebrow at me. “Not yet.”
“Do I know you, sir? You seem oddly familiar.”
“No, you probably don’t, but you may have heard of my band. I play guitar, and I just got home from a tour.”
He nodded. “I see. What band are you in?”
“Avenged Sevenfold.”
“My daughter used to listen to your music, before she got married.” He paused. “So you’re, uh, Synyster Gates?”
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “Not when I’m home. When I’m home, the people call me Brian.” I flashed a smile, and he returned the favor. “Do I need to do anything else?” He shook his head. “Then it was a pleasure meeting you, sir.” He smiled and nodded, and then I turned and walked out of the store.
When I got back to the car, I closed my eyes and laid my head back against the headrest, sighing exasperatedly. I was definitely still nervous, and that certainly wasn’t exactly a surprise.
“When you’re ready, Brian,” I told myself. “When you’re ready, she’ll say yes.”
I started the car. I hoped I was right.
I didn’t have to ask her today, and I didn’t have to ask her next week. But the ring on her finger now just reminded me of Michelle, and I was going to be with Heather long enough to ensure that I wouldn’t be rejected or be left behind a month before the day I’d been thinking about since I realized I loved Heather and things could possibly get serious between us.
Slipping my sunglasses on, I started off to my next destination, another step in making up for the five months that I’d been away.