Trouble

You seriously have to tell me in detail how good things have been this past week” Ashley exclaimed as I answered her phone call at lunch time.
I rolled my eyes, I had told her that Nathan and I made up, properly, and now it’s all she wanted to talk about, for the past week she has been asking me, it made me wonder what her own relationship was like, or lacking.
“Ashley, I’m at work, I’m not going to talk about that” I said.
“You don’t talk about it anyway” Ashley whined.
“Why are you calling me?” I asked.
“Nice to hear from you too bestie” Ashley breathed.
“Sorry, but seriously, why are you calling?” I sighed.
“I just wanted to check in” Ashley shrugged.
“Why?” I asked.
“The ring” Ashley breathed.
I sighed, Nathan hadn’t once mentioned the diamond ring he had left behind at my apartment the day he left, and I had told Ashley, she was expecting something to happen, I was just waiting for an explanation, after the accident, when he took me home, I hadn’t thought about it, all I knew was that it wasn’t there in the morning when I woke up, he must have taken it before I went to bed.
I hadn’t asked him about it, because I hadn’t wanted to rock the boat, but it was beginning to weigh on my mind.
“He still hasn’t mentioned it” I sighed.
“You should ask him about it, I mean, it was an engagement ring, and he left it for a reason, but he never explained…” Ashley began.
“Ok, I get it, Ash, don’t you have your own relationship to stress over?” I sighed.
“My relationship is fine” Ashley said.
“Is it?” I asked, she had told me that Brian had been a little distant lately, but Ashley always seemed to deflect off her own things and onto mine.
“Yeah, really” Ashley breathed “Now, talk to your boyfriend” she said.
I sighed “I will” I breathed.
“Good” Ashley said, she was satisfied by that, which was not surprising, it seemed that she enjoyed medalling in my relationship a hell of a lot.
I ended the call and continued my break, before getting on with work, I had a shorter day today, so by three I was on my way home.

Nathan was in the kitchen when I arrived.
“Hi you” he said, kissing me on the cheek lightly as I slid past him.
“Hi” I smiled.
“Good day?” Nathan asked.
“It was pretty good, how was yours?” I asked.
“Can’t complain” Nathan shrugged “I found a few jobs, sent in my resume, did nothing else” he shrugged.
I smiled a small smile, thinking still about that damn ring, it hadn’t been on my mind the whole week, because we had other things to concentrate on, but Ashley bringing it up made me wonder.
“I have a surprise for you” Nathan said.
“What is it?” I asked curiously.
“Bathroom” Nathan shrugged.
I smiled, walking to the bathroom, feeling his breath on the back of my neck as he followed me, I smiled when I pushed the door open, he had a bath ready, with candles and roses.
“This is beautiful” I smiled.
“So are you” Nathan smiled.
“Nate” I breathed, turning to face him “I have to ask you about something” I sighed.
“Now? You don’t want to enjoy this while it’s hot first?” He asked, motioning to the bath, and then to himself.
“One of the two won’t stop being hot” I said, smiling small smile.
“Ok” Nathan said, frowning slightly.
“What happened to that ring” I breathed.
Nathan’s face instantly changed “Ring?” He asked.
“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about” I sighed.
Nathan let out a sigh “It was stupid of me to leave it” he said.
“Why did you?” I asked.
“Obviously it isn’t just any kind of ring” Nathan reminded me “I, I was planning on asking you to marry me, after I was better, before you knew everything” he said.
“Ok, and what happened?” I asked.
“What happened? You hated me, I couldn’t ask you then…” Nathan attempted.
“No, why did you leave it? And why was it gone after the accident, why haven’t you mentioned it all week?” I asked.
“This week, this week has been perfect, I’ve loved every second of being with you and I didn’t want to screw it up by mentioning that damn ring, I was an idiot for leaving it the way I did, I just, I wanted to show you that I love you, it was a stupid way of going about it” Nathan sighed.
“So, you don’t want to marry me?” I asked.
Nathan’s eyes focused on mine “What kind of question is that?” he asked.
“It’s a valid one” I mumbled.
“Are you asking why I haven’t asked you yet?” Nathan questioned, frowning slightly.
“I don’t know” I breathed.
“I want to make it perfect, I wanted to ask you in the most magical way” Nathan said.
“I think we’ve established that perfection never works out” I pointed out.
“So what? You want me to go get the ring and ask you right now?” Nathan asked.
“No, because I’d say no” I mumble.
Nathan shook his head, letting out a breath “Ok” he said.
“I know I sound crazy right now…” I began.
“You don’t say” Nathan said, rolling his eyes and cutting me of.
I frowned “Nate” I breathed “I just, the fact that you had that ring, and that it’s been a week, I thought that the idea was just gone” I sighed.
“Not gone, or forgotten, just, postponed” Nathan shrugged.
“Ok” I said.
“Is there any rush for us to get engaged though? I mean, we just got back to this point, I don’t want to rush anything” Nathan said.
“I guess that’s true” I mused.
“Now, shall we go enjoy that bath?” Nathan asked, pointing to the bathroom.
I smiled and nodded, pulling Nathan into the bathroom with me.