Chapter 18 - A Different Kind of Ring
A year after the divorce became final, Ethan planned dinner on the balcony.
Nothing about it looked expensive.
Pasta.
Candles.
A bottle of wine.
Leo's plastic dinosaur sitting between the plates because he refused to eat without it.
It was perfect.
After dinner, Ethan helped put Leo to bed.
Then he returned carrying two cups of coffee.
She narrowed her eyes.
"You look nervous."
"I am extremely calm."
"Your hand is shaking."
"Too much coffee."
"You haven't touched it."
"Please stop investigating me."
She laughed.
Then Ethan reached into his pocket.
Her smile disappeared.
He opened a small velvet box.
The ring inside was simple.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
For one second, she could not breathe.
The memory came back.
The mansion.
Mark.
The cold stone.
The ring hitting the ledge.
Ethan saw fear cross her face.
He immediately closed the box.
"It's okay."
She looked at him.
"We don't have to do this."
"Ethan."
"I mean it."
He set the box on the table.
"I'm not asking because I think marriage fixes anything."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm asking because I love the life we're already building."
He took her hands.
"I love Leo."
"I love you."
"And I want more ordinary Tuesdays with both of you."
She laughed through tears.
"Ordinary Tuesdays?"
"Thousands of them."
She looked at the closed box.
Then she looked at the man in front of her.
The first ring had been a promise she desperately wanted to believe.
This one felt different.
It was not promising that nothing would ever go wrong.
It represented two people who already knew life could go wrong and still chose honesty.
"Open it again."
Ethan froze.
"What?"
"The box."
He slowly opened it.
She smiled.
"Ask me."
He dropped to one knee.
"You and Leo are my home."
His voice trembled.
"Will you marry me?"
She cried before answering.
"Yes."
Ethan stood and wrapped his arms around her.
A sleepy voice came from the balcony door.
"Mom?"
They turned.
Leo stood there holding his dinosaur.
He looked at Ethan.
Then at the ring.
"Why are you crying?"
She laughed.
"Because I'm happy."
Leo thought about that.
"Can happy people have ice cream?"
Ethan burst out laughing.
Ten minutes later, the three of them were sitting at the kitchen counter eating ice cream.
The engagement ring glittered beneath the light.
No photographers.
No champagne.
No mansion.
May you like
Just family.
And she would not have traded it for anything.
