Page 128 of Love Undecided

“Still no!” I say.

“Stick it in ice water,” Remi says handing me a glass.

I put my finger in the ice water and it begins to feel better, and smaller, immediately. Once I can slide the ring back off again, I realize it’s not going back on. And my eyes start to fill with tears for a whole different reason.

“Baby?” Brad asks.

“I can’t wear my ring,” I say, starting to sob.

“We’ll get it sized,” he says.

“I don’t want it to be bigger,” I say.

I can feel snot dripping out of my nose. Remi hands me a napkin. I blow my nose and wipe my cheeks, realizing I’ve ruined my makeup.

“Remi,” I plead, holding up my black streaked napkin.

She and Lexie get up and drag me into the bathroom to repair my makeup. I can hear that the Chief is back up at the podium, making comments about the beautiful demonstration of love.

“Ha!” I say. “It might have been beautiful if my fat fucking fingers weren’t so fucking fat.”

“Sweetie,” Lexie says. “It happens all the time. Like when I get my period, it’s no big deal.”

“Let’s get you fixed up,” Remi says.

They repair my makeup and we head back to the table. I can see the boys bent over doing something. They straighten when we return. Brad has a shy smile on his face.

“I think I have a fix,” he says.

I look at him. He reaches up and puts something around my head. I look down and see that he’s tied some kind of black string together to make a necklace. The ring hanging as a pendant from the middle.

“How... ” I start to say.

Ethan holds up Brads dress shoes, now void of laces. I look under the table and see that Brad is in his socks.

The things this guy will do for me.

I grab his face and kiss him like I’ve never kissed him before. Trying to put all my love and gratitude into that one kiss so he can know just how much I need and love him.

He pulls back after a moment, his hands now framing my face, and says, “I know baby. Me too.”

That’s my guy for you.

He totally gets me.

And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.

No matter how long that may be.