Page 116 of Diamonds in the Mud

My fingers shook as I pulled the ring out of the case and slid it smoothly on her finger.

“It fits,” I said softly with relief.

“It was meant for me,” she said with a chuckle. She hugged me again just as the ride started to move.

“I had some help.” I motioned towards Aria, who still had her phone camera pointed at us.

“Yeah, I figured,” she said just before we kissed again.

By the time we climbed off the ride, there were a handful of people waiting for us at the bottom, including Rayne’s parents, which made me realize I hadn’t told my parents of my plans. We were engulfed in hugs and well wishes for a while and chatted with everyone.

I’d talked to my parents on my birthday and even had a video chat with each of them to introduce Rayne. Still, I’d been so focused and nervous about asking her that I’d forgotten to tell my own family my plans.

When the crowd around us died down, I pulled her into a quiet place and kissed her.

“I should call my folks,” I said.

She smiled and nodded. “Do that while I run to the bathroom.” She motioned towards the porta-potties near the fenced area that blocked the parking lot from the event.

I watched her walk away and pulled out my phone. I knew that my mother would be horrified if I called my father first, so I punched in her number.

After about ten minutes, I hung up the phone with my dad. Both of my parents’ excited voices were still echoing in my ears. I couldn’t contain the grin that spread across my face. It felt surreal, almost dreamlike, to have that conversation with them, to share the news that Rayne and I were engaged. It was a moment I had been waiting for, one that filled me with a sense of joy and anticipation for the future.

But as I looked around the bustling fairground, my smile faltered. Rayne hadn’t come back yet and since there weren’t any lines at the toilets, I doubted she had gotten caught up waiting.

I walked over there and glanced around, but she was nowhere to be seen.

I spotted Aria and Tobias at the fish ring game a few feet away and walked over to ask if they’d seen her.

“No,” Aria said with a frown. “She may have gone to check up on her mother at the cakewalk booth.”

We quickly rushed over to the cakewalk booth. When Randy spotted us, he made his way over.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Rayne went to the bathroom and now I can’t find her,” I said, realizing how stupid I sounded. I was unable to hide the worry that laced my voice.

Randy glanced around and then nodded. “I’ll ask my men. Someone is bound to have seen her.” He pulled out his phone.

After talking to Owen for a bit, he asked the man to contact everyone else currently on shift over the radio and keep him posted if they spotted her.

“Let’s set out and scan the fairgrounds for her,” he suggested. “Show me where you saw her last.” He turned to Edith. “Stay put. She may come back here when she can’t find Jameson,” he said calmly.

Panic began to set in when I heard the calmness of his tone towards his wife. I knew it was just an act to keep her from worrying, which oddly made me worry more. A tight knot formed in the pit of my stomach and, half an hour later, when no one had spotted her yet, that feeling doubled. I scanned the crowd, my eyes darting from one face to another, searching for her familiar features amidst the sea of people.

By this time Randy had convinced everyone he knew to look for her. Almost a hundred people were calling her name, searching every ride, every booth, every stall and parked car for her. Yes, Rayne’s diamonds had heeded the call.

“Rayne?” I called out, my voice lost amidst the laughter and chatter of the other fairgoers.

With each passing minute, my worry grew, gnawing at the edges of my mind like a relentless predator. I weaved my way through the throngs of people, most of which were calling her name, scanning every inch of the grounds, my heart pounding in my chest, my footsteps quickening with each frantic step.

I called out to anyone who would listen and asked them if they’d seen Rayne, holding up the photo that I’d taken on my phone shortly after we’d gotten engaged to anyone who didn’t know her. I described what she was wearing, told those that knew her to keep an eye out for her. But no one had seen her. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

I checked the bathrooms for the third time, the food stalls, even the Ferris wheel where we had just shared such a special moment. But there was no sign of her anywhere.

My mind raced with all the worst-case scenarios, each one more terrifying than the last. Where could she be? Was she hurt, lost, or worse?

As I continued to search, my thoughts were consumed by her absence. Every shadow seemed to hold a whisper of her presence, every passing stranger a potential clue to her whereabouts.