Page 161 of On Merit Alone
“For what?” I asked.
“For you, Mer.”
My mouth went dry, words sticking there like pieces in glue. I didn't know how to follow that up. I didn't know what to say to anyof it. I hardly knew how to process the fact that he was basically saying that I was it for him.
What did I do now?
“You look confused, baby.”
I blinked at him. “I am.”
“Well, I’m not. And that’s all you need to remember. For the rest of tonight and the rest of time. I'm not confused about this. Us,” he said. He extended his hand. “Come over here. It’s almost time for us to go.”
Doing what he asked, I dropped down into the space he made for me in his chair, settling in as his arm dropped around my waist and his hand landed on my thigh. With his other hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red box.
“Here,” he said, handing it to me.
Taking it, I ran my hand over the soft velvet of the box as I said, “What’s all this?”
“Nothing fancy. Open it,” he said, pulling me in closer to his side.
“I don’t think anything that’s not fancy comes in a box like this, Ira,” I breathed. My eyes searched his, but he just smiled softly, patting my knee and nodding toward the box again.
“Go on. Open it.”
Excited and a little overwhelmed that he got me something else, I did. And I lost my breath.
Flipping the top to the little case, I looked down to see gold. A necklace with a simple thin chain and a small pendant that looked like script in calligraphic cursive. The number“999”jumped out at me. My eyes were watering almost immediately.
“Ira…”
I didn't look at him, only because my eyes seemed to be stuck on the piece of jewelry—glued there. He was quiet and, for the life of me, I couldn't understand why. How could he be silent after giving me this?
“Ira?” I said again. This time I got a soft hum in response. I blinked up to find his face serious as he watched me. “Why did you get this for me?”
His expression softened and he reached forward to grab one of my now shaking hands as he spoke. “I noticed you didn't wear any jewelry and I wanted to change that.”
“But this…” I shook my head, not even knowing how to finish that sentence.
“You put a lot of thought into your number. I figured you might appreciate what this one means,” he said cautiously. Like he was afraid to say it. “Even if it’s bittersweet.”
I swallowed, looking down at the number. “What does it mean?”
I knew the answer, but there was something special about knowing he knew it too.
“Completion,” he said steadily.
My heart twisted like it always did when I thought of that. When I thought of them. Of how, of course, my family’s prized numbers prophesied that it would one day end with them.
Taking the box gently from my hand, he set it down on the small table in front of us and took my other one. Ducking, he caught my eyes and offered a sort of tortured smile. “There’s another meaning, though.”
“Mhmm.” I nodded. Those tears welled at the brim of my eyes as I tried to keep them at bay. Because I also knew the other meaning, although I always seemed to ignore it. Of course Ira wouldn’t.
“Completion and new beginnings,” he said. “I’m sorry for the hand that dealt you the first half. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you how much it breaks my heart to see you struggling through your life with this traumatic weight on your shoulders. I’ve never seen someone more undeserving of the hand they’ve been dealt. You were built for a family, and I’m sorry the circumstances of life took yours away from you.”
A tear slipped down the side of my eye, and he caught it.Righting my gaze back to his, I tried to duck away. “I want you to know that I would very much like to be a part of rebuilding it with you. Whenever you’re ready.”
I bubbled a watery laugh. “You sound like you’re proposing, King.”
