Page 35 of Safer Together
Her responding smile is lovely. “Of course not, Angela, I’ll wait here.”
I turn around to see if I can spot Elliot. He is standing over near some other glass cabinets with a grey-haired sales lady. She looks up and sees me coming and she apparently says something to Elliot, as he turns around and walks towards me.
Once I can reach him, “You find something for Beth?” He asks. He also blocks my view of what he has been looking at.
“Yes, I have it narrowed down to three options, all of which I would love to wear. Can you please come look and see which you think she would prefer?” I turn around and walk back to where Rose is still waiting for me.
Elliot looks at the three items. “Beth is a white gold girl. Let’s get the earrings and the charm bracelet.”
Rose, clearly happy with these choices, beams up at him. “Perfect. I’ll gift wrap those for you. If you will please follow me to the register Elliot and we can fix this up” We follow Rose to the register, where the total is declared $18,350. I can’t help but roll my eyes. I then feel a tap on the shoulder, I turn around to see the same sales lady who was with Elliot earlier.
“Hello Angela. I am Beverly. Your boyfriend asked me to speak to you. Come this way. I want to show you something.” She turns to the side and makes her way to a different counter to the one she was situated at earlier. We are in front of the infinity collection, bracelets, earrings and necklaces, in gold, white gold and rose gold too.
“Elliot wants to purchase you something from this collection. He wants you, however, to choose.” she unlocks the cabinet door and waves her hand behind the assortment of jewelry.
“Oh, I can’t possibly.” I turn back to see that Elliot is still at the register.
“Of course, you can, Angela. Here let’s look at rings first.” She pulls out a tray with four different styles, some with diamonds, she also pulls out her ring sizer and offers it to me. “Try this on the finger you would wear the ring.” I hold out my right hand. “If this is a promise ring, dear, then I dare say he would want you to wear it on your left hand.” The tone Beverly uses is friendly enough.
I pull back my right hand and replace it with my left. I feel giddy, was he really getting me measured for an engagement ring? I dismiss the thought immediately. Of course, not. We haven’t been together long enough for him to take that gigantic leap. Or maybe it was one of those ‘when you know, you just know’ scenarios. If he asks, I don’t think I could possibly form a reason to say no, just maybe suggest a long engagement.
Beverly measures both my ring finger and my middle finger and writes both of those measurements down. Rose then approaches us at this time “I’ve wrapped both of the items for you Angela. Elliot has them.” And then she turns and walks away. For the next fifteen minutes or so I look at several items that I like but none of which I love. I thank Beverly for her help, though.
“You don’t like any?” I turn and almost run into Elliot, who is standing right behind me.
“It’s not that I don’t like any, they are all beautiful. It’s just that they are too much.” I lean up and kiss him on the cheek. “Let’s go get the rest of our shopping done.” he smiles down at me then leans forward to kiss me on the lips. When he pulls away, we walk out of the shop together. We dart around to a few other shops while we are in the area, and complete most of our shopping. We end up in Saks where we separate, and I find a lovely Ralph Lauren Polo sweater in a deep green for Elliot. I am surprised when it is on sale for $125.00. I ask the lady behind the counter to wrap it for me to which she agrees. I don’t want him peeking on the way home.
When I meet up with Elliot a little later on, he has added two more bags to his collection. “I think it’s time to go, my arms are going to fall off.” He laughs as he says it.
“Okay packhorse, let’s go home.” We wander off in the direction of the car. When we meet the valet at the hotel, he quickly collects our car. We deposit our bags into the back seat of the car and hop in the front. We pull out into the traffic which is much heavier than when we arrived this morning and we start our journey back to Elliot’s.
The car ride is pleasant. About fifteen minutes from home, snow starts to fall lightly. “How beautiful,” I state.
“It is, isn’t it?” Elliot responds.
I watch the snowfall for the remainder of the trip home. We pull up to the front door of the main house. Elliot collects the parcels from the back of the car and comes over to meet me under the porch.
The car keys are clenched between his teeth. I grab them from him and unlock the front door allowing us entry. Once inside, we walk into the family room where the gift bags are deposited onto the sofa. Elliot immediately sets to work starting the fire. I grab my Saks bag with Elliot’s present. “I’m just ducking over to the guest house to write in my last Christmas card. I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay. Try not to be long.”
I exit the house via the French door and jog across to where I am staying. I unlock the duck egg blue front door and am pleasantly surprised by how warm it is inside. The heating must be on. I quickly set to work locating a pen before sitting down at the dining table and digging out the Christmas card I had purchased when Elliot and I had separated to complete our shopping.
I know what I want to say in the card, so I make short work of it.
Dearest Elliot,
May this Christmas be the first of many more to come.
I know our future is as bright as a shooting star. I’m excited to see what is to come.
With love,
Angela xxx
I seal the envelope and place it under the ribbon on the parcel. I then go to the bedroom and open my clothes bag. I quickly find the other item that I had for him: a framed photograph of us. The photo was taken at my Christmas party; when Elliot was sleeping that night, I got up and printed it at home. It is on normal white paper, but the quality is still good. I will replace it in the future with a proper photograph, but for now, it is perfect.
The frame I had purchased from a local shop in Nashville and then taken to the locksmiths on Main Street to have it customized by engraving our names into it. Something of me that would always be with him. I add this wrapped parcel to the sweater and leave them on the table.
I quickly duck into the bathroom and refresh myself and then make my way back toward the main house. As I approach the French doors I notice Elliot pacing. I move faster, and as soon as I open the doors, I speak. “Are you okay sweetheart? Is there something wrong?”
I cross over to where he stands and offer him my hands, which he takes right away. He pulls me close and hugs me. He holds me for some time not saying anything; finally releasing me, he begins. “I’m okay, baby. I guess I’m just nervous.” He shrugs as he speaks.
Wanting him to feel better I reply, “I’m nervous too. I’m meeting your sister tomorrow for the first time, and I’m seeing your parents again. I hope they all like me.”
“My sister will feel the same way about you as my parents do. They are going to treat you as part of the family.” He pauses and takes a breath. “They will love you Angie, just like I do.” My heart feels like it stops for a moment. Had I heard that right? Did he just say he loves me, again?
Oh my god, not knowing what to say I lean into his chest and pull him closer in a hug. Do I say it back? I told him a couple of days ago that I loved him, and he had said the same thing, however I wasn’t sure if that was a one off, due to the heightened emotions we were experiencing. And yet, he just told me again, just the two of us and the emotions today aren’t heightened at all.
I stay quiet; is he expecting me to say it back?
