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“I think that would break my heart just as much. I don’t want to put us in a position where we would have to say no to helping babies who need us. I think about what might’ve happened if we hadn’t been able to take the B babies and I don’t think I could live with myself if I had to turn away other ones because I couldn’t let go.”
Prince was still in my arms and all I could imagine was him leaving me. And the other babies would be old enough for their own homes not long after. I clutched Prince to my chest and stroked the other babies.
Our smaller babies were passed out in a pile. They perked up at my attention, little tails wagging. If I was this bad just thinking about it, I could only imagine how much of a mess I was going to be when one of them actually left.
“Can they sleep in the bed with us tonight?”
“I’ll get a safety bed set up for them.”
I lay there with everyone on my lap while Sidney did just that, crying quietly when he returned and helped me transport our four babies into a couple of laundry baskets in the middle of the bed with blankets on the bottom. I snuggled it and stared at them through the slats, letting them chew on my fingers.
“Can I get you anything?” Sidney asked.
“No. I just need to love them for a bit.”
I left Allie covered in puppies while I disappeared for a quick secret mission with Meg and Luna. The jeweler was pretty equidistant between the three of us so we met there. Meg had been excited after our discussion, and while I knew Luna was probably still a bit skeptical, she had still agreed to come and I counted that as a win.
We all immediately gravitated to the gold options, ignoring the platinum completely.
One of the staff approached us. "Hello and welcome. What can I help you find today?”
“An engagement ring.”
“Two?” he asked. “For these lovely ladies with you?”
Luna snorted. “We’re just the second and third opinions, not the recipients.”
The staffer nodded in understanding. "Are there any particular styles you're looking for? Do you know their ring size?”
“Size six for her ring finger.”
“How do you know that?” Luna asked.
“I asked her mom for all her jewelry sizes.”
“What can you tell me about the woman you're proposing to? That might help us narrow down some styles.”
“I need something as sweet and beautiful as her. Bold, bright, definitely with some color.”
“Most brides actually want a diamond, even if they’ve said otherwise. She’ll be disappointed if you get something else.”
“Absolutely not. She has enough sparkle on her own; she doesn’t need a diamond just because it’s tradition.”
“Sidney’s right,” Luna piped up. “Allie would love something more unique.”
“I agree,” added Meg. “If we did go with a diamond, it would have to be something with more pizzazz.”
The staffer tapped his chin. “Hmm, what about something with a mix? Do you know what color she’d prefer?”
“Red is her favorite,” I told him.
He looked through a few of the trays. “We have a few red stones on hand. Red diamond, ruby, red beryl, which is also known as red emerald. Is there a specific accompanying color you’d like? Clear stones tend to make the central gem shine, but we can cater to the bride’s preferences.”
“What do you think?” I asked Meg and Luna. “Gold and red already look great together. Would it be too much to add a third color?”
“What about playing with shape instead of color?” Meg offered.
That lit up something in the staffer’s eyes. He pulled out one tray and slid a ring onto a display piece for us to look at. “How about this one?”
