Page 130 of Sterling Fight

“Not yet.” I glance back at Genie. “But we can pick one out together. One that’s special just for us.” Because I didn’t need my mother’s ring to make a grand gesture for Genie to be mine.

I’ve learned that I’m enough for her, and she’s all I’ve ever wanted.

Reaching into my shirt, I pull forward the silver chain with the platinum ring that once belonged to my dad. “And maybe it’s time to give this one away.”

I’m not certain anyone in the family wants the ring. The one tarnished by bad memories.

Stone steps forward, though, and holds out his palm. “I’ll take it, for safe keeping.”

Beside me Genie blows out a breath, knowing what the second ring meant to me. But I suddenly feel lighter. The weight of the ring was more of an anchor than a buoy and the memories were holding me down.

“I’m so relieved,” Genie whispers.

“Why?” I whisper.

“Because I got you this.” She reaches into her pocket again. “I thought we could make new memories, with you wearing this instead.”

Genie holds up a silver ring with a strip of amethyst purple in the middle. “It’s called meteorite. It felt fitting as we reunited on National Star Wars Day. But also, meteors are strong, vibrant and bright, like a shooting star. And people make wishes on shooting stars, so . . .” She smiles at me. “I wish on you.”

I blink a few times, overwhelmed by what she’s said. “It’s beautiful, firefly.” I’ll wear it with pride, as this woman who didn’t want to get married is going to be my wife. Apparently, the Force was stronger than she might have thought on that day.

I lean forward and kiss her, wanting to do more but knowing I’ll have to save it for later. When I take my fiancée back to our house.

“Hey, Genie, do you know what today is?” I ask, pulling back but keeping my arms around her.

She tilts her head. “Really? That’s what you want to ask me now.” She chuckles. “I think it’s National⁠—”

“It’s Get Engaged Day,” I tell her, leaning in for another kiss and Genie giggles against my lips.

The sound as bright as she is in my life. As vivid as she’s always been.

EPILOGUE

TWO MONTHS LATER

[Judd]

I’d been thinking about getting a new tattoo. One that matches my mother’s ring before it becomes another lost memory when the strangest thing happened.

In the 1990 film Ghost, the main character has lost her beloved and he haunts her. Not as creepy as it sounds, and Genie and I have recently watched the movie. In the film, Sam proves he’s present but sliding a penny against a door and then miraculously handing it to Molly as she watches it float through the air to her.

“Tell her it’s for luck,” he says.

The movie led to a discussion between Genie and I about ghosts, and believing in spirits. Not necessarily the bad kind but the healthy, watchful kind like a guardian angel.

I’ve heard stories of people who have an item that reminds them of a lost family member and how it mysteriously appears or moves about a house.

Quarters seem to be the story I’ve heard most often. A son who lost his life had a private joke with his family involving quarters, and the family would find quarters in odd places, like the middle of a bookshelf or on a bathroom sink, as if their forever-gone-child was sending a message, reassuring the parents he was okay.

Backing up, my attachment to my mother’s ring started with a nearly forgotten memory of my father toying with the ring on his smallest finger. Just twirling it around the tip of his finger because his digits were too thick to wear something so delicate.

“Don’t ever fall in love, runt. In an instant, your heart can shatter.” The moment might be the only endearing one I remember about my father and his love for my mother. His backward advice evidence of how broken he was.

I remember him then fisting the ring in his hand and tucking it back in the nightstand drawer. Being a creature of habit, he didn’t move the ring around which made it easy for me to find, and admire, and eventually steal from him when he threatened to throw it in the trash.

So, the ring became this talisman of my mother and when it was lost, while I finally accepted maybe I wasn’t meant to keep it, the loss was still difficult.

Then . . . the ring was suddenly sitting on the island counter.