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Anna jumps on her lap, beaming as bright as a spotlight. Jealous of the attention, I complain, “What about me? I don’t get a hug?”
Now Anna leaps from Joyce’s lap to mine, wrapping her arms around my neck and swaying me from side to side. I gently nudge her away from me for a second and say, still with a smile on my lips, “Would you like to come with us to pick out the ring?”
“Yes, let’s go!” she exclaims, immediately running upstairs to change.
Anna returns with her chosen outfit, mismatched but adorable. She darts ahead and waits by the front door, unable to hide her excitement and energy.
We head to the car and the GPS guides us to a fancy jewelry store in Manhattan. When we reach the sales floor, Joyce and Anna instantly start to browse.
“Welcome. How can I help you?” a sales representative says while approaching us, his expression polite.
Joyce, Anna, and the salesman all look at me and I feel self-conscious all of a sudden.
“Ugh… Haven’t bought one of those in ten years, but… We need an engagement ring.”
“Oh, sure!” He beams. Engagement rings have got to be the most expensive items in the store, so I’m guessing he’ll get an enormous commission. “What’s your budget?”
He starts to walk us toward one of the many counters, where a line of gigantic rocks await our inspection.
“I won’t put a limit on my love,” I say with an arm around Joyce’s waist.
Joyce looks at me with a look that says not to spend too much, because she’s humble, and I adore her for it.
“Um.” She points a finger at the rings, almost unbelievably. “I want to see… This one?”
“Superb choice, miss,” the salesman says, pulling from under the counter a row of rings and picking up a very modest yet beautiful solitary rock.
Her hands shake when the salesman gives her the ring, and very afraid to drop and break it, she carefully puts it on her finger and admires it.
“Let me see! Let me see!” Anna insists, impatiently jumping next to Joyce to try and be tall enough to see.
Joyce bends down and shows her the ring, and my little girl opens her mouth in awe, nodding her head emphatically and saying, “It’s this one, Joyce!”
“No, you need to look more,” I say, holding her hand to look at the ring as well.
“You don’t like this one?” Joyce asks, more curious than hurt.
“Are you kidding? It’s beautiful!” I interject in defense of the ring. “I just want you to be sure of what you want.”
She nods, understanding. The salesman sets aside a little tray lined with black velvet, so she can set the rings she likes there and look at her options in one place.
She skips the colored diamonds, even though I suggest one with a pale blue glow. She prefers the smallest diamonds, not because of the price, but because she doesn’t want unwanted attention.
In the end, Joyce ends up picking the very first one she chose, and after sizing, it gets wrapped up then it’s time to pay.
“Wait outside with Anna.” I hold Joyce’s hand and kiss her temple. “I’ll be right there.”
“You don’t want me to know the price of the ring, do you?” She puts her hands on her hips, indignant yet amused.
“Nope,” I say, waving a finger in front of her face. “It’s a gift!”
“Yeah… the most expensive gift anyone has ever given me!” Joyce says, looking and sounding terrified.
“Well,” I say, stopping to kiss her. “Get used to it.”
I meet them outside the store with the ring in my hands. I don't need the bag because I’m putting it to use right now.
Anna and Joyce look at me, all weirded out when I step in front of Joyce, drop down to one knee, and open the box.
