Chapter 22 - The Ring Without a DiamondSpring returned.
Nathaniel and Clare had been together again for almost a year.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Sometimes beautifully.
Sometimes painfully.
One afternoon they walked along the beach.
Nathaniel stopped.
Clare immediately became suspicious.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You have your guilty face.”
“I don't have a guilty face.”
“You absolutely do.”
Nathaniel reached into his pocket.
Clare froze.
“Nate.”
“It isn't what you think.”
He opened his hand.
A simple silver ring.
No diamond.
No platinum.
Inside were engraved two words:
TODAY, AGAIN.
Clare stared.
Nathaniel did not kneel.
“I’m not asking you to marry me.”
Her eyes lifted.
“I’m asking whether I can keep choosing you.”
Tears gathered.
“And tomorrow?”
“I'll ask again.”
She laughed through tears.
“You've become annoyingly wise.”
“I had an excellent teacher.”
Clare slipped the ring onto her finger.
Nathaniel kissed her.
The ocean moved behind them.
No photographers.
No guests.
May you like
No empire.
Just two people standing barefoot in wet sand.
