My Ex-Bestfriend

The Ring

With each passing mile on the highway I grow increasingly more angry.

Angry at Michael.

Angry at Mrs. James

But mostly angry at myself.

How did I let myself fall for this again? I stupidly expected Michael to learn to communicate over these past few years. I get that it wasn't ideal to find the lawyer's paperwork but if he would have just let me explain, but how could I when I will forever be second fiddle to his mother.

It seems like no time at all that I find myself back to our condo we left just a day before. Walt is fast asleep after crashing from his pie sugar high on the drive home. I keep the car running as I let Walt continue his nap while I run bags and the half eaten pie inside. I am going to have to wake Walt as there is no way I am strong enough to carry him inside to the house to let him continue his nap. I am dreading waking him just to contend with a salty attitude for the rest of the day from his interrupted nap.

I lean into the driver's side to turn off the engine when I see a familiar black SUV whipping around heading straight towards my driveway. I shut the door again without waking Walt. The vehicle parks in front of me as a furious Michael gets out slamming the door behind him. How in the world did he get here so quickly?

"What the hell Allie! Couldn't wait 5 minutes for me?!" He hollers at me as he takes long strides to meet me where I am standing.

I scoff and eye roll as I cross my arms. " So you could say goodbye to your precious Mommy, no thanks."

" You took off with our son driving like a bat out of hell! I was scared to death that you would be in an accident."

I bristle at the comment. He knows how I am a superb driver due to my mother's death. " So scared you ran inside to the comfort of your mother's arms?!" I turn to head towards the door when he grabs my elbow, spinning me around to face him.

"Really?! Come on  you know it wasn't like that."

"What else was it? I gave you 3 opportunities to come with me. To choose me and you chose wrong." 

He closes the distance trying to reach for me. "Allie stop! That's not the whole truth." 

I roll my eyes, deflecting his hands from making contact. "I don't need to investigate this story I was right there.  You kept looking back at your mom all sad and pained. I wanted to throw up. Then you left me and went to her."

"I did not go to her." I can see I am hitting a nerve as Michael's face is red hot.

"I WAS THERE! You turned around and went straight for her." 

"Woman are you crazy?! Give me a minute to explain. I went inside for this!" He momentarily digs in his pocket before he pulls out a glistening pear shaped diamond ring that is encircled by an intricate white gold band weaved around a diamond. It is simple, elegant but sturdy.

I am briefly frozen in awe of the ring and quite possibly why Michael felt the need to go in and retrieve it emergently.

Since I am stunned into silence Michael continues on. " This was my grandmother's ring.  She told me to give it to the woman I would marry and there is no question in my mind that that person has always been you!"

Really looking at the ring now I do remember it. His grandmother attended his birthday parties religiously. Unlike the gremlin she spawned she was incredibly sweet.  She would go out of her way to be nice to me including having my favorite candy lined in her pocket at every visit or one time at Christmas she made matching sweatshirts for Michael and I. I was thrilled, Michael not so much. She was a real treasure especially when I had such limited female role models in my life.