How Do I Love Thee?

The Beginning of the End: Part 1

Carolina got me into one of her little black dresses. She had put so much effort into planning a party that she was sure I would love that I knew she would beat me before she let me go out there in jeans. I was finally twenty and today all attention would be on me. I sighed as I looked at myself one last time in the mirror. I was wearing a short, strapless black dress that might as well be a second skin. I had on a pair of black pumps, my hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and I was wearing onyx teardrop earrings.

"You look beautiful." I jumped a little at my dads voice I hadn't heard him come in.

I smiled at him. "You're wearing a suit." He looked uncomfortable as he tried to do his tie. "How do you survive without me?" I shook my head and tied it for him.

"Good thing I don't have many things to dress up for." I noticed he had something in his hand. I looked at him confused. "It's just a little something." He opened his hand and showed me a heart shaped locket.

"Oh, dad. It's beautiful." I held it in my hand and turned it over this way and that.

"Open it." He said. I did and inside were two tiny pictures. On the left was a brunette woman, probably in her thirties, and on the right a man that had gray at his temples.

"Who is this?" I asked as I examined the photos.

"Those are your parents." I gasped and looked at him. "I got the photos from one of the Elders. He said that locket was your mothers and it used to have a picture of you in place of her. You look just like her."

I saw tears in his eyes and I couldn't help but let mine spill over. "Dad. It's perfect. Thank you so much. I love you." I hugged him tighter when he wrapped his arms around me.

We jumped apart and wiped our faces when we heard someone clear their throat in my doorway. It was Ian also wearing a suit. I knew they were going to blow this whole thing out of proportion.

"I don't mean to interrupt," he began when my dad glared at him, "but Carolina needs you for some last minute adjustments."

My dad nodded and left. "Can you help me?" I said as I handed him the locket. He fastened it quickly around my neck and kissed me where his fingers touched.

"You're stunning." He said in my ear. I turned to look at him.

"Is everyone wearing a suit?" I said with a little chagrin in my voice.

"It's a special occasion." He said with a smile. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a smaller wrapped box.

"No. You promised you wouldn't buy anything." I took a step back.

"And I didn't. It's a family heirloom." He pushed the box towards me.

"Even more reason for me not to take it."

"Please Alex. I want you to have it." He brushed a piece of hair behind my ear and put the box in my hand.

I sighed. "Fine." I unwrapped it slowly and watched his eyes gleam. I opened the box and inside was a beautiful ring. It had a thin silver band with a huge topaz stone surrounded by small diamonds in the middle. I lost my breath and stared at it.

"Alex? You can breath Alex. I'm not asking you to marry me." I let out the breath I was holding and ran a finger over the stone. "It was my mothers. It was the only thing of hers I kept when she died. My father bought it for her after I was born."

"Oh Ian." I felt more tears spring to my eyes. "I can't take this from you. It's your mothers."

"She'd want you to have it. She would've liked you." The sadness in his voice made me take the ring out and put it on. I held my hand up to the light and looked at it shine.