Surprise Bells [SAMPLE]

Ch. 1: Wedding Shower

This is a fine evening.

Our backyard has turned into a magical land. Balad music floats in the air, accompanied by the clinking of the cutlery and joyful laughter. Vibrant light balls adorn our temporary patio shade like dangling stars, as their reflections sparkle in the pool. While round dining tables wrapped in white satin occupy the decking, two long tables are set near our garden for our guests who prefer to flock around the unlimited stock of meals.

Everyone is having a good time, including Chloe and her cousins who are sitting at the corner of the pool coping, engrossed in a conversation about teenage girls' first-world problem: the boys.

With a nearly empty champagne glass in my hand, I saunter along the shore of our swimming pool. The hem of my silk dress dances around my ankle as I walk from one group of guests to another. I want to show my appreciation to them for coming to our wedding shower. Ashton will soon catch up with me after he can escape a serious conversation with Harvey Remington.

"Charlotte dear, I don't understand," Debbie Remington says when I stop by her table. "How did Ashton actually propose? I know the story from Harvey, but why did I hear someone say he proposed to you on the beach? But your fiancé never said a word to confirm it!"

I chuckle at Mr. Remington's wife's question. After Ashton's spontaneous proposal, he proposed again a week later with an actual diamond ring hidden inside an overpriced mousse. The news went out the next day, and that is how most people learned about the proposal. "Well, what you heard is also correct," I reply with a wide smile on my face.

Debbie places her hand under her chin. "I'm confused. So, did he propose twice?"

"Oh, my God, that is so romantic," cries Bella Thompson, who sits beside Debbie. Despite their twenty-year age difference, the two women are inseparable. Rumors have it that Bella will do anything to please Debbie to secure her husband's position at Remington & Knight Corp. "I wish Immanuel had proposed to me every day until our wedding day arrived."

Another woman at the table gasps. "With a diamond ring at each proposal!"

Debbie shakes her head, her golden earrings blinking under the light ball. "Nah. That would be a waste of money. One or two diamond rings would suffice," she says, extending her hand to me. "Show us the rings, my dear."

I take her hand and position the ring to make it visible to everyone at the table. It's a three-stone diamond ring with a yellow cushion. The number three represents the three of us building a family. It's the fanciest ring I've had in my life, given I'm not a jewelry person, but this damn expensive ring had better stick with me forever.

"My, oh my..." Bella mumbles. "I never thought the day Ashton spent this much money on a woman would ever arrive."

"Right?" Debbie adds, chuckling. "Where is the other one?"

"The other one?"

"He proposed twice, didn't he?"

"Oh." My mind jumps to the keyring I keep in my jewelry box. The original proposal ring stands out among the rest because it doesn't resemble any form of accessories. "The first one was more of a spontaneous proposal. He wasn't prepared for an actual ring. But he made it up a week later with this."

"How romantic." Bella beams.

"It was." I clap my hands together. "Now, I will let you all enjoy the evening."

I squeeze Debbie's shoulder gently before strolling to the next group, where Andy and Sandy stand with a cocktail glass in each hand. They smile when they see me approaching.