Waves Of The Heart (Completed)

29. Park

"Here we are." Erik parks the car and we all get out, as the boys help Simon out of his carseat.

Hope fills me but also a small bit of doubt, as I have yet to come across a ring that seems to fit Rachel. It has been a continuous search since we have shared the three major words and still nothing.

"Hello. If you have any questions please let me know." A older man smiles and waves his hands to the display cases.

Erik and I walk one direction but it does not slip my notice Samuel and Jade walking by the other displays opposite of us. Simon holds my hand as he toddles next to me. Slow steps and stopping every so often to look over all the options in the cases, I hold back my sigh wanting to slip. My bottom lip is nawed on by my teeth as I shift over to the other displays that Jade and Samuel looked at first.

"Is there anything particular you are looking for?" The older man steps up to Erik and I.

"I am looking because all I can think of is something small not flashy for my girlfriend."

He nods. "Is color a concern?"

"Not that I know of." I look to Jade and he shakes his head.

"Aunt Rachel isn't picky with colors. Never ask her to pick paint for a room, she can't." Jade laughs quietly before looking back to the display case as his eyes mist over some.

A frown mirrors my face as I watch the young lad. Samuel steps over and gets to talking, bringing a smile back to Jade's face in no time.

"A little further down is the smaller rings." The older man points and I step over.

They are much smaller than the rocks that I had seen so far within the shop. I pick Simon up to keep him from touching the glass and continue looking at the rings.

"Could I see that one?" I point and the older man opens the back door to pull it out in it's own box.

"A mighty fine choice there, sir." The guy nods. "It is a white gold band with a opal stone in the middle joined with a pink diamond on either side of the middle stone."

"I would like to get this one." I smile and hand the box to the guy before following him to the register.

"That is a very nice choice." Jade nods as we get back in the car.

"Everyone ready for lunch?"

"Yes" Is chorused through the SUV and Erik gets back into the thick of traffic.

Within a short time, we are seated inside the palor and watching the workers roll out the dough and perform tricks with it as ours is already made and within the brick oven. Having settled for personal pan portions with us all wanting different options they had on the menu.

"When are you going to propose?" Jade looks over.

"How are you going to propose?" Erik smirks, adding into the questions.

"Are you going to wear your tux?" Samuel snickers.

I shake my head with a chuckle. "No to the tux. I think I know how I'd like to propose."

Our pizza comes out and the boys go quiet as the worker cuts their pizzas. Erik slides Simon his pizza closer and I smile seeing Simon wave a hand over the top of the pizza with Erik, before he gets impatient and picks up a slice eating on it.

Jade munches on his and I think back to in the jewelry shop. "Hey Jade."

He hums and looks to me.

"Are you okay? I noticed you got a little misty eyed."

Jade nods slowly and places his pizza slice down. "Was thinking of my mom. Aunt Rachel was tasked with painting moms room because mom didn't want white walls in her bedroom after being out of the hospital from the first round of surgeries and treatments. Aunt Rachel had the wall littered with samples of paint not beign able to choose, saying there is good and bad things with each color. Mom actually picked from the samples painted on the wall or else Aunt Rachel would have had moms room so multicolored." He laughs lightly and I join him.

"Sounds like it would have been funny to see."

Jade nods then frowns. "Mom barely got to stay in the room though being in the hospital more than the doctors had thought."

I rub his back. "I can't imagine what you may have gone through but I know that you are strong for a young man. She would be mighty proud of you now."

"You think so?" Jade whispers.

"Heck yeah Bud." I chuckle. "I am sure she wanted you to do good in school and you have been exceling with high grades. You smile daily. You are growing up to be a awesome gentleman too with everything you do."

Jade laughs lightly and nods. He looks down and rubs his eyes lightly then takes a deep breath.

The only thing I hope is that I said the right thing. There is only a few times I have heard Rachel speak about her sister and that Jade has mentioned her.

"The proposal?" Erik winks when I look up and gives that knowing smile, trying to change the topic.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Samuel asks between bites and Jade agrees with him.

"Not that I know of." I slowly nod then look to the boys. "Unless you can find out Rachel's favorite flowers? Also help me come up with a picnic idea."

They both nod quickly then look to me after a short time, with me barely eating a full slice.

"Your philly cheesesteak subs." Samuel nods to the food choice.

"With chips." Jade adds in. "Though the flowers will take some work, Aunt Rachel is not picky with those either."

I sigh and nod. Rachel has been the easiest person with it comes to things she likes or don't like, which can make it very hard at the same time when wanting to make a perfect moment to her exact liking.

Erik and I split the bill with my need to add in even though he tried to pay for it himself. We make it back to our town and the boys are still chirpy and full of energy.

"Park?" I look to Erik and he nods, steering in that direction.

"Yay!" They call out and help Simon from his carseat once again before they all take off onto the play ground. Simon gets on the slide while Jade and Samuel go for the tall monkey bars. I follow in behind as Erik goes to the slide with Simon.

"Do you know how to do these?" Jade looks to me and I nod. "Show me?"

"Sure." I shrug and climb up the metal pole rather than using the steps and lean over grabbing onto the metal bar with on hand then being my other hand over, this is seriously height as my feet even dangle a good ways from the ground at the six foot one height I have. Swinging myself through and changing between the bars in my hand, I let go at the end of the bars and drop to the ground with ease since the bars are close to eight feet off the ground. "Your go." I smile and Samuel takes off for the steps with Jade on his heels.