The Heirloom Ring: Haunted Book 3

Chapter 1

Mark’s POV

I made my way to the park, where I was to meet Destiny, with a nervous heart. In fact, I’d never been this nervous in his life.

Did I make the right decision? What if she didn’t like it? What if she didn’t say yes? What if I made a fool of himself by jumping the gun?

We'd only been dating 3 months after all. But even in that short time, I knew she was the one. The only one my heart would beat for and the only one I would give my own life for.

I’d  looked online and in many different stores, but none of them were perfect, until I came upon a pawn shop by complete accident. I was actually looking around for old baseball cards, but instead, I found the ring that called out to me. Like literally, I thought it told me I needed to buy it. And almost in a trance, I picked it up and showed it to the shop owner.

The store owner said I had good timing, as the ring  just so happened to be brought in that morning and he didn’t think it would last long, and I guess he was right, because that was the one! My hands were shaking as I handed over my credit card to buy the purchase of  a lifetime.

Then the owner put the ring in a little box and wished me luck, with a wink.

I didn’t even bother to ask about the circumstance the shop ended up with the ring, or why it was being pawned off in the first place. All that mattered was that I had it now!

I’d spent all night long pacing back and forth trying to figure out if this was the right thing to do or not. What if she thought I was a psycho for asking so soon? Or what if she didn’t feel the same way as I did?

Finally, I see my love sitting on a bench by the pond feeding the ducks. The bench is under a willow tree, making the scene picturesque.

I take one more deep breath, giving myself a quick pep talk telling myself she will love the ring and she will definitely say yes! Then I march my way in front of Destiny.

“Mark!  You made it! I was getting worried,”  Destiny said with a shy smile.

I leaned down and kissed her on her soft plump lips. It was that feeling that made me know that this was the right decision. Only the feel of her skin against mine could calm my racing heart and I knew that was all I would ever need.

Then I took her hands and got down on one knee in front of her.

Destiny looked confused at the action, but continued to smile at me anyway.

“Destiny, you bring light to my life…” I take another deep breath as I look into her beautiful brown eyes. “You give my life meaning, and I love you. You are my Destiny…”

Her eyes are shimmering with happy tears and a smile starts to spread across her face. This was the sign I was looking for, giving me courage to go forward.

I pull out the box from my pocket and open it to present it to my Destiny.

“Destiny, will you marry me?” I asked with all the hope in my heart.

Tears leaked down her beautiful face as she threw her arms around my neck and let out an excited giggle. It was so cute!

“Of course, I will marry you, Mark! I would love to be your Destiny!” she sighed into my neck, “I love you so much!”

That was all I needed to hear as I took her mouth in mine and showed her how desperate I was for her. She returned the kiss with just as much love and passion as I. She was perfect and I would never find another woman if I lived to be one hundred years old that fits me just like she does. She knew my dreams and weaknesses and loved me despite them.

After we broke for air I placed the ring on her finger. It sparkled in the sunlight.

She looked down at the ring admiring it. “It’s beautiful! Just perfect, Mark! How did you find it?” She asked as we walked hand in hand down the pathway in the park. We were going to have a picnic. She brought the basket of food, which I was carrying in my other hand.

“Well, that’s a funny story… I had been looking everywhere for the perfect ring for you and I just didn’t see one that I wanted.. But yesterday I was in a pawn shop looking for baseball cards for my collection…”

She giggles at this. She knew I have a slight obsession with old baseball cards and thinks its fun for me to have a hobby. “Of course you were… Find anything good?”

“The ring! I was looking at a Babe Ruth rookie card, but then the ring seemed to call out to me, and I just knew!” I finished my story.
“That is a funny story,” Destiny giggled at my tale.  “I just wonder what happened to have it end up in a pawn shop.”

“Huh… I never thought about that! Maybe the last guy wasn't as lucky as I was?” I chuckled at the thought. I was so busy thinking of how perfect it would fit on my sweet Destiny, that I never really considered the backstory of the ring. Not that it was important, or significant in any way. Now that it is Destiny’s there is no need to wonder about such things.

“I guess not. Or, maybe it was an older lady. It does look like an heirloom ring. Maybe it was passed through their family and someone just needed the money?” Destiny suggested, sounding sad.

“Don’t be sad, love. Now it is where it belongs!” I insisted. That indeed would have been sad to sell the ring because someone needed the money and didn’t care that it had been passed through the family, but now it has new memories. More important memories…. That is if rings actually have memories!

Now that was an interesting thought… Could it remember all the lives it has touched? All the love and happiness? All the families affected by this tiny object. I wondered what stories it could have told.

“Of course it is! I will love and take care of this ring just like I love and take care of you!” She said as she radiated happiness and joy.

“We should show your parents!” I suggest. I really enjoyed Destiny’s family. I hoped they like the ring I picked for their daughter.

“YES! They will be so happy for us! They really love you… Not as much as I do, of course,” she teased.

We set the picnic on the table by the playground. We like watching the little ones play on the toys. We took out our lunch and started munching as we watched. My heart felt full and comforted. Today was the best day of my life!

“Maybe someday we will have some children of our own?” I asked hopefully. I”ve always wanted a large family.

I was raised in an orphanage and only had foster siblings. I didn’t have parents to love me, but I wanted to give a child what I never had.

“Of course! We could even adopt if you want to…” she suggested.

I hadn’t thought of that idea, but that would be wonderful too!

“Yes! I would love to have any children with you,” I admit.

“And I would be happy to bear any children you want…” she giggled at me.

She really was perfect! And now she was going to be mine!