Reconciled in the End

Chapter 11: Crowned

The next day, Thomas settled in the morning to work on a Crown acceptable for restricted use by the asylum. Using the sassy backup Crown that gave him the Ecclesiastes result, he figured that thing would do her no wrong all its pathetic life. He fondly gave it the nickname, Sassurly Sassbucket. Siren looked over, very confounded by the title.

In the meantime, she was job searching on a holoscreen. She tried to keep her chin up, but as soon as she placed her credentialing in, her application was automatically rejected. She was on her eighty-fifth try. It wasn't like she was going for very intensive jobs either. Simple entry-level jobs thrust her out with the notice of asylum transcript. It was illegal to deny one for patient status under equal opportunity clauses, but yet here it quite clearly had been done.

After another twenty rejections, she sighed heavily and flopped onto their modest, tight couch. Thomas looked over as he consoled, "Don't worry about it, it'll come in time."

"I know," she weakly replied, not very convinced in her words.

Thomas then stood to plop the finished Crown on her head, customized and ready for her registry. She fumbled to keep it from dropping as she earnestly replied, "Thank you."

He shook his head modestly, "I easily would do this for you."

Something caught his eyes under the steps as he absently thought about it. She was focused on initializing the load up. It was super simplified for her mind, something a toddler received at their age, but it was what the asylum authorized on probation. She would honor such.

"Ah, yes. How could I have forgotten that..." Thomas mumbled as he scurried toward the steps.

Siren looked over curiously as she had noticed yesterday something sparkling there. What this was about, she knew not. Thomas seemed pretty enthusiastic about it as she watched him shove it behind his back and walk over. Clearing his throat, he seemed awkwardly content.

She waited quietly as he frowned in thought, "I don't really know how to make this romantic. I wasn't sure if I would have ever been able to give this to you. I bought it when I got the news you were to be weaned off meds and life support. It was bought in hopes you'd eventually get it, even when it didn't seem likely. I needed to do this. Maybe this was selfish on my part, but it kept me sane. Please take your gift," he softly spoke, wiping his eyes. "Man, I've never cried so much as lately. I apologize, Siren. I just can't..."

She put her forehead to his shoulder, "We've been through some pretty bad trauma. This is natural for recovery. I'm honored you care about me that much, Thomas. There's has been a whole lot released by both of us the last two days alone!"

He shifted and set the gift on her lap as they sat down. Siren was instantly bedazzled by an overwhelming display of light work between the morning sun and the crystal object before her. Her silence went on for some time as she felt hypnotized by its beauty. She hadn't known something could be fashioned in such a wondrous way. She admired the rainbows created by the reflecting light as she gentle set the thing before her on the table.

Thomas chuckled heartfelt in a somber way, "I knew you wouldn't do anything but sit and look at it like a vase. I knew it!"

He gave a confident, defiant smirk as she innocently shrugged, "I can't help it. It's very pretty."

He hugged her tight as he sighed, "Oh my love."

She laughed, "Officer Task Master, I'm not allowed a full functioning Crown. It's against my probation."

He declared flatly with raised brow, "Using a Crown and accessing the virtual network violates your probation. Not owning one to stare at it. This is jewelry as I see it. A head adornment, a piece of fashion, a piece of art, you want me to go on?"