UNDERCOVER {Competed} 😌

chapter 2(ii)

Mercy
At the jewel shop
"Are you having a big wedding?" Asked the jewelry clerk as she placed a ring of tray on the counter.
"Uh...well..." After rushing home, hurriedly packed then half dragging and half carrying my stuff back at Joe's office I had barely arrived at the store on time. I glanced over to Joshua for help. He smiled and said nothing.
After an awkward silence I said,"A small private wedding,right honey?"
"Right." He answered. "We are trying to keep it low on the wallet," he continued.
He placed an affectionate arm on My shoulder. Nothing personal...I noticed just warm and friendly, probably meant to impress the clerk. But my feelings towards this man were anything but warm. Hostile and jumble maybe,but not warm and friendly. I discreetly shrugged his arm away.
It really felt good that he could show his affection even though it was fake. And his arm... His strong arm felt warm on my shoulders. When was the last time someone held me like ...like they care? I couldn't remember. And suddenly I liked this man . ..I looked at him he had said something... Aaah don't know... What did he say??

Ignoring me, Joshua touched a bridal set of diamonds and said, "if I know my sweetie she would break the banks and choose this one."

Oh God I disliked him once again

The clerk smiled approvingly and said the ring would suit.
I suppressed a choking sound
" oh, no its expensive" I didn't want to say it looked ugly very ugly.
He grinned,"Nothing is too expensive for my little Darling." He lifted the ring,"here sweetie,try it on"

"You can't be serious Joshua."

Dear God its so ugly surely he wasn't planning to force it on me.
Surely he was! He picked up my hand and put the ring on my finger. "Marvelous," he whispered..."we'll take it"
"Wonderful!" The clerk exclaimed. I knew the woman was up to some commission but I have to disappoint but...
"No Joshua," I protested "we can't." And began to slip the thing off my finger "Really."
He cupped my hands in his and looked at me mockingly." Like I said,nothing is too good for my sweetie." Then directed the clerk to wrap the pair.
The woman left to look for my box.
"Joshua I don't like the ring."
"It's a done deal," he dismissed my objection with an idle movement of his hand and then looked away.
I inspected the thing on my hand sadly. I reminded myself that it didn't matter- it was a make believe ring,a make believe marriage. Still,something felt wrong.
I had never chosen a diamond before. I had been once wore an engagement ring when I was briefly engaged to Edwin but after I broke it off I  had spent most of my energy on my career., giving little thoughts to marriage,weddings and rings. It's only now that I am at the jewel shop that I have revisited my childhood dreams. How I'd have a wedding with a man who would accept me as I was. Who would love me unconditionally. Being adopted my parents had starved me of affection and attention. I was adapted, maybe because they thought the children will never come but eventually they came and that love that was meant for me was snatched away.
Somehow this stranger beside me was weaving himself into those forgotten memories,and forcing the ugliest ring in history on me. It all seemed unfair

Joshua
I hurriedly went to my apartment to pack all I needed. I knew in mind that I needed this story. My lifetime dream wouldn't go down to drain if I could do something to save it. I looked at my place. Messy but defiantly not dirty. I'll clean it back when I'm back
In a few minutes I was at the jewel shop waiting for Mercy to arrive. I arrived few minutes before her and I had the privilege of watching her walk down to the shop. Even at far I could tell it was her. Her long hair fell past her shoulders was blown by the wind and I couldn't remember seeing a woman so beautiful. She walked fast. Head held high. She was might be Short, but the dress she wore made her legs look longer, and they were very sexy. I couldn't get enough of looking at this small  short woman.
"Let's get thuts done shall we?" She said.
And just like that,the incredible things I had just thought about her vanished.
No not exactly vanish.
I guess I put them on the back of my mind.
"Sure,Tinkerbell"

As  I followed Mercy's sad  look at the tasteless bridal set,I  was shamelessly pleased with myself. I knew she hated it, that it would embarrass her.
But as I  stared at a flash of the overdone diamonds. It occurred to me that this is exactly what my friend Martin would buy for Veronica.
And suddenly what I had felt earlier as she walk to the store came back. I liked her more for having a good taste to hate the ring. But why wasn't she battling for a different set? This was so unlike her.
I lifted my face and looked at her eyes. They seemed to echo with faint ache that i had ignored when she had protested..
The clerk returned waving the box
"We've changed our minds," I said pointing at a beautiful set with a gold setting..."we'll take this one."
Her face lit up. And I  knew I had made the right choice.
"Maybe it will make you into a better wife. God knows you need help."
She frowned but grinned back. She loved the set I could tell.