Ten Days Away

Part Thirty Three ~ Thursday Pt.2

The cabin was empty.

     Tom knocked again, but no one was there.  Not even the tell-tale sounds of Emmy’s paws on the wooden floor.

     Where is she?  The answer came to him as soon as the question was in his mind, and he started off towards their rock.

     His heart began to slam against his ribcage as he got close and saw her sitting on the rock.  She was sitting, hugging her knees close to her chest and resting her forehead against them.  Tom slowed his pace.

     Emmy saw him approach and laid down in her usual way of greeting, her tail whipping furiously back and forth in excitement.  Before the dog could ruin the surprise, Tom spoke aloud.

              “Doubt thou the stars are fire,”

     Ruby lifted her head and turned to look at him, her eyes rimmed red from crying.  As she saw him, she began to weep openly.

              “Doubt that the sun doth move,”

     Tom walked over to where she sat and offered her his hands, lifting her to stand facing him.

              “Doubt truth to be a liar,”

     He gazed down at her and gently brushed a tear from her cheek.  There was so much pain behind her gaze, it caused his own tears to begin to form.  I caused her to feel this way.  Never again.

              “But never doubt that I love.”

     Tom dipped his head and kissed her.  Weaving her arms around his waist, she returned his kiss and the relief flooded Tom’s body.

     “I’m so sorry Sweetheart.  I shouldn’t have done that to you.  Please forgive me.”  Tom begged as he enveloped her in a tight hug.

     “No, I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have run off like that.”  Ruby sniffled and pulled back to give him a watery smile.  “I should have popped that scraggly wench in the teeth and dragged you away, cave-woman style.”

     The image of being draped over Ruby’s shoulder, his toes and fingers dragging along the ground, made him chuckle.

     “You should have.”  Tom smiled back, wiping another tear from her lashes.  “We could have added that to our ever growing paparazzi album.”

     Ruby gave a weak chuckle and leaned her forehead against his chest.  Tom brought his hands up to weave into her smooth curls and realized that she was crying again.

     “What is it, Love?”  Tom begged.  “What can I do to show you how sorry I am?"

     “It’s not that.” Ruby said, raising her head and pointing towards the edge of the water.  “It’s that.”

     Tom hadn’t noticed the “SOLD” sign that was pointing towards the water.

     “I was saying good bye to my rock.”  Ruby explained “Some rich son-of-a-bitch has bought this land and is building a house here by next summer.”

     “I know.”  Tom said matter-of-factually.

     “What?” Ruby turned to him with a puzzled look. “How could you have known?”

     “I bought it.”  Tom grinned. 

     “What?  But why?”

     “Because I’m a rich son-of-a-bitch that wants us to have a house here.”  Tom said with a grin.

     Ruby was silent.

     “I brought the sketch and floor plan here so we can plan our house together before I send them to the architect.”

     “Our… house?”  Ruby stammered.  “I don’t understand what you….”

     Tom interrupted her.  “This past week made me realize that I don’t want to spend another day without you, and if that means living here part of the year, then so be it.  And what better place to build a house, than on the exact spot that I fell in love with you?”

     He pulled out of their embrace, dropping to one knee in front of her.

     “I want to see you smile every day.  I want to fall asleep with you in my arms every night.  And I want to give you a life filled with love and adventure.”  Tom explained with his bottom lip quivering as he began to cry.  Her eyes flashed wide with shock as he pulled a small box from his jacket pocket and held it up to her.

     “Ruby, I want you to be my wife.”

     With quaking hands, Ruby opened the box to reveal her ring.  A three carat round diamond with half circle ruby side stones.

     “Please, Ruby?” Tom asked as he watched the colour drain from her face.  “Please say you’ll marry me.”

     “Oh, Trouble!” A half sob–half laugh broke from her chest, and she nodded to him.  “I will.”

     Tom took the box from her hands and slid the sparkling ring onto his future wife’s outstretched hand. 

A/N:  For those interested...follow the link to see Ruby's ring.  ;)

http://leisaniemi.tumblr.com/post/66748953171/rubys-ring-for-the-inquiring-minds