The Paralyzed Dream (COMPLETED)

Chapter Thirty Three

          "You okay?" Slade asked, looking over at a pale Lacey, sitting in the passenger side seat of the truck in the jewelry store's parking lot. 

        "Yeah, I just got really nervous all of the sudden." Lacey replied, still staring straight ahead of her as the white lights of the store name became blurred from not blinking for so long. Relieving her eyes from the dryness, Lacey blinked a couple of times, her vision becoming clear again. 

      "Nervous? Why? It's not like we are pickin' out something permanent that you'll wear nearly every day for the rest of your life or anything." Slade gave her his famous grin, the one that made his dimple slightly show on his left cheek. 

       Rolling her eyes, Lacey said, "Not helpin' my nerves over here."

       "You're right; I tend to say stupid stuff when I am nervous." Slade admitted, making Lacey look over at him. "Yeah, I said it. I'm nervous, too." 

      "Well, hopefully once we get in there and start lookin' around, those nerves would go away." Lacey exhaled a chuckle. 

     "True. And it helps that we have already done research, so we know what to look for. You ready to head in?" Slade opened his truck door, hopping down, answering his own question for Lacey. 

      Reaching behind her with shaky hands, Lacey grabbed her wheelchair, piecing it together before setting it on the ground beside the truck. Unbuckling her seat belt, Lacey carefully lowered herself into the chair, mindful of how much higher it sat compared to Slade's daily driver. Slade stood at ease beside the open door he held for Lacey, ready if she needed assistance, but he knew better than to flat out as her. 

        "All good." Lacey said, rolling away from the truck so Slade could close the door. 

       "Here, I got you." Slade offered, taking his spot behind Lacey's chair, pushing her forward towards the jewelry store. The only time he let go of the handlebars was when he stopped to open the door for Lacey.

      Rolling forward, Lacey entered the store. The interior was beautiful; glass encased display cases formed a square around the perimeter of the store. In the center of the wooden floor stood a four foot tall case, perfectly displaying the "signature collection" of jewelry. The necklace shown was large, appearing very heavy. Rings and bracelets were presented as well, the diamonds on the rings almost the width of Lacey's finger. At the sight of the extravagant jewelry, Lacey felt her mouth drop open, only to close it when Slade's hand rested on her shoulder.

       "Hi, y'all, my name is Nicole. And y'all are?" A pretty mid-twenties lady with dirty blonde hair extended her jewelry clad hand out to Lacey first. 

       "I'm Lacey." She shook the lady's hand, surprised that she hadn't ever seen Nicole around town with regards to just how small town was, and how few people lived here. 

      "And I'm Slade." Slade shook Nicole's hand.

       "Great! Well, Slade and Lacey, it is a pleasure to meet you both. What can I help y'all find today?" She smiled, showing a mouthful of perfectly straight, sparkling white teeth.

      "Well," Slade started, "We just recently got engaged, but we are here to buy her a ring, to really make it official." He was smiling right at Lacey, hardly able to turn away from the smile she shot his way. 

      "Aw, very cute!" Nicole's voice made the lovebirds tear their gaze away from each other to look at the jewelry specialist. "Do y'all have any idea the type of ring you're looking for?" 

     "Actually, we have a picture here from your website of the ring we were looking at." Slade said, handing Lacey his cowboy hat, that he removed the second they entered the store, to pull his phone out, scrolling through the pictures. Finding the one of the ring, Slade showed it to Nicole.