Home is not a Place

20• Holy Grail

VANESSA

I am in the middle of watching Aquaman in my very comfortable airplane seat when an urgent knock rises into my ears. I have to put down the potato chips I'm snacking on to open the small door, revealing Ethan.

A wave of relief flows over me. I'm glad it wasn't Drake who knocked, and I'm glad Ethan wears a relaxed expression. I was half-expecting something to be wrong.

Ethan glances at my television screen and then at the way I'm lied back in my recliner. He smiles, saying, "I forgot to give you something earlier."

"Oh, okay." I wipe the grease off of my fingers and grin at him. "What is it?"

"Your ring." Ethan runs a hand through his wavy hair before pulling a velvet ring box from out of his black jacket pocket.

I quickly sit up, watching as Ethan opens the case. Seeing the huge diamond ring freezes me completely until I'm a statue caught in headlights. "Holy shit. You've had that in your pocket the whole time?"

"Keep your voice down." Ethan moves forward until he is inside my little cubicle. The space between us is very minuscule as Ethan hands over the huge diamond-encrusted ring. The ring is in an ovular shape with a silver band and shakes in my grasp.

Inside the case is a silver band for a man, and Ethan leans over to take it out. I peer up at him, shaking my head. "I can't wear this. How expensive is this thing?"

"It's 12 carat diamond." Ethan informs me as he slips his own band over his ring finger. "Costs nearly half a million dollars."

I immediately close the ring box and press it against Ethan's hard chest. "Nope. Can't do it."

"Really?" He chuckles, his dimples genuine. "Yes, you can."

He takes my shaking hand in his, his palm three times larger than mine. He opens the box and slides the glittering ring onto my left ring finger. I swear it weighs a ton.

"Are you sure it's real?" I ask as I stare at it in awe.

Ethan nods. "Sure is, so don't be sticking your hands in chip bags."

"No problem with that." I reply, shoving the chip bag out of my reach. "So, did you have a half a million dollars just lying around?"

"No, but the CIA is covering for our trip. This weapon we're retrieving is vital to them, so they're letting us rent the ring out." Ethan opens the sliding door to give us both space, although I wasn't minding him.

"Okay." I take a deep breath. "I'll be careful."

Ethan turns to walk away, but then I stop him. "Wait. Where are we staying in DC?"

"Only the best for my wife." Ethan tilts his head. "The Ritz Carlton."

My heart skips a beat. "Wait, don't people get married in that hotel?"

"Yeah." Ethan nods. "A few stars have been there I believe."

"Jesus." I mutter, waving Ethan away. "I need some time to process this."

Ethan smiles again, the most I've seen him happy the whole time I've known him. He glances down at his thick black watch, tapping the face of it. "Ok. You have thirty minutes to process before we touch down."