Pins & Needles (Michael Jackson)

{17} Their Spot

Michael looked down at the beautiful display of rings that his eyes laid upon. His heartstrings were pulled on many times as he thought about his purpose for being at the jeweler's; to complete his ultimate goal of making Celeste his, forever.

Feeling more than grateful for the guidance he was receiving from the cashier, Michael smiled brightly as he viewed all of the selections. He stayed more towards the less extravagant rings, as that wasn't Celeste style. His smile only grew wider when he finally found the perfect one: its center held a breathtaking 1/2 carat-round diamond, set delicately in the middle of sparkling, scolloped pavé diamonds that extended three-fourths of the way around the ring. The rose gold color of the ring just made Michael's heart dance even more as he clearly imagined it on Celeste's very finger.

"Judging by the look on your face, I'm thinkin' you found the one," the cashier assumed, chuckling at Michael's pure admiration.

He simply nodded. "Yes," Michael answered, trying to speak past the lump in his throat. "That's it." He then pointed directly at the ring through the protective glass, his never-ending smile persisting as the cashier reached in to collect it for him.

The cashier's lips curled into a small smile as Michael told her Celeste's ring size. "This is definitely a nice choice," she stated. "Your girl's going to love it."

"I hope so," Michael breathed as she handed him the small, black box that contained the ring. "It's been a little under a year since we got together, so I hope it isn't too soon."

"Please," the cashier scoffed. "I've seen you two in here plenty of times, and I've seen the way she looks at you. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you," Michael said with sincerity, giving the cashier a friendly smile as he blushed slightly. "Not just for your kind words, but for your guidance." He chuckled at himself. "I really needed that."

The cashier smiled at him. "Anytime!" she exclaimed. "And good luck."

Michael returned her smile in thanks as he pushed through the doors of the store, already starting to feel his heart burst with the joyous emotions of what was to come. He could barely contain his excitement, and he knew that he'd need to complete his task with no time to waste.

***

When Michael returned home, he walked up to his doorstep as he took his key out of his pocket and twisted it in the lock before pushing through. As soon as he saw Celeste resting on the couch, concern made itself known within him.

"Hey, baby," Michael greeted, walking over to the living room area to sit down next to Celeste. "This is the first day since you've been sick that you're not in bed," he stated. "Are you starting to feel better?"

Celeste nodded, beginning to lean closer to Michael to nestle her face in his chest. "Yes," she confirmed. "It's gotten better each day."

Holding her close to him, Michael planted soft kisses in Celeste's hair in his excitement. "Good," he remarked softly with a bright smile. "I'm so glad." He felt the box in his pocket, and that filled him with many nerves. "Because I have something really special planned for today."

"Really?" Celeste asked as she sat up to face him completely, her lips curling into a smile. "What is it?"

"You know that I can't tell you, girl!" Michael exclaimed, chuckling to himself. "But, what I can tell you, is that you'll love it. I'm sure of it."

Celeste's heart swelled up at his generosity. "Michael..." she trailed off. "You're so amazing."

Michael felt his cheeks heat up as his gaze fell to the floor. "Well, I mean, you're just starting to feel better after being sick for awhile now," he murmured shyly. "The least I can do is spoil you."