The Missing Gem

29 | 3, 2, 1...

Nicole

The cold bed sheet underneath my fingers caused my eyelids to to flicker open faster than they wanted to. 

"Lucas?"

Damn. My own voice sounded like a damn hammer pounding my head hard. 

Refusing to call his name out again and feel the overwhelming feeling of my head on the verge of cracking, I got out of bed and searched the room and the bathroom. Step after step, I went downstairs and walked around the kitchen and the living room, noticing the the droplets of rain on the window pane, but not finding the person I was hoping to see. 

Lucas was nowhere to be seen in his house. There was one place I hadn't checked for him yet - his office. As I walked up the stairs I noticed the door was only open a few inches, and I figured that was where he'd be. 

I gently opened the door and looked inside the room, but no Lucas. I didn't think too much of it though, he had probably just gone out of the house to go to the coffee shop to buy us breakfast or something else I didn't remember.

Everything he wanted to take to California with him was already packed and ready to go, but there was a sketch on top of his desk. I approached the table and picked up the design of an engagement ring. An exquisitely beautiful engagement ring. 

Oh God.

According to Diane,  it was clear that he wants to propose to me and I just had to make up my mind about an answer soon, in case he'd get down on one knee when I least expected him to. 

I quickly ran to get my phone and told her about it - she was one hundred percent sure he'd do it tonight at midnight, but I didn't believe her, or at least I refused to.

December 31st was a weird day. It was the last day of the year, a day when we reflect on what happened in the past twelve months, a day full of lies you tell yourself and a day full of a lot of hope, too. Like I said, it was a weird day. 

But I've been around for twenty four years, I know damn well by now that every promise you make yourself or others on this day only means something on the first day of the next year. Afterwards, all those empty promises mean nothing and you go back to your old ways for another three hundred and sixty three days. 

What I liked the most about the celebration of the new year was exactly that - the celebration. Getting all dressed up and going out with my friends, drinking champagne, seeing the fireworks, dancing until dawn and for the first and probably only time of the year, not having a care in the world. 

The loud thud of the front door closing made me shake in my feet. I put the design back where it was and made my way downstairs, not forgetting to leaving the door closed exactly like it was. I've watched way too many crime shows on TV to know how to hide any evidence of me being in his office fairly well.

"Hey you." He said when he saw me walking down the stairs, still in my pajamas, that by the way, I don't even remember putting on last night.

"Hi." I said, regretting doing so immediately. My right hand rested on my forehead as I closed my eyes and groaned, the sound of my voice being too much for my brain to hear and process.

"I think you have a little hangover that needs taking care of."

I looked at the kitchen table and noticed the croissants, the waffles, two cups of coffee, the eggs, bread, sausages and two fresh fruit bowls. - just like I initially thought so, Lucas had gone out to buy us breakfast. 

"It all looks so good." I whispered this time. It definitely eased the headache a little.

"I figured you were going to appreciate a nice, tasty breakfast after all the fun you had last night."