Blue and Red phoenixes

Chapter 25

"Marco, may I know why you drag me here?" Ann asked.

They had arrived at Hand Island this morning and it was after lunch; usually Marco and Ace were enjoying their free times away of everyone, but today Thatch had decided to take Ace along with him for groceries shopping. Marco had dragged her out of the ship as soon as she had agreed to help him out.

They stopped in front of a jewelry store. Marco went to look through the window at the ring section.

Ann's eyes widened in realization "Oh My Gods, you are ..." She was abruptly cut by Marco who put his hands over her mouth, to shut her up.

"Shh" he shushed her, looking around them "I don't want the others to know about it" He continued to talk in a hushed tone "Yes, I'm gonna propose. I need your help to pick the ring."

Marco entered the shop and Ann followed him "You could have asked Thatch or Izo"

"And it would have been the best way for Ace to find out"

"Yeah, that's true" Ann laughed.

"Hello, can I help you?" The seller girl interrupted them.

"Uh yeah, I'm looking for an engagement ring"

"Of course, come this way commander" She said, going to one of the display, in the back of the shop.

Ann shouldn't have been surprised that Marco wanted to propose to Ace, after all they had been together for a year and a half. 'The time really flow' She thought. It seemed like it was yesterday that Marco was coming to see her after he and Ace had a fight, geez these two had needed time before they learnt to communicate properly.

"Ann, what do you think?" Marco asked her, interrupting her train of thoughts.

Ann came closer to the display, Marco wasn't looking pleased, and she understood why when she saw the rings exposed. The display was full of ring, they were of different styles, but most were designed for women, the one who make them was talented it was undeniable, the rings were beautiful, but they weren't for Ace.

The seller saw the face that Marco and Ann were doing; so she changed her strategy. "How did you imagine the ring?"

"I was thinking silver, with engraving"

"Do you want it having a stone?"

"Yes, a sapphire"

Ann smiled at that, the stone that signified the purity of feelings, peaceful union and fidelity, it was a perfect choice to show Ace Marco's engagement to him, yeah it was an excellent choice.

"Our sapphire ring collection isn't big, but it has really masterpieces" While talking, the seller girl opened the display windows to take a tray with around ten rings on it.

Marco wasn't really looking convinced, she was right the rings had clearly needed time to make, but he didn't think any would look good on Ace's finger.

"You could come back tomorrow after thinking about it, you know" Ann intervened.

"You think?"

"Yeah, knowing you, you have been thinking non-stop about it, a night to make a calm and well-thought-out decision won't be too much."

"Pfff!"Ann and Marco sighed after they were out of the shop.

"Thanks, I didn't know how to told her that none of the rings were right" Marco said to her.

"You could have told her that the ring was for a man, that would have been easier"

Marco paused, and sighed "I know" He began to walk again, looking for another shop "It's not the first shop I went, you know" He told Ann when she had joined him "The lasts few shops weren't really welcoming after they found it was for a man" He said calmly, his hands in his pockets.