Writing practice.
“Sit down, honey”, I told her. She had been pacing around all morning, she was nervous. She’s always nervous. She settles down on the edge of the black leather sofa, the cushions hardly sink. She’s perched rather than seated.
“I want to give something to you, sweetheart.” She smiles as I take a seat next to her. I reach into my jacket and pull out a small cardboard box. It was an old, worn, flat brown box, the kind you would keep a rosary in.
“Take it, please”, she takes it from my hand, slowly. She leans slightly opposite from me. The way a dog doesn’t want you to see them eat. Inside the box is a necklace. Not a necklace you buy at the mall for a valentine or Christmas gift. Not the kind of necklace that costs a thousand dollars. Not the kind of necklace you give to your wife to keep the fire in your relationship going. The necklace in the box is tarnished silver with a rectangular cut of onyx. I saw a tear run down her cheek.
“This necklace has been around my neck since I was five years old. My grandmother gave it to me on my fifth birthday. She told me onyx represented personal strength. She was the one who told me that I could do anything, be anything, make a difference. From the day I put on that necklace, I regretted nothing. It sounds funny but that stone gave me the courage to ask you on a date. It was that stone that gave me the strength to earn my college degree while being there for you everyday. In a sense, that stone is a part of me.” She was speechless, looking at me with those big brown eyes. She knew I wore the damn thing everyday but she did not know why.
“I want you to have it. I want you to have a part of me that will be with you always. Look into the stone. See how it is reflective just barely? When you see yourself in there, I want you to see me as well. I want you to know I will always be there for you. Even if we are miles away, I want you to see that stone and know that I am there for you. I want just the thought of me being there to make everything better for you. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me and I will give anything for you.” She smiled and kissed me, a slow kiss and a warm embrace.
“Will you help me put it on?” she said in almost a whisper. After lifting her soft black hair behind her neck and securing the clasp she let out a deep breath. It was then that she sat back, allowed herself to sink into the sofa and held my hand. No more pacing, no more worrying, just me and her, staring into the black screen of the television. Our reflection was more entertaining.
Staring at our reflection she said, “You promise to never leave me?”
Into the television screen I said, “I promise to forever be by your side. I promise to support you. I promise to protect you. I promise to hold you when you just need someone. I promise that I am yours, forever.”
She turned to me, her hand grasping the onyx. She doesn’t want to believe how much I have fallen for her, only because no one has ever been this nice to her. She said, “If there is only one person on this earth that I can trust, it’s you.”