Page 105 of Some Things Never Change

ONE YEAR LATER

I waited for Julie to fall asleep while I used an old horror movie I’ve watched multiple times as the excuse to stay up past our usual bedtime. While she hung out in her room, I stayed in the living room as I patiently waited.

I tried not to think too much as I played with a white twist tie in between my fingers. Usually, there were Lego blocks all over the coffee table for me to build whatever I wanted. But tonight was a tad different.

Julie and I had been together for a year already. Just as I told her right from the start, I knew I wanted to marry her and would love to spend the rest of my life with her if she let me. I couldn’t help myself from smiling like a madman when she told me she wanted the same when we discussed the next step of our relationship.

Although we talked about marriage a month ago, I had yet to figure out what her ring size is without her realizing it. She hardly ever wore rings, since her favorite types of jewelry had always been earrings or necklaces, which had only made it harder for me.

I found the perfect ring: a three-carat cushion-cut ring with a diamond-encrusted gold band, exactly like the one she joked about when I gave her those pearl drop earrings for Christmas almost two years ago. I had some clue about what she remarked on. But I noted down exactly what she said, word for word, anyway. I finally put those words into use as I scoured to the end of the earth for the perfect ring this past month.

All I needed now was her correct ring size and was hoping this twist tie would come in handy in helping me figure it out.

I glanced at the digital clock on the TV stand and it was well past one in the morning. Julie should be asleep by now. As my heart thudded loudly in my chest, I immediately turned off the TV and made my way to her room through the dark. We often switched which room we slept in. I wanted to sleep in her bedroom tonight because I wanted an excuse to bask in the lingering scent of her favorite milk and honey lotion on her bedsheets.

I quietly padded through Julie’s room and turned on the lamp on her nightstand. I took a moment to smile down at her haphazard sleeping form and the soft rise and fall of her chest. I held myself back from kissing her as I immediately got onto my knees in front of her left hand, which dangled loosely over the edge of the bed.

I worked quickly to wrap the twist tie around her ring finger and grinned when I finally twisted it in place. All until her hand suddenly jerked and pulled away. She completely startled me as I stayed crouched by the bed with my hands still in midair. Through sleepy and beautiful dark brown eyes, she stared back at me.

“What are you doing?” asked Julie. Her voice was slow from her sleep as she blinked at the lamplight.

My breath heaved a little as I tried to stammer out a response. But it wasn’t enough to deter her from looking at her hand where my trusty white twist tie was still around her left ring finger.

Fuck, I silently cursed.

“What’s this?” Julie reached out to touch the handmade ring.

“I-I made you a ring,” I lamely answered with burning cheeks.

Julie immediately caught on what I was doing as she let out a giggle. She shifted to her side, as if to get a better view of me. “Come here, Sweetheart.” She waved me over through her groggy blinks.

I quickly shuffled closer to her. As soon as I was close enough, she instantly pulled me into a kiss. When she pulled away, she let out another small giggle. “It’s cute. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me now. Wait until I give you a real one,” I breathed onto her lips.

She laughed again as I pulled away from me. “Alright, pretty boy. Is that a promise?”

I blinked slowly as I brushed back the hair in her face. “That’s a vow, Julie.”

She smiled, big and wide. “A vow I’m patiently waiting for you to fulfill.”

I leaned over her and placed a soft and gentle peck on her forehead, nose, and then lips as I felt her heart pound against my chest. I played with the twist tie ring and a giddy grin stretched across my face. Along with it, the searing heat of my blush rose up my face from the base of my neck to my cheeks to the very tips of my ears.

“Soon, Tink.” My voice was light as a feather to my surprise.

Julie let out a low hum. “Why don’t you show me how well you fit the responsibilities of being my life partner first?”

My brows furrowed. “Like what?”

Julie grabbed the hand fingering the twist tie ring and drew it lightly across the expanse of her chest. My brows playfully cocked at her bold action. I let out a teasing laugh as she quickly drew my fingers lower as she pulled them across her stomach down to where we both knew her pleasure always began to pool.

“You know I fit into that role perfectly well. But it’ll always be my pleasure for you to test me,” I whispered. “Soon-to-be-Mrs. Hughes.”