John and Mary's wedding is approaching. Mary's best friend, Alice McCarthy was to be the bridesmaid. She got a big surprise for Mary's wedding. Three-part. Another twisted story on reunion. Reviews are very welcome. Thanks for your reading.

The Boscombe Flowers shop

"So tomorrow is a big night? Show me the ring!"

The owner of the flower shop teasingly asked a short blonde man, who got reddened quickly. He hesitated yet she was adamant. After a minute or so, the man took out a small box and opened it. There was a beautiful platinum ring with a small diamond at the center. The woman shrieked in excitement. With her eyes twinkling, she kept babbling,

"Oh, how happy Mary will be tomorrow! John, can you drop by before you see her. I'll get you something special. Lilies? No... A wreath of red roses."

"You don't need to, Alice, but thanks a lot."

John stuttered; he was always at a loss when he met Alice, Mary's best friend. Mrs. Morstan, Mary's mother, who reminded him of his former landlady, had asked him to drop off a pot of her special chicken soup to Alice who had been suffering from flu for days. The doctor had enough reason to get on Mrs. Morstan's good side so he was here, delivering the pot of soup. Alice was like another daughter for Mrs. Morstan since she saved Mary from drowning in a pool years ago.

Alice –John didn't know her last name- was a pale, blonde, tall woman in her mid thirties. Born in the U.K., her family had moved to America and run a shooting practice range since her father left the army. She met Mary in New York. After Alice's mother died of cancer, her grieving father moved back to London and operated a small gun club until he died of gas explosion years ago. Alice sold her father's business and opened her flower shop.

John found Alice's eyes glued to the ring: her face was beaming with vibrancy. She wasn't exactly beautiful but she was very amicable. The way that she acted and spoke gave her a nickname of Kitty.

"Mary will be over the moon. How happy she will be! Treat her like a princess, John."

She showed her finger to the man.

"I remember when Chard gave me this ring. He wasn't exactly proposing yet I knew he would do so in time. How happy I was!"

"That's beautiful. Opal? Your birth month, I think?"

Alice gazed at her finger.

"Yes, he picked my birth stone. He was so sweet."

Her blue eyes blinked when John asked,

"Was?"

She flinched, swallowed hard, and turned her face away. Her shoulders slugged slightly. The doctor stuttered an apology in a hurry.

"Sorry, I wasn't nosing around. It's not my business."

She wrapped her face with her two hands for a minute. Uncomfortable silence fell. Suddenly she stood up, walked to the door, turned around, and leaned. With a glimpse of smile, she hoarsely added,

"It's okay. Chard was my childhood friend. We met again when my family moved back to England. He loved me. "

John didn't know what to say. Alice kept using "past" tense.

Did she break up with him? She's kept the ring. Did something bad happen to him?

In a hurry, he put his box into the pocket, and said good-bye. Alice made him promise to visit again the "big" day. When the door was shut, she called Mrs. Morstan to thank for the soup. Putting down her mobile, she sat down on a stool. Left alone, her face twisted suddenly. She choked out words slowly,

"My Chard killed himself three years ago."