I.
Lucy walked into the living room from the kitchen, about to call out to Ricky to ask what he wanted for breakfast that morning. Before she could say a word, he emerged from the bedroom, carrying their three-year-old son in his arms. Little Ricky was dressed and wearing his coat.
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"
Ricky smiled and lowered little Ricky to the floor. "Stay right there, amigo, I hafta put my coat on."
Lucy knelt down and straightened the buttons on her son's coat. "Daddy missed a button hole, darling. Do YOU want to tell me where you're going so early?"
The little dark-haired boy looked at his mother with wide eyes that were the color of milk chocolate. "I'm not asposed to tell," he said matter-of-factly.
She smiled. "Well, then I guess you'd better not." She stood as Ricky approached them, fastening the buttons on his own coat. "How about telling me when you'll be back."
Ricky rested his hand on top of his son's head. "In a few hours. Dun't worry about anythin', we'll have breakfast downtown."
She watched as he opened the door and the little boy trotted out ahead of him. "Ricky, watch him," she said nervously, pointing. He kissed her quickly and went after him. "I'll carry 'im when we get to the street."
Lucy giggled as she closed the door behind them.
II.
True to his word, as soon as he opened the front door of the apartment house and the sting of cold air hit their faces, he picked little Ricky up into his arms and skipped down the steps onto the sidewalk, which was lined with recent snowfall. The little boy rested an arm around his father's shoulder as he watched the traffic and the other people walking all around him.
They'd gone several blocks when soft white flakes began to fall. It seemed as though they moved in slow motion and little Ricky smiled when he noticed them. "It's snowing, Daddy!"
Ricky nodded. "It is!" He stopped in front of the destination he had in mind and looked at his son with a smile. "This is the store I tol' you about, hijo. This is a very fancy place full of some very 'spensive thins, so do you remember what we talked about?"
Little Ricky looked back at his father as seriously as a toddler could. "I gots to stay with you and not touch anything."
Ricky laughed softly. "Good boy. I'm gonna put you down to walk with me. You stay right with me." He lowered the boy to the ground, took him by the hand and led him into the store.
When they entered, little Ricky looked around in awe. It was a very large, open store, full of big glass cases. There were crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and intricate woodworking over all the walls.
A tall man in a dark suit approached them. He was older than Ricky and had streaks of gray hair running through his temples. He smiled down at little Ricky. "Welcome. What can I help you gentlemen with today?"
Little Ricky clutched his father's hand and stood close to his leg as Ricky spoke to the man. "Good mornin'. I'm interested in a ring for my wife for Valentine's Day."
The man nodded. "Very good, sir. Are you looking for a diamond?"
Ricky looked down at his son. "What do you think, amigo? Diamonds for Mommy?"
Little Ricky thought a moment before answering. "What's that?"
The man knelt down in front of little Ricky and smiled. "My name is John. What's yours?"
"I'm Ricky."
"Well, I'm very glad to meet you, Ricky. I could tell you what a diamond is, but it's probably better if I show you!" He stood up and motioned for them to follow him. "Come with me, I think we can find something nice."
They followed John to one of the biggest cases along the wall. He stepped behind it as Ricky picked little Ricky up again to see inside the glass. John opened a door in the back of the case and pulled out a bright blue velvet display. It was covered with the brightest, shiniest rocks little Ricky had ever seen. He smiled at the boy. "Ricky, THESE are diamonds. What do you think?"
Little Ricky looked at them with wide eyes. His hand was itching to reach out and touch them, but he remembered what his father had said and rested his hand on the top of the case as he leaned over to look more closely. Then he looked at his father. "Daddy, are these all for Mommy?"
John and Ricky exchanged looks and laughed gently. "No, amigo, I wish I could buy all the diamonds in the store for your Mommy, but we have to pick out just one."
"Which one?" Little Ricky looked back at the rings.
"That's what you're gonna help me with!" Ricky looked at the rings himself, then spoke to John. "These are beautiful, but I'm lookin' for somethin'…different."
John looked around the case, then looked back at little Ricky. "When's your birthday, Ricky?"
Little Ricky giggled. "I just HAD a birfday!"
Ricky chuckled. "It was in January."
John nodded. "Come down to this end over here, then." He put the diamonds away and walked to the other end of the case. This time, he pulled out another bright blue display which was covered in diamonds and red stones together. "Ricky, every month in the year is represented by a different stone. They're called birthstones. And YOUR birthstone is called a garnet. I think it's a perfect color for Valentine's Day, how about you?"
"I like them."
Ricky looked them over and smiled at his son. "I think John has a very good idea." Ricky looked at them a little more closely and his eyes fell on a beautiful platinum ring which had a large round garnet surrounded by the clearest diamonds he'd ever seen. "John, can I see that one?" He pointed.
"Absolutely." John removed the ring from the display and slipped it onto a long blue wand so Ricky could see it by itself.
Ricky smiled and then turned to his son. "What do you think? Will Mommy like it?"
Little Ricky nodded. "Yes!"
Ricky peeked at the tag that hung from the band of the ring. He raised his eyebrows and smiled at John. "When we were married, we bought very simple rings because I din't have much money. For years, I been tryin' to talk her into lettin' me buy her a big beautiful diamond. But she always says no. She'll only wear the ring we got married with. But this is different. She'll wear this on her other hand." He looked at his son. "It'll be your ring to her, amigo."
Ricky looked back to John. "Wrap it up."
III.
Lucy had been putting clean clothes away in little Ricky's room when she heard them enter the apartment. She walked out to the living room and smiled brightly when she saw the long stem red roses on Ricky's arm.
"Well, they're beautiful!" She gathered them into her arms and kissed her husband, his lips giving her a shiver, having just come in from the cold.
Little Ricky climbed onto the couch. "They're for Valemtime's Day!"
Lucy giggled. "Thank you, that was very sweet of you and Daddy! What else did you do this morning?"
Ricky took the roses back from his wife so her hands would be free. "Go sit, he's got somethin' for you."
"Well!" She walked around and sat near her little boy, who had shaken free of his coat. "What have you got for me?"
He shoved his hand into the front pocket of his overalls, trying very hard to pull it out without disturbing the crisp turquoise bow that was wrapped around the small box. Her eyes flew open when she saw the iconic color of the wrapping. "Now where did you get this?" She glanced at her husband, who was leaning against the desk, silent.
Little Ricky crawled up to his mother and sat next to her as she took the box in her hand. "A big store with lotsa shiny rocks."
"Is that so?" Lucy pulled on the ribbon and it fell away from the box. She looked at her son before removing the lid. "Did you pick this out?"
Little Ricky nodded. "Me and Daddy and John."
"John?"
Ricky laughed. "The salesman," he stated quietly before falling silent again.
Little Ricky sat in anticipation as Lucy lifted the lid of the box. When she saw the brilliant stones set in platinum, her eyes welled with tears and she brought a hand to her mouth. But her reaction troubled the little boy, who mistook it for sadness. "Why're you crying, Mommy?"
Lucy smiled through the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "Oh, honey, I'm crying because I'm happy. I didn't expect such a beautiful gift!" She pulled him into her arms and the smile returned to his face.
"That's the rock for my birfday!"
She laughed and hugged him tightly. "Your birthstone, darling!"
"Yeah! You don't want a new ring from Daddy. So I'M givin' it to you!"
Lucy removed the ring from the box and slipped it onto the third finger of her right hand. "Well, I accept the ring from you, my sweet boy." She kissed him lovingly on the cheeks.
Little Ricky hugged her and then climbed down from her lap and ran into his bedroom, his mind turning to the train set that he'd been playing with earlier.
Ricky watched him run down the hall before moving to sit next to Lucy on the couch. He sat and smiled at her without a word. She took his face in her hands and kissed him.
IV.
Later that night, after tucking her son into bed, Lucy walked quietly out to the living room. Ricky had left for the club shortly after dinner, facing a crowd for his show on the biggest date night of the year. She lay across the couch in a pretty, soft house dress and kicked off her slippers, preparing for an evening with a book. Just as she was opening the pages to her bookmark, Ethel walked in through the kitchen. "Hi, Lucy."
"Oh, hi!"
"What are you doing up here with a book? It's Valentine's Day, shouldn't you be with Ricky?"
Lucy sat up and rested her book on the coffee table. "You know Ricky has to work…"
"Why don't you go down the club, then?"
"Ethel, what's wrong with you, I can't leave little Ricky here and run off to the club. I haven't done that since he was born!"
Ethel crossed her arms. "He's already in bed. I'll stay with him!"
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "What about your Valentine's Day? Don't you have anything romantic planned?"
Ethel scowled. "With who? Fred?!"
Lucy laughed. "Oh, I don't know…" She looked up at Ethel. "You really wouldn't mind?"
Ethel motioned for Lucy to get off the couch. "Go change!"
V.
Ricky lit a cigarette and walked down the dark hallway to his dressing room. He had performed for three hours and serenaded for two marriage proposals and one wedding anniversary. Marco was now leading the orchestra in their instrumental pieces so the crowd of record size could dance. He was more than ready to go home and see his wife for the last moments of Valentine's Day, but he knew he couldn't leave until the night was at a close.
He opened the door, with the intention of getting off his feet for a few moments before reappearing on the floor. But when he entered the room, he stopped, surprised at the sight in front of him.
Lucy stood against the far wall. She was wearing a form fitting red dress that flared out slightly at her knees. Her flaming hair brushed her shoulders in large curls and her lips were crimson. The light from the bare light bulb on the ceiling caught the fire of the garnet stone on her finger.
Ricky's eyes grew dark and he dropped his cigarette onto the cement floor, snuffing it out with his foot. "I'm surprised to see you…"
Lucy pulled a cigarette of her own out of her purse and held it to her lips. "Got a light?"
Ricky smirked and walked toward her slowly. He pulled a matchbook out of his pocket and struck a match, holding the small flame up to light her cigarette.
She took a drag and tilted her head upward to exhale slowly. "That wasn't exactly the greeting I was hoping for. Aren't you happy to see me?"
He took the cigarette from her hand, smiling at the red mark of her lipstick that was left on it. He extinguished it in the ashtray on the table next to her. "What kind of greetin' were you hopin' for?"
Lucy didn't answer him, bearing into him with her eyes.
Ricky looked down and his eyes took in the sight of her in that dress as though she were a tall, cool drink. He narrowed his eyes and ran a single finger along her hip. As tight-fitting as that dress was, it was completely smooth; there was not a hint of anything underneath it.
He looked back up at her, the corners of her lips turning up slowly into a smile. He looked at the desk that was to their side in the small room, covered in sheet music and pencils. With one smooth sweep of his hand, he cleared the desk of everything that sat on top of it.
In a move that surprised even Lucy, he grabbed her and moved her on top of the desk. Before she could process his actions, his hand slipped up her dress and his fingers found her center, bare of any form of undergarment.
Lucy threw her head back, her heart beginning to race with the movements of his fingers inside her.
He withdrew his hand from her and freed his own erection. He pulled her closer to him, her legs wrapping around him as he pushed her dress higher up her thighs. His teeth nipped her neck, his breath hot. "Es por esto que vino aqui? Querias que te folle?"
With that, he penetrated her with the full length of himself. He repeated his thrusts quickly and she whimpered with cries of pleasure in each movement. He captured her lips with his and kissed her passionately, his tongue violating the inside of her mouth. He released his kiss as he peaked and came inside her, holding her lower lip between his teeth.
She throbbed in her own orgasm, steadying herself by holding the edge of the desk, her breasts heaving as she fought to catch her breath.
"How was that?" Ricky growled at her as her thighs quivered around his waist.
"That's more like it," she whispered breathlessly.
He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her arms around his neck. "I love you, Lucy," he breathed into her ear. Lucy's fingers ran through her husband's midnight hair and kissed his neck in response.
