Chapter One

Christmas Shopping

December 2007

It's a crazy time to live in Manhattan, when people come in to town by the busloads for a weekend of shopping and theater going. A young man, trying to run out and find just the right gift for his girl, could get trampled in a place like this. To make matters worse, Henry is at a loss. There's only one thing that he can even think of buying for Betty this Christmas, and he knows she won't accept it. Every time he tries to run the scenario in his head, it has an unhappy ending. For whatever it's worth, he has to go home to Tucson in a few months and Betty has to stay here in New York. He wouldn't dream of asking her to leave her family and her dreams of becoming a magazine editor; it wouldn't be fair. No, he can't stop in at Tiffany's or Bendel's or any of the tiny tucked away shops in the diamond district, no matter how tempting the idea. So, then, why is he here again, looking longingly into the window of Bachman Fine Jewelers like a kid at a pet store? He's smart, creative, there has to be something else that would be the perfect Christmas gift – if he could just re-focus his attention…

"Excuse me, is there something I can help you find?" A friendly looking man stepped out from the doorway of the shop, "Only, I think I've seen you standing by my window several times this week."

"No, it's okay, just... window-shopping I guess," Henry smiled.

"Ah, wrestling with the Big Decision, I think," the man laughed. "I'm Max Bachman, why don't you come inside from the cold and tell me all about it?"

"No offense, Mr. Bachman, I would like nothing better than to relieve you of that sparkly stone right there," Henry pointed, "but the lady in question... well, it's complicated."

"Of course it is, of course, if it were easy, it wouldn't be love, am I right? But come on in, I must have something here that will take the worry and the stress out of your holiday shopping! After all, what girl can resist something beautiful handed to her in a bright blue jewelry box?"

Henry smiled again and decided to follow Mr. Bachman into the store. So, it wouldn't be an engagement ring but maybe he could still find what he's looking for here.

"Thank you, Mr. Bachman, I hate to seem so helpless. It's just; I've never bought jewelry for a woman before. Well, unless you count the turquoise and silver necklace I bought for my mom at the reservation trading post when I was a kid. It turned out that the metal wasn't really silver and it left a weird stain on her neck that didn't come off for weeks," Henry shook his head at the memory, "Mom said she loved it, though. And she still has it hanging in a frame on her wall, so I guess it wasn't all that bad. As long as she doesn't, you know, wear it..."

"Right, right, yes, well maybe we'll call this a more informed trek into jewelry shopping. You look like the kind of guy who reads, you could probably tell me more about color and clarity than I could tell you."

Henry's smile slipped a little, "I'll admit I've been reading about diamonds. But Betty and I aren't looking that far into the future yet."

"Okay then, tell me about your Betty. Does she like pretty things? When is her birthday? Maybe you could look into a birthstone piece."

"Betty's jewelry? I've really only seen her wear one necklace. Her parents gave it to her for her quinceanera and I don't think she's gone a day without it since. I think it reminds her of her Mom."

"So maybe we find something nice to go along with that, a ring or a bracelet she would wear alongside the necklace everyday? What does it look like?"

"Well, actually," Henry laughed self-consciously, "you can tell I've been reading again… it's a replica of Anne Boleyn's necklace, with the 'B' and teardrop pearls."

"Interesting choice, especially given her fate, but at least that gives me a very clear image to work with. Pearls, hmm, and yellow gold… let's see..."

Max Bachman opened a small book of jewelry design and he and Henry put their heads together to plan Betty's Christmas gift.