FLASHBACK

"Traci?" Gail shouted, running to catch her friend up.

It had been another long day at 15, and it was nearing night shift and Gail just wanted to go home and snuggle with her girlfriend and watch documentaries with her. Who was she kidding she wanted to watch Holly while she watched some silly programme about bones, because the way Holly's eyebrows knitted together when she was concentrating was the cutest thing Gail had ever seen.

She pushed them thoughts to the back only her mind and caught up with Traci.

"What's up?" Traci asked.

"I kind of need your help with something."

"You needing my help...ha...you don't even consider me a friend Gail."

Gail was shocked.

"I do." Gail continued. "You are more than a friend Traci...you know...you're family...kind of anyway."

"Wow! Gail Peck being nice, never thought I'd live to see the day." Traci laugh. "What can I help you with?"

"You can't tell anyone, promise me."

"Okay...This is interesting. What is it?"

Gail looked at the floor.

"I'm going to propose to Holly." She muttered under her breath.

"Sorry what was that?"

Gail looked up.

"I'm going to propose to Holly." She said through gritted teeth, trying not to shout.

"You are! Really Gail?!"

"Yes!" Gail snapped.

"Oh my god this is great." Traci thought about it a minute. "Why do you need my help?"

"I'm not good and buying jewellery and stuff. Holly will end up with a massive skull ring if I go on my own. I need help choosing something."

Traci laughed. "Okay."

"Okay you will help me?"

"Yeah of course. You are right, if you go alone she will end up with some massive diamond that she can't even wear to work in." Traci continued to laugh.

"Shit! I didn't think of that. See this is why I need your help."

"When do you want to go?"

"Is tomorrow okay?"

"If Steve can watch Leo then yes. Pick me up about 11."

"Sounds good."

Gail started to walk down towards the exit of 15. "Traci." She turned back around. "Please don't tell Steve."

"I won't." Traci called over her shoulder.

"Thank you."

Gail started walking again. "And Traci, thank you for coming with."

"Gail I'm doing this for Holly not you."

Gail could hear Traci laughing as she pushed open the exit door and walked into the freezing cold Toronto air.

Later that evening Gail was snuggling into Holly when her phone buzzed. She sighed and went to get her phone off the counter in the kitchen.

Traci: okay for tomorrow, not said anything to Steve about what we are going to town for, just having a girly day ;)

Gail let out a loud exhale.

"Everything okay honey?" Holly shouted from the living room.

"Yeah everything's fine. I'm going out with Traci tomorrow, hope that's okay?"

Gail typed her reply to Traci.

Gail: okay see you at 11am sharp.

"That's fine by me."

Gail walked back to the sofa and threw herself on Holly.

"Ouch." Holly shouted, but it was muffled by Gail's chest.

"Stop complaining Lunchbox, you like when your head is between my boobs usually."

Gail moved to straddle Holly.

"I love you Lunchbox." Gail said caressing Holly's cheek.

"I love you too Officer." Holly replied and leaned forward to kiss her.

Gail pulled her car outside Traci and Steve's apartment at just before 11. Gail was feeling nervous, not so nervous that she was going to turn into a cat and climb a tree, but she was excited about this future plan. She knew that Holly was the one, she'd known since Holly had held her all night, when she had burnt her arm, just so she could sleep. She knew when Holly had hugged her so tight when she had lost Sophie and whispered sweet nothings into her ear.

"She's the one." Gail said to the empty car.

At that Traci opened the passenger door.

"Are you talking to yourself?" Traci laughed.

"Just reassuring myself is all." Gail smiled.

They drove down town, pulling into a space just outside Holly's favourite antique shop.

"Gail you can't buy Holly's ring here." Traci said taking in where they were.

"Just trust me Trace. This is Holly's favourite old shop in this city. She says it reminds her of home."

Every time Gail and Holly went into town they always went into this shop.

Hutchinson Antiques was the smallest shop Gail had ever been in, but also the quietest.

As Gail and Traci walked in the old man behind the counter greeted them.

"Hello again Gail." He said with a smile.

"Hi George. How's business?"

"Same old. How's Holly?" He said with a smile.

"She's good. She's the reason I'm in here today with my friend Traci." Gail replied. "I need a ring." She smiled.

"You do?!" George said excited of the prospect of showing off his polished engagement rings.

"I need something practical." Gail said walking over to the counting where George was placing the rings out. "Something that screams Holly. Something beautiful, yet not obviously beautiful. Something that will go nice with anything she's wearing."

Traci was not far behind Gail, looking over her shoulder to see the rings set out in front of them. Gail looked closely at them, there was so many pretty rings but none where Holly.

They spent half hour looking and re-looking at the rings and still nothing.

"My stock changes all the time Gail, I'm sure there will be one you truly like in a few weeks."

Gail sighed. "I need one today."

George coughed and cleared his throat. He grabbed his walking stick that was hanging from the counter. He walked over to a large cabinet that was stood in the corner of the shop.

"I might have something for you Gail." He unlocked the door and stretch for something on the top shelf. "It's not something you would usually get as an engagement ring but it's beautiful still."

He walked back to Gail and Traci, holding something tight in his left palm. He placed the ring on the counter and waved his hand for Gail to look at it. Gail was shocked.

Why hadn't he shown her this one before. It was a simple but on closer look the white gold band had a small opal stone in it. Gail picked the ring up at moved it from side to side and saw the colours of the stone twinkle in the sunlight that was peeping through the little square windows. Every colour she saw reminded her of Holly, they reminded her of herself when she was with Holly.

It's beautiful Gail thought.

"Why..." Gail cleared her throat, she realised she was getting a little emotional. "Why has no one brought this ring?"

"The stone isn't big enough for people, everyone is more bothered about big expensive rings to care about one's that hold true beauty." He stated matter of fact.

She looked in the centre of the ring and saw the symbol.

"I'll have this one." She rushed.

"Gail are you sure you don't want to look somewhere else?" Traci asked.

"No I don't. I love it. It's Holly in ring form." She laughed. "And look, it has the infinity symbol in the middle of it Trace. Holly writes that on every note she leaves me. This ring is meant for her."

She handed over her card so George could make the payment.

"What does opal mean?" Gail asked.

"It means many things, depends where you read it. But the one meaning that always comes up is love." George swiped Gail's card and handed it back to her. "It was my wife's."

Gail choked. "You can't let me have it then."

She was shocked. "Margaret would have wanted someone to have it that saw it's true beauty. Holly is one lucky lady."

Gail contemplated what George had said.

"I'm the lucky one George. Thank you for this."

She grabbed the little bag that had a beautiful red suede box in it.

"Thank you so much. Now I just need to get her to say yes." "

She will my dear...she will." He said with a smile.

Gail and Traci said their goodbyes and promised to come back soon.

As Gail walked the short distance to her car all she could think about was what if Holly said no. But she pushed it to the back of her mind and replaced it with.

She's going to say yes. And with that a massive smile was placed on her lips.