April 30th, 1983

2:47 pm

Point Place Mall

"Ok, this is the place" said Steven stopping in front of a small and inconspicuous store. Jackie would have never noticed it if he hadn't pointed it out. And she made a face, lifting her right brow, that reminded him a lot of her younger self. "Just wait until you see it" he said, smiling.

Despite all her growth over the past three years, Jackie still had a thing for presents and jewelry. And despite all of Steven's talk against presents and corporations and the man, ever since they'd gotten back together over three years ago, he'd been very good at giving her presents. Not all the time, as her younger self would have liked, but all the presents had been special, beautiful, and thoughtful. Like the necklace he'd given her last Christmas.

Jackie was looking around, stunned by the beautiful store. It was small, as was obvious when looking at it from the outside, but that made it even more impressive. It was a jewelry store, one of the finest she'd ever been in.

Steven was already talking to the clerk and by the looks of it, they knew each other well. The girl on the other side of the counter was very pretty. She was slightly taller than Jackie, with long chestnut hair and beautiful brown eyes.

"Yes… last February" Steven was saying.

"Ok, yes, I understand eloping… but two whole months and more?" the clerk was saying, amused. She shook her head feigning shock. "It's nice to finally meet you" said the clerk when Jackie approached the counter. "Hyde has told me a lot about you" she said, smiling. "I'm Jessica" she added.

Jackie smiled at her politely, but Steven could tell she was tense, uncomfortable.

"Jess has been really helpful over the years" Steven explained, taking Jackie's left hand and looking at the ring on her fourth finger.

"Oh, that's a masterpiece" sighed Jessica "and it looks perfect on you" she added, smiling at Jackie. "Ok, give me a second, I'll get the wedding bands for you to look at".

So, this is where this came from, thought Jackie, looking at her engagement ring. She turned back to look at an array of earrings on a beautiful display with crystal doors on the wall. She recognized the style; they were similar to the ones he'd gotten her for her last birthday.

"I'll be right back, Doll" said Steven, suddenly, looking out. Ryan had walked past the shop three times already, looking around as if he was looking for something. "I think Ryan is looking for me".

When Jessica returned from the back with the tray of rings, Jackie was standing alone in the middle of the shop.

"Where…?" asked Jessica, confused.

"Work stuff…" replied Jackie pointing out with her thumb and going back to the counter to look at the wedding bands. They were gorgeous. Some simple and plain, some with intricate patterns, some with a mix of different colors. Jackie never thought there would be so many options to choose from.

"I'm very glad he gave you this ring, and not the other one" Jessica said, suddenly.

"What do you mean, the other one?"

When they'd gotten back together, he told her that he'd had a ring that night in Chicago; and when she'd moved in with him, she had wondered where it was. When she didn't find it, she'd just assume that he'd hidden it in the store. At the end she was glad that she'd never seen it before the night he actually proposed.

She'd always assumed it was the same ring.

"Oh, you didn't know?" asked Jessica, slightly surprised. "The first time he came I could tell he was in a hurry… and hungover" she added, thoughtful. "And I got the feeling that he wasn't reaaally sure about any of it…"

"Why?" asked Jackie, extremely curious.

"I don't know… Intuition, I guess?" said Jessica, shrugging. "Anyway… I showed him some rings and he looked at them for a few moments, chose a very plain one, and just left"

Jessica went to a small cabinet on the side of the store and took a velvet box that jingled as she put it on the counter. She opened it and took a beautiful but plain white gold ring with a simple diamond. She gave it to Jackie for her to see. It was beautiful in its simplicity; but Jess was right, it was plain.

"He returned it a bit over three years ago" she said. "I think it was late January"

"But… That's when we got back together" said Jackie, confused.

"Yeah… I think he was high when he came in to return it" Jessica laughed, remembering. "I didn't think he would be so chatty" she added laughing.

"Did you hear the last Pink Floyd album?" he asked, suddenly, still staring at the ring. She said no. "It's been haunting me ever since New Year's" he added.

"So, I assume things didn't work out…" she commented, pointing at the ring.

"Obviously" replied him, dryly. He remained silent for a while, brooding, looking at the ring, shining faintly on its velvet box. She went to the door and turned the sign; she had a feeling that he needed to talk and would not appreciate an interruption. "It wasn't the right moment… and then it all went to hell"

"But that was months ago… why return it now?"

"I couldn't let go" he said, simply.

"What changed?" asked her, curious.

"I think we… maybe… we might get back together" he said shyly, almost afraid to be optimistic, hoping that saying it out loud wouldn't jinx it.

"In that case, won't you need the ring again, eventually?"

"No. Not this one" he replied, firmly. "Too much has happened… it would be a reminder of all the bad things"

"So, I gave him his money back" said Jessica, finishing the story.

Jackie was silent for a moment, amazed. "That was very chatty for him" commented Jackie, smiling. "Thanks for telling me this" she added, as Steven returned.

Jackie jumped from the chair she'd been sitting and gave him a deep, loving kiss.

"Wow… I should leave you alone in a jewelry store more often" he teased, slightly embarrassed when he saw Jessica watching them, smiling.

They went back to the counter to look at the wedding bands together and after a while decided on a simple but elegant pair of white gold rings with a very thin band of dark golden in the middle. They had Jessica engrave them with the date of their marriage and the song that had brought them back together. The phrase "Together we stand" on his ring, and "Divided, we fall" on hers.