Mimi rolled her eyes unhappily as she glared at the digital clock. A few
feet away, Belle and Chloe were both sitting on the couch, trying to finish
off the popcorn Mimi had popped earlier.
"You know," unhappily began Mimi. "This is just so typical of Jason. I mean, he tells me to not leave the apartment, then he calls and says that he'll be over soon, but never shows up. Is it any wonder I chose to move halfway across the world?"
Sharing a knowing look with Chloe, Belle said, "Well, Meems, I'm not sure what's going on with Jason, but I can tell you that he loves you. It's so obvious that you're the only woman for him."
"Well, Jason must not agree. Because, if he did, he wouldn't just let me go. It's time to face the facts, Belle. Jason Masters is never going to be ready to commit. Never."
"I think you're wrong," softly countered Chloe. "Jason must have a reason for wanting you to stay here at the apartment until he gets back."
Lowering her eyes to the floor, Mimi said, "Maybe he just went back to his place to gather up any belongings I might have left there. God knows he hated the idea of me ever moving any of my stuff in. He probably can't wait to get rid of anything at his apartment that I own."
Belle stood and slowly walked to where her friend was sitting. Taking a seat on the arm of Mimi's chair, Belle placed a supportive arm around her friend, saying, "Meems, you have to know how much Jason loves you. I don't know why he is so afraid to really commit, but that doesn't change the way he feels for you in his heart."
"Belle's right. I don't know what happened to make Jason so fearful of commitment, but I can certainly understand how he must feel. After all those years alone in the orphanage, I was terrified of letting someone love me. If it hadn't been for Philip's patience, I'd probably still be alone."
"Yes, but Jason wasn't raised in an orphanage. He grew up in the suburbs with two parents who loved him. What's his excuse?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I can't believe this is happening. I mean, what are the chances of this happening on the same night that you need to buy a ring?"
Jason tossed Shawn a very unhappy glare and replied, "I don't know, but I'm really starting to get mad. I need a ring, and I need one now. At this point, I don't even care what it looks like."
"Shawn has a point, though," stated Philip as he began to pace. "On the one night that we actually need to visit Wal-Mart's jewelry department late at night, the store is shut down due to a burst pipe that flooded part of the store. What are the chances?"
Ignoring his friends as they stood just outside the Wal-Mart entrance, Jason's gaze settled on a machine several feet away. Using the back of his hand to roughly hit Shawn, he declared, "I've got it!"
Practically running across the enclosed area outside the store, Jason neared a type of machine that he hadn't even paid attention to since his own childhood. Squatting in front of the vending machine, Jason spotted an object that instantly caught his attention.
Plastered against the front glass along with the other items available for a quarter was a ring with a green heart for the stone. Glancing back at his pals while pointing anxiously to the terribly tacky piece of children's jewelry, Jason excitedly shouted, "This is it. This is the ring I'm going to get for Mimi until I find the other one."
Walking toward their friend, Philip and Shawn stared skeptically at the ring Jason was indicating. However, before they could make a single comment, Jason was emptying his pockets in search of quarters. Philip and Shawn found they could do nothing but stare as their pal placed the first quarter in the slot and turned the small silver handle.
And, the guys watched the disappointment wash over Jason's face when he retrieved the plastic container the machine dropped for him only to find that it wasn't the ring. Stuffing the pink-beaded bracelet back in the plastic bubble, Jason placed the green lid back on and tossed the object carelessly behind him.
Not losing his resolve, Jason gave the machine another quarter. Again, he didn't get the desired ring. The desperate young man continued to offer the machine his change without the reward he sought. Soon, there was a small pile of tiny plastic containers collecting on the floor, and Shawn and Philip were doing their best to act oblivious to the people who would pass and openly stare.
Before long, Jason had used not only all the quarters he possessed, but also those of Shawn and Philip. When all the money was gone, Jason dejectedly collapsed on the hard floor beneath him and uncomfortably rested his back against the machines.
His eyes closed, Jason pondered exactly how it was that he had somehow come to be sitting outside the doors of Wal-Mart preparing to lose the only woman who ever really loved him - the only woman he had ever loved in return.
Squeezing his eyes even more tightly shut, Jason silently cursed his family, his mother in particular - wherever she was. He could still remember the day when Shawn's parents had dropped him off after a little league game, and he had slipped into his house unnoticed.
That was a day he would forever regret. Not a day had passed since then that he hadn't thought about the words his father spoke - about the way he and the woman Jason had believed to be his mother had discussed Jason's real mother.
However cruel the words may have been, Jason had never doubted their factualness. At such a young age, Jason had learned that his birth mother was a drug addict who would disappear for days at a time, often leaving her infant son completely alone in the house with no supervision until his father would come home and find his baby boy.
And, finally, one day Jason's mother abandoned him and never came back to claim him.
Jason was torn from his thoughts by the feel of someone poking his shoulder. His eyes opening, Jason found himself looking into the eyes of a young child, a hesitant smile gracing her face.
Lifting her other tiny hand up, the little girl displayed a shiny quarter. Extending her hand to Jason, she said, "Don't be sad. Maybe you'll get the good toy next time. You can have my quarter. I don't really need it because my mommy and daddy bought me candy already today."
For a moment, Jason didn't know if he should laugh or cry. He opted to merely pull the young child into a hug. Pulling away from the kid, Jason gave her a light pat on the head and said, "You're a really sweet kid, do you know that?"
"Yes, sir." Pointing to a woman several yards away, the little girl said, "I have to go now. Mommy said we have to hurry and go to Nanna's so I can get to bed because good little girls have to go to bed early - even if they did take a nap in the car."
Chuckling, Jason commented, "Well, your mom is a very smart lady, so listen to her."
As the child walked away and joined her mother, Jason held the quarter tightly in his hand, willing away the mist of tears that were threatening to make themselves known.
Slowing putting the quarter in the slot, Jason commented, "Here goes nothing."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Mimi groaned irritably as a loud banging stirred her from her sleep. Squinting her eyes open, she saw that Chloe and Belle, who had fallen asleep on the couch, were also being awoken by the persistent knocks on the front door.
Without even bothering to move from where she was curled up in her chair, Mimi yelled, "Go away!"
"Mimi," Jason shouted from the other side of the door. "Please, open the door. Let us in!"
"Us?" Chloe, Belle, and Mimi questioned simultaneously.
Releasing a sound similar to a growl, Mimi rose from the chair. As she crossed the room, she attempted to not only fully wake up but also stretch the tired muscles in her arms.
Flinging the door open, Mimi offered her boyfriend a genuinely displeased look. "It's nearly two in the morning. And, in case you've forgotten, I have to get up early in the morning to catch a flight."
Even Mimi's displeased attitude could not dampen Jason's bright mood. Pushing past Mimi, Jason entered the apartment and offered Belle and Chloe a light wave and a huge grin. Of course, both ladies had their attention captured by their husbands - who entered the apartment right behind Jason.
Tossing his jacket down on the back of the sofa, Jason turned to Mimi and happily scooped her into his arms. "About that silly trip, Meems. I think that it's a bad idea."
"And, I think it's none of your business."
"Oh, come on, baby. Please, don't be mad. I swear that we would have been here an hour ago if Philip's car hadn't had problems."
Grasping Jason's chin with her right hand, Mimi pulled his face close to hers and asked, "Does it look like I really care about Philip's car problems?"
"No . . . but-"
"No buts, Jase. I've had all the pathetic excuses I can take."
"Just give me five more minutes, Mimi. That's all I'm asking for."
Pulling completely away from Jason, Mimi responded, "You've got one minute. Say whatever you have to say and leave."
"Actually," replied Jason with a mischievous grin. "I don't exactly have anything to say."
"Then why are you here?" Mimi demanded as she threw her hands in the air. Turning to Belle and Chloe, who had moved to stand behind her, Mimi asked, "What is he talking about?"
The same grin continuing to control his face, Jason reached for his coat and pulled a plastic holder from the inner pocket. Tossing the object to Mimi, Jason answered, "This is what I'm talking about. It's not much, but it does express what I feel."
Giving Jason a quizzical glance, Mimi popped the lid off the container and stared in amazement at the object inside. As she stared back and forth between the ring and Jason, Mimi felt tears slip down her cheeks as any attempts at normal breathing evaded her.
"Is this what I think it is?"
"Yes, and I think you know the question that goes along with it."
"Jason, this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"
"Are you sure? Because, I thought that the heart was a little too bold and the band a little flashy," joked Jason as he recalled all the tries it took to finally get that adjustable ring from the machine.
"What are you talking about, Jase? I have never seen anything this amazing," commented Mimi as she pulled the ring from its container. "And, it's so sweet how you put it in this cheap little container!"
His eyes quite nearly popping out of his head, Jason found himself entranced by the sparkling object that Mimi was holding. And, as Mimi threw herself in his arms and repeatedly screamed her agreement to marriage, Jason found himself gazing oddly at where his jacket was draped over the back of the couch.
He knew for a fact that the cheap children's ring had been in that container when he had arrived at the apartment only minutes before. He just couldn't understand how the original ring had magically appeared in its place.
Glancing over Mimi's shoulder, Jason saw a satisfied smirk gracing Chloe's lips - and a certain inexpensive ring gracing her pinky finger. Lowly, she answered his silent question, "I thought you should work for it."
As he began to laugh at the twists and turns of his own life, Jason spun Mimi around in his arms. He didn't know that Chloe had forgotten her house key on the mantle and returned just after Philip went upstairs to retrieve it and that was how she had gotten hold of the ring. And, he didn't know that Philip had paid more than ten thousand dollars for what he told Jason was a twelve-hundred dollar ring - just so his less financially stable friend could give the girl of his dreams the ring of her dreams.
In fact, there were a lot of little mysteries in life that Jason didn't know or understand. But, with Mimi at his side, none of that mattered - because, he had finally learned that true love conquers all.
THE END!!!
"You know," unhappily began Mimi. "This is just so typical of Jason. I mean, he tells me to not leave the apartment, then he calls and says that he'll be over soon, but never shows up. Is it any wonder I chose to move halfway across the world?"
Sharing a knowing look with Chloe, Belle said, "Well, Meems, I'm not sure what's going on with Jason, but I can tell you that he loves you. It's so obvious that you're the only woman for him."
"Well, Jason must not agree. Because, if he did, he wouldn't just let me go. It's time to face the facts, Belle. Jason Masters is never going to be ready to commit. Never."
"I think you're wrong," softly countered Chloe. "Jason must have a reason for wanting you to stay here at the apartment until he gets back."
Lowering her eyes to the floor, Mimi said, "Maybe he just went back to his place to gather up any belongings I might have left there. God knows he hated the idea of me ever moving any of my stuff in. He probably can't wait to get rid of anything at his apartment that I own."
Belle stood and slowly walked to where her friend was sitting. Taking a seat on the arm of Mimi's chair, Belle placed a supportive arm around her friend, saying, "Meems, you have to know how much Jason loves you. I don't know why he is so afraid to really commit, but that doesn't change the way he feels for you in his heart."
"Belle's right. I don't know what happened to make Jason so fearful of commitment, but I can certainly understand how he must feel. After all those years alone in the orphanage, I was terrified of letting someone love me. If it hadn't been for Philip's patience, I'd probably still be alone."
"Yes, but Jason wasn't raised in an orphanage. He grew up in the suburbs with two parents who loved him. What's his excuse?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I can't believe this is happening. I mean, what are the chances of this happening on the same night that you need to buy a ring?"
Jason tossed Shawn a very unhappy glare and replied, "I don't know, but I'm really starting to get mad. I need a ring, and I need one now. At this point, I don't even care what it looks like."
"Shawn has a point, though," stated Philip as he began to pace. "On the one night that we actually need to visit Wal-Mart's jewelry department late at night, the store is shut down due to a burst pipe that flooded part of the store. What are the chances?"
Ignoring his friends as they stood just outside the Wal-Mart entrance, Jason's gaze settled on a machine several feet away. Using the back of his hand to roughly hit Shawn, he declared, "I've got it!"
Practically running across the enclosed area outside the store, Jason neared a type of machine that he hadn't even paid attention to since his own childhood. Squatting in front of the vending machine, Jason spotted an object that instantly caught his attention.
Plastered against the front glass along with the other items available for a quarter was a ring with a green heart for the stone. Glancing back at his pals while pointing anxiously to the terribly tacky piece of children's jewelry, Jason excitedly shouted, "This is it. This is the ring I'm going to get for Mimi until I find the other one."
Walking toward their friend, Philip and Shawn stared skeptically at the ring Jason was indicating. However, before they could make a single comment, Jason was emptying his pockets in search of quarters. Philip and Shawn found they could do nothing but stare as their pal placed the first quarter in the slot and turned the small silver handle.
And, the guys watched the disappointment wash over Jason's face when he retrieved the plastic container the machine dropped for him only to find that it wasn't the ring. Stuffing the pink-beaded bracelet back in the plastic bubble, Jason placed the green lid back on and tossed the object carelessly behind him.
Not losing his resolve, Jason gave the machine another quarter. Again, he didn't get the desired ring. The desperate young man continued to offer the machine his change without the reward he sought. Soon, there was a small pile of tiny plastic containers collecting on the floor, and Shawn and Philip were doing their best to act oblivious to the people who would pass and openly stare.
Before long, Jason had used not only all the quarters he possessed, but also those of Shawn and Philip. When all the money was gone, Jason dejectedly collapsed on the hard floor beneath him and uncomfortably rested his back against the machines.
His eyes closed, Jason pondered exactly how it was that he had somehow come to be sitting outside the doors of Wal-Mart preparing to lose the only woman who ever really loved him - the only woman he had ever loved in return.
Squeezing his eyes even more tightly shut, Jason silently cursed his family, his mother in particular - wherever she was. He could still remember the day when Shawn's parents had dropped him off after a little league game, and he had slipped into his house unnoticed.
That was a day he would forever regret. Not a day had passed since then that he hadn't thought about the words his father spoke - about the way he and the woman Jason had believed to be his mother had discussed Jason's real mother.
However cruel the words may have been, Jason had never doubted their factualness. At such a young age, Jason had learned that his birth mother was a drug addict who would disappear for days at a time, often leaving her infant son completely alone in the house with no supervision until his father would come home and find his baby boy.
And, finally, one day Jason's mother abandoned him and never came back to claim him.
Jason was torn from his thoughts by the feel of someone poking his shoulder. His eyes opening, Jason found himself looking into the eyes of a young child, a hesitant smile gracing her face.
Lifting her other tiny hand up, the little girl displayed a shiny quarter. Extending her hand to Jason, she said, "Don't be sad. Maybe you'll get the good toy next time. You can have my quarter. I don't really need it because my mommy and daddy bought me candy already today."
For a moment, Jason didn't know if he should laugh or cry. He opted to merely pull the young child into a hug. Pulling away from the kid, Jason gave her a light pat on the head and said, "You're a really sweet kid, do you know that?"
"Yes, sir." Pointing to a woman several yards away, the little girl said, "I have to go now. Mommy said we have to hurry and go to Nanna's so I can get to bed because good little girls have to go to bed early - even if they did take a nap in the car."
Chuckling, Jason commented, "Well, your mom is a very smart lady, so listen to her."
As the child walked away and joined her mother, Jason held the quarter tightly in his hand, willing away the mist of tears that were threatening to make themselves known.
Slowing putting the quarter in the slot, Jason commented, "Here goes nothing."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Mimi groaned irritably as a loud banging stirred her from her sleep. Squinting her eyes open, she saw that Chloe and Belle, who had fallen asleep on the couch, were also being awoken by the persistent knocks on the front door.
Without even bothering to move from where she was curled up in her chair, Mimi yelled, "Go away!"
"Mimi," Jason shouted from the other side of the door. "Please, open the door. Let us in!"
"Us?" Chloe, Belle, and Mimi questioned simultaneously.
Releasing a sound similar to a growl, Mimi rose from the chair. As she crossed the room, she attempted to not only fully wake up but also stretch the tired muscles in her arms.
Flinging the door open, Mimi offered her boyfriend a genuinely displeased look. "It's nearly two in the morning. And, in case you've forgotten, I have to get up early in the morning to catch a flight."
Even Mimi's displeased attitude could not dampen Jason's bright mood. Pushing past Mimi, Jason entered the apartment and offered Belle and Chloe a light wave and a huge grin. Of course, both ladies had their attention captured by their husbands - who entered the apartment right behind Jason.
Tossing his jacket down on the back of the sofa, Jason turned to Mimi and happily scooped her into his arms. "About that silly trip, Meems. I think that it's a bad idea."
"And, I think it's none of your business."
"Oh, come on, baby. Please, don't be mad. I swear that we would have been here an hour ago if Philip's car hadn't had problems."
Grasping Jason's chin with her right hand, Mimi pulled his face close to hers and asked, "Does it look like I really care about Philip's car problems?"
"No . . . but-"
"No buts, Jase. I've had all the pathetic excuses I can take."
"Just give me five more minutes, Mimi. That's all I'm asking for."
Pulling completely away from Jason, Mimi responded, "You've got one minute. Say whatever you have to say and leave."
"Actually," replied Jason with a mischievous grin. "I don't exactly have anything to say."
"Then why are you here?" Mimi demanded as she threw her hands in the air. Turning to Belle and Chloe, who had moved to stand behind her, Mimi asked, "What is he talking about?"
The same grin continuing to control his face, Jason reached for his coat and pulled a plastic holder from the inner pocket. Tossing the object to Mimi, Jason answered, "This is what I'm talking about. It's not much, but it does express what I feel."
Giving Jason a quizzical glance, Mimi popped the lid off the container and stared in amazement at the object inside. As she stared back and forth between the ring and Jason, Mimi felt tears slip down her cheeks as any attempts at normal breathing evaded her.
"Is this what I think it is?"
"Yes, and I think you know the question that goes along with it."
"Jason, this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"
"Are you sure? Because, I thought that the heart was a little too bold and the band a little flashy," joked Jason as he recalled all the tries it took to finally get that adjustable ring from the machine.
"What are you talking about, Jase? I have never seen anything this amazing," commented Mimi as she pulled the ring from its container. "And, it's so sweet how you put it in this cheap little container!"
His eyes quite nearly popping out of his head, Jason found himself entranced by the sparkling object that Mimi was holding. And, as Mimi threw herself in his arms and repeatedly screamed her agreement to marriage, Jason found himself gazing oddly at where his jacket was draped over the back of the couch.
He knew for a fact that the cheap children's ring had been in that container when he had arrived at the apartment only minutes before. He just couldn't understand how the original ring had magically appeared in its place.
Glancing over Mimi's shoulder, Jason saw a satisfied smirk gracing Chloe's lips - and a certain inexpensive ring gracing her pinky finger. Lowly, she answered his silent question, "I thought you should work for it."
As he began to laugh at the twists and turns of his own life, Jason spun Mimi around in his arms. He didn't know that Chloe had forgotten her house key on the mantle and returned just after Philip went upstairs to retrieve it and that was how she had gotten hold of the ring. And, he didn't know that Philip had paid more than ten thousand dollars for what he told Jason was a twelve-hundred dollar ring - just so his less financially stable friend could give the girl of his dreams the ring of her dreams.
In fact, there were a lot of little mysteries in life that Jason didn't know or understand. But, with Mimi at his side, none of that mattered - because, he had finally learned that true love conquers all.
THE END!!!