DISCLAIMER: I don't own The O.C., or the characters from The O.C.
Authors Note: I thought only teachers had to remind students that taking other people's work is plagiarism and is wrong to do but I guess I have to remind people about it as well.
Please don't take my specific descriptions, similes, metaphors, and examples I use in my stories. If you want to use the exact way I portrayed something, ask me first. As long as you give proper credit, and I won't mind if you use something that I thought of, but please don't take without asking.
To all those who reviewed-Thank you for your kind words! I appreciate them! Enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think!
Sandy didn't know how to bring up the subject with his wife after having such a wonderful evening. After all, maybe Kirsten really did lose her ring and this would make her think that Sandy doubted her honesty. He thought about where Kirsten would put her rings had she decided to take them off purposely…probably in her dresser or in her jewelry box.
While he was making coffee, Kirsten walked into the kitchen. Sandy said, "I called the plumber to fix the sink. Thankfully we don't need him to look for your ring since you found it."
"Yeah," Kirsten replied, touching her ring as she went to get milk out of the fridge.
Sandy again sensed that Kirsten was acting strange—or feeling guilty for lying about losing the ring. He decided to continue subtly hinting about the ring, saying, "Your dad and I looked all over for it. I even let Cal in our bedroom."
With that, Kirsten nearly dropped the milk, her face turning bright red as she tried to cover her weird behavior. "You did?"
"Yup. He looked in your jewelry box but he didn't find it in there. I looked in the bathroom, under the bed, in the drawers…"
"Oh," Kirsten said, quickly turning her attention to making breakfast.
"Yeah," Sandy replied, "we looked in all the wrong places I guess, at least you found it." He decided to change the subject as it was obvious Kirsten wasn't willing to talk about the ring, and he didn't want to lie to her anymore about the fake story of him and Cal looking all over for her ring.
Now he had to figure out if he wanted to confront Kirsten about the ring—or wait for her to bring it up. As he pondered this, he gazed at Kirsten's ring as she spread cream cheese on a bagel, which reminded him of a special evening they had shared together 17 years ago…
Sandy didn't have chance to buy Kirsten the second ring to the wedding set until three years after their wedding. It wasn't because of the financial expense, as Sandy had gotten a job as a public defender and made a decent amount of money compared to the hourly salary he had been getting at the other law firm, but it was because Kirsten got pregnant shortly after they got married, thus leading to tiring learning experiences as new parents that took up a lot of their time and energy.
Seth was now in the "terrible two's", taking every ounce of energy out of both Kirsten and Sandy. In fact, the lack of sleep and stress made the Cohen household very tense at times. Sandy and Kirsten barely saw each other sexually anymore. Between Sandy learning the ropes of his new job and Kirsten juggling the baby and going to school, the Cohens' couldn't find time for each other.
They finally decided to make time for each other and planned a special evening for just the two of them on a night when Seth's godparents, Sandy and Kirsten's friends, were coming over to see Seth.
As Kirsten left all her instructions for Seth's godparents, Sandy called and told Kirsten she was going to have to take a rain check on their date.
"What? Sandy we have-or had-plans. Can't you tell them you'll finish it up next week?" Kirsten asked hopelessly.
"I can't. I'm sorry honey. I'm still new to the firm and we got a big case going to court on Monday. My boss just dropped a bunch of documents on my desk that I need to look over tonight. Okay?" Sandy asked, hoping his wife would understand.
"I guess I don't have a choice," Kirsten said frustrated. She wasn't mad at Sandy. She just missed him and wanted to spend more time with him.
"Save me a plate of dinner?" Sandy asked, smiling as he said it.
"Only for my husband," Kirsten replied smiling, every time she called Sandy her husband it just made her smile.
Though extremely tired that night, Sandy still wanted to give his wife the present he had planned on giving her at the restaurant.
He walked into their house to find Kirsten in Seth's room tucking Seth into bed, singing a lullaby to him.
"That was great, I'd like to hear the next verse," Sandy said smiling.
"Sandy! You scared me," Kirsten said as she walked over to him. "Now I'm embarrassed!"
"You sounded beautiful," Sandy said, and then apologized again for having to cancel their date, and then said, "Thanks for saving me dinner, but why are there two place settings set on the table?"
"For us to eat dinner. I waited for you," Kirsten said, giving Sandy a look that said he was forgiven for canceling their date.
After dinner, Sandy decided to give Kirsten her present. He got down on one knee and took Kirsten's hands and said, "We haven't spent that much time together, but I'm going to make sure that we work out a schedule so that between learning how to parent Seth, my work, and your school we spend more time together. I'm sorry about having to cancel tonight. I was going to give this to you at the restaurant, but I'm going to give it to you now."
Kirsten's mouth dropped open in surprise as Sandy took off Kirsten's wedding ring, and put the beautiful diamond engagement ring on her finger before putting her wedding ring on top of her engagement ring.
"You don't need the plastic one anymore," Sandy said laughing.
"Sandy, I'm speechless. I told you many times already that this is not necessary! I have you! I don't need an expensive ring!"
"You are not going to change my mind," Sandy said laughing, "I had my heart set on buying you this set the second I saw it."
"Sandy…" Kirsten said sweetly as she pulled him up and hugged him, "Mm…I love you."
"I love you. You know," Sandy said in a mischievous way, "Seth went to bed already, we made up, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I am. Come on, let's go," Kirsten said as she grabbed Sandy's hand, leading him toward the bedroom…
Later on that night, Sandy questioned Kirsten about the ring again. If his wife still had unresolved issues about his hurtful behavior a few weeks ago he wanted her to talk to him, not take off her wedding ring.
"Kirsten, I want to ask you something and I want you to be honest with me. Did you purposely take off your wedding ring?"
"What?" Kirsten asked quickly, stopping from taking off her jewelry as she continued to look straight ahead and not at Sandy.
"If you weren't gardening or washing dishes, just tell me," Sandy said with a sound of hurt in his voice.
"So you're accusing me of lying?" Kirsten said as she turned around, anger in her voice.
"Well you do sound defensive," Sandy snapped back, but then said softer, "I just want you to talk to me. If you're still hurt over everything just tell me. I understand if you need more time to forgive me and for things to go back to normal. I…I…I just don't like you taking off your wedding ring."
Kirsten bit her lip, frustration showing in her face. She turned back around away from Sandy so he wouldn't see the tears forming in her eyes.
As always, let me know what you think. Next chapter will be another flashback and a current scene where Kirsten explains why she took off her ring.