Phoebe and Cole were having dinner at the seaside. The air was warm and a light breeze caressed their skin. They occupied a small table directly at the waterfront where you could hear the breaking of the waves below. Phoebe was wearing a fabulous long white dress that would have made look her innocent, if it wasn't for the deep neckline at her back and the high slit. She had pinned up her hair to emphasize her delicate neck. Cole contrasted her with a black suit and dark blue dress shirt. They had finished the meal and were sitting opposite of each other, staring into the others eyes. Cole's right hand rested on Phoebe's left hand on the table. Phoebe had been looking at their joined hands for some time.
"Do you still have your wedding ring?" Phoebe asked him out of the blue.
"Why do you ask?" Cole asked her interested.
"I was just wondering", Phoebe answered, "What you had done with it."
She looked down at her right hand. She didn't wear her wedding ring anymore. She had taken it off the day she had decided that she wanted a divorce. Cole wasn't wearing a ring either.
"I still have it", he admitted, "I could never give it away."
"So you have it in a secret box or something?" Phoebe investigated.
"No", Cole smiled and stretched his fingers, "Look closely."
As he said it a ring appeared on his ring finger.
"I have always worn it", Cole revealed, "It is invisible for everyone but me. You know it doesn't look good, if the Source still mourns his charmed ex-wife after she left him, blackmailed him into a truce and took his heir with her."
"Sounds like a devious ex-wife", Phoebe teased. She moved her hand to touch his wedding band with her fingers tenderly.
"I was so happy then", she said sadly, "I thought we were meant to be. That we could have forever."
"We could have made it work", Cole answered. "You just didn't have enough faith in us to try." There was a trace of anger in his voice but it faded quickly to resignation.
"I haven't worn my wedding band in years", she continued, "but I took it with me when we left the manor last Saturday."
"Why did you take it with you?" Cole asked intrigued, "I don't see you wearing it now."
"I thought, maybe, you would give it to me again?" she asked and looked at him inquiringly. Her fingers still fondled with his now visible wedding ring. He raised an eyebrow.
"What are you suggesting?" he asked not sure if he wanted to go the direction she hinted at.
Phoebe worked up the courage to talk openly.
"Cole, look, I know I divorced you. I'm still sure it was the right thing to do at that time. Now it is a different time with different circumstances. I'd love to marry you again." She looked at him expectantly.
Cole sat there totally perplexed.
"Did you just propose to me?" he questioned quietly not sure he had heard correctly.
She could hear his voice tremble. Cole's eyes searched her face for an indication if she was serious or just playing games with him. He waited patiently for Phoebe to answer, since she didn't look entirely sure of what she had said.
"You don't want to?" she asked crestfallen with her little girl's voice. Big brown eyes staring at him. She took her hand back, sat back in her seat and looked down on her hands playing with her napkin.
"Phoebe", he addressed her to make her look back at him, "you are sure about what you just said?"
"Why don't you give me an answer?" Phoebe asked haltingly.
"You absolutely took me by surprise, Phoebe", Cole answered back, "and I'm not sure you comprehend the implications of your question."
"I thought it was a simple question that can be answered with yes or no", Phoebe insisted slightly irritated now.
"That's exactly what I thought the first time I asked you", Cole reminded her with a smile, "and you know how long it took you to give me an answer. I almost had to die."
"That's not fair! Bringing this up against me", Phoebe complained, "and by the way – I'm prepared to do the dying part as well", she shot at him.
"That's not what I meant or want", he reached for her hand and kissed it.
"I'd love to be your husband, again", Cole confirmed, "But what's the point of it? Why is it so important to you? We are together now. What will be the difference if we say the vows again?"
"It makes all the difference in the world, for me!" Phoebe cried out and got up to run away from him.
He darted after her and had caught her within some steps, cradling her in his arms. She allowed him to do so. Their quarrel had attracted some attention from the other guests. They were now staring at the couple standing in the middle of the room.
"Honey, I'm sorry" he cooed, "I didn't want to upset you, I'm sorry."
She leaned into his embrace and a small smile played on her lips, but she didn't let him see it. She then looked up into his eyes, which where full on concern. She almost had a guilty conscience for her little game with him.
"So this means yes?" she asked tentatively. He wiped her tears away with his thumb and looked at her seriously.
"Yes", he murmured and bent down to kiss her.
TBC