Ray sat in his room with Neela.

What had he just done?

He was as shocked as Neela.

He had not even thought about proposing to her.

He still did not know where the words came from.

Whatever? Their's had never been a conventional relationship. But from the start it had been something special. Deep down this was what he wanted. Deep down, this was obviously what Neela wanted too. The die was cast. All that remained, now, was to make plans.

Ray Lay on the bed and raised the backboard as much as he could. Neela snuggled in beside him as he waited for Dr. Barnes. To begin with, they did not discuss what had just happened. Instead, he asked about the night before. Neela informed him that Jake was, as they spoke, checking out of their hotel. For the remainder of their stay in Chicago, he would stay with Neela and Jake would stay with Morris. Ray smiled, he could not help but feel that this was Morris' attempt at playing cupid. He would be disappointed to discover he was too late.

Neela turned to Ray, "I never asked you how you were feeling."

"I'm pretty good actually. I have some pain but not as much as I expected. The most annoying and uncomfortable thing is having my teeth wired. Breakfast this morning was disgusting and I'm going to have the most dreadful case of halitosis pretty soon."

She looked at him with a puzzled frown and he started to laugh.

"I can't brush my teeth properly and I can't floss at all."

"Ray, there's a booklet available on how to maintain good oral hygiene."

"I know, I was just looking for sympathy." he pouted as best he could.

"And why should I give you sympathy?" she teased.

"Because you love me."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Ray said as he caught her hands, entwined them in his and started playing with them.

"Did I hear someone say love?" Jake asked as he popped his head around the door.

"My, my, you two look mighty cosy this morning."

They simply smiled but did not respond to his question.

"How was your night in the Windy City?" Ray asked.

Before Jake had a chance to respond Neela interupted.

"Yes Jake, when I was leaving Ike's you and Dawn seemed to be getting mighty cosy."

"Dawn is very nice, I'm hoping to catch up with her again this evening."

"Hey that's great man. Did she tell you she's from New Orleans?"

"She told me. In fact, we grew up in the same district and went to the same High School. Mind you, she went there five years after me."

"So," Neela said, "you're originally from New Orleans. When did you move to Baton Rouge?"

"When I started working for the State Prosecutor's Office."

"I didn't realise you were a lawyer."

"Yes, I graduated Law School before I left for Iraq. After rehab, I got a job with the State Prosecutor's Office."

"You were in Iraq?"

"I was in the National Reserve. I got called up for a six month tour right after grad school. I was only there a week when I stepped on a landmine. I lost both legs below the knee but it could be worse. I don't need to spell it out I guess."

Neela cringed.

"No, I know what you mean."

"Suffice to say, everything else is in good working order."

Ray decided to change the subject.

"So," he said clapping his hands, "Neela tells me you're staying with Morris for the rest of our stay."

"Yes. Neela and Archie organised this last night. We dropped my stuff off at his place on the way here. Your things are downstairs in your car. Don't worry I took everything from the hotel. Oh, and your Cheetahs are fine apart from a few scratches."

"Great. Thanks man."

"When are they going to let you go?"

"When Dr. Barnes arrives, I hope. Where's Morris?"

"He stopped off downstairs to check his timetable for the week. He's off today but needs to find out what time he starts tomorrow.

Just then Morris arrived.

"Well, I've no need to ask if you two are doing well."

Ray and Neela simply smiled cosily.

"Guys. I'm happy to take Jake on a tour of the city if you want to spend some quality time together."

They looked at each other and nodded.

"That would be great Archie, thanks." Ray said, "I'm not really up to playing tour guide today and I know Jake is dying to see the city."

"What about we head off then. We'll catch you at Neela's later."

"Here Ray, your car keys and the ticket for the car park," Jake said handing them over.

"See you folks later." With that they were gone.

"So Dr. Rasgotra, what say you we do some shopping when I get out of here?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"I thought we ought to check out some of the better jewellers in the city."

"Ray, there's really no need."

"There's every need." he said as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"You are the best and you deserve the best."

"When did you decide to ask me to marry you?"

Ray started to laugh.

"No secrets, OK?" he said with a twinkle.

"Oh … Kay!"

"I didn't actually decide. … I mean, I had thought and planned for our future together. I had considered the damage a drawn-out, long-distance reationship would cause. I had thought about us being together and where we might live. I had even imagined us having a family together. But in all of that, I had never thought. 'I want to marry Neela Rasgotra.' I had never thought. 'I am going to ask her to marry me.' When I asked you today, it was completely spontaneous. I was actually as surprised as you when I heard those words come out of my mouth. I did not realise I was going to ask you. But I think, it's what I've wanted deep down for a very long time. You are my best friend and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Me too."

With that Ray leaned back into the pillows with a sigh, turned to Neela and said,

" … My face is getting quite sore from talking. I took some painkillers earlier but I guess they are starting to wear off. I need to rest for a while."

"Sure Ray," she smiled.

Ray flicked through the TV channels until he found an old film noir. Then they lay back and watched it in silence while they waited for Dr. Barnes.

----------------------------------

About ten minutes later, Dr. Barnes arrived. As expected, she told him, he was good to go. She gave him a perscription for painkillers, antibiotics and a mouthwash. She also gave him some painkillers to tide him over until he filled his perscription.

--------------------------

"OK Neela, lets get out of here."he said taking her hand and heading towards the lifts. When they left the hospital, they headed toward a shopping district where Neela knew there were some good jewelry shops. They parked the car and headed for the street.

Neela stopped walking and said, "lets go for a coffee first." Ray gave her a puzzled look but agreed. When they were seated with their coffees, Ray turned to her and said,

"What's up?"

"Are you sure?"

"About what?"

"This."

"Yes. You?"

She nodded and then spoke.

"It's just we got carried away in Baton Rouge last year and then …"

"Neela," he interrupted, "this is different. I finish my residency in February. That's only five months away. We have Thanksgiving and Christmas in between so we really will not notice the time passing. When I finish my residency, I can move here and work as a locum until July. That gives us five months to decide where to next."

"You've thought this through."

"I guess I have. But we haven't discussed it. So maybe I'm presuming a lot."

"No. It would be great if you would move here for a while. I thought you were dead set against moving back to Chicago."

"I think I still had a lot to work through this time last year. Anyhow, this is just for five months. Who knows, this city may grow on me again. I still have good friends here." he paused, then said,

"So are we going to do this?"

"Yes Ray," she smiled, "lets go. …"

With that, they stood up and headed toward the door.

"You're limping." Neela exclaimed.

"Its nothing," he smiled "I'm just a little stiff after yesterday. I'll be fine provided I pace myself."

They strolled slowly down the street hand in hand. They passed a number of up-market jewellers. They looked in the windows but nothing took their fancy and they kept walking. They were in no hurry. They browsed in shop windows as they wandered.

Neela was looking at on ornate mirror in the window of an antique shop when Ray said,

"What about looking in here?"

"It's an antique shop Ray."

"So?"

"I'm not sure about buying a second-hand engagement ring."

"Let's at least take a look. You'd never know what we might find."

"Everything going to be far too big for me."

It was a tiny shop with a smell of must and lavendar furniture polish. An elderly lady sitting at a large writing desk covered in newspaper greeted them. She continued to polish an ornate silver rose bowl and left them to browse. A glass display cabinet ran along one wall. It contained a real treasure trove of trinkets and baubles. Ray led her towards it and they started to look at the display trays.

The display case contained some terribly ostentatious showy pieces, expensive but showy, not like her at all. It also contained some absolute junk. She laughed. What had Ray been thinking of. She hated fussy antique pieces.

Then she spotted it, a simple, heavy, gold band with what must have been a one carat circular diamond in a low circular white gold setting. It was a contemporary looking piece and looked so out of place among the other baubles.

Ray noticed what she was looking at and looked at her quizically.

"That looks out of place here."

"I was thinking the same thing."

"It's a beautiful piece."

"Yes," she smiled.

"Well, we have to at least take a closer look."

They called the shop assistant over and pointed to the ring.

It was quite a small ring and fitted Neela perfectly. It really seemed made for her finger.

"Neela, its perfect."

She looked up at him and said.

"I'm not sure I can buy a second-hand ring. There could be a bad history."

"You're a scientist Neela, you surely do not believe in Karma."

"I don't want a ring that has been a source of tragedy or unhappiness or one that has been associated with violence."

She looked at the shop assitant.

"Do you know anything about this ring?"

"Oddly enough, yes. An elderly man came in and pawned it about two years ago. Every so often he came back and paid a little something off the pawn ticket. Then, just last week, he arrived in and told me he wanted to sell it. He was quite distraught. His central heating had packed in and he needed a new boiler. He told me the ring belonged to his late wife. It was made for her in Germany by her first husband. He said it was what had brought them together and had always brought them luck. He was heartbroken that he had to part with it but he didn't have a choice."

"Well Neela, there's nothing sinister in this story. What do you say?"

She smiled as she looked down at it.

"It really is perfect. We're not going to find anything more suitable."

The shop assistant smiled and spoke. "The man made two requests, one that I sell the ring to seal a bond of love, the other, that I give whoever bought it the original box and papers. It looks like you fulfill the first requirement and here's the second. With that she presented Neela with the ring box and a plastic folder containing old hand-written papers.

"How sweet." said Neela as she looked at the old leather box.

With that Ray proffered his credit card and the lady put it into the credit card machine.

-----------------------------------

Later, when they were back home, Ray turned to Neela and said.

"No second thoughts?"

"None whatsoever. You?"

He pulled her to him bent and kissed her gently then said,

"I just can't wait to seal this contract with a proper kiss.

By the way, how and when are we going to announce it?"

"Well how about we tell Jake and Morris when they arrive. Or better still lets not say anything and see how long it takes for them to notice the ring." she said with a mischievous smile. "Once Morris knows our friends in County will not be long finding out. We could have a small celebration in Ike's tomorrow evening."

"I'll wait to tell my folks when I get home."

"I have to work up to telling mine."

Ray went to the kitchenette and took out the soluble pain medication and dissolved one in a glass of water.

"Are you in pain again?"

"Just sore."

"Sit down and relax, I was just about to heat up some soup."

He sat down. It was just two o'clock. He was sitting on a sofa in his fiance's apartment and she was spoiling him. HIS FIANCE! He had to pinch himself.

That morning when he woke he had not even been planning to ask her to marry him.

Now they were engaged!

Wow! He though, life could be exciting sometimes.

He smiled contentedly. Then he reached for his phone to call his parents and tell them his good news.

Yes. Life was really great.