The girls fluttered about the jewelry counter.
"Brandy, Mandy," said the lady there. "The manager is looking for you."
"We're helping a customer."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope you aren't in trouble," said Becker.
"They are always in trouble," said the lady.
"We are," said the girls.
The lady shook her head and rolled her eyes. She was probably in her forties, with a blonde bun on top of her head. She wore a crisp gray suit with the name tag, "Eleanor."
"Can I help you, Sir?"
"He needs something that says, "I love you," said Mandy.
"And I want you to be my girl," said Brandy.
"It also wouldn't hurt to have it say, "I'm an idiot, too," said Becker.
Eleanor smiled. "More men should think that way."
Becker chuckled.
"What type of jewelry: earrings, bracelet, rings, necklaces?" asked Eleanor.
Mandy spoke up. "Oh, obviously a ring."
"No," said Brandy. "That's too much, too fast. He doesn't want to scare her. Go for earrings."
"Earrings?" asked Mandy. "It's not her birthday, you know. Earrings aren't personal enough."
Becker said, "I was thinking of a necklace, maybe a heart, but I could use your advice. I don't want to scare her off or give her something impersonal."
Eleanor smiled. "I think a necklace would be perfect, and a heart is always in good taste. Now, what price range?"
Becker sighed, and then grinned. "It doesn't matter. She's special, so I want to give her something special. Something gold, maybe even a diamond."
For the first time since he walked into the store, Becker heard silence from Mandy and Brandy. He looked at them, and they were crying.
"You're wonderful," said Brandy.
Mandy said, "I'm so jealous."
Eleanor laughed. "Step this way, please," she said to Becker. "Now the thing about gold is, the lower the number the more other metals were combined with the gold when making the jewelry item."
"Ok."
"14 karat gold is harder because it has less gold, and gold is a soft metal."
"I see."
"Good. I'm glad I haven't' lost you yet. Men get a glassy stare in the eyes when I go too fast or overwhelm them."
"I'm not to that point yet."
"Good," said Eleanor with a smile. "The highest gold content is 24 karat. It's the most expensive and the least durable."
"I get it."
"Now, 18 karat is in between."
"Let's go with that," said Becker.
"Fine. In the 18, we have several hearts, and several with diamonds."
Becker looked them over. His eye hit on a shiny gold heart about an inch long. At the top sat a nice sized diamond.
"May I see that one?"
"Certainly. That is a genuine diamond, it is one half carat, and there are also specks of real diamonds dusting the rest of the heart, bringing the total diamond weight to just under three fourths of a carat."
"It's simple but pretty," said Becker. "Can it be engraved?"
"It can."
"I like it. I think she will too."
"It is rather pricey."
Eleanor showed him the price. It was a major dent in his bank account, but he didn't care.
"I can do that," he said. Then he looked nervous, and said, "If...she doesn't like what I have to say..."
"Then she's bonkers," said Brandy. Mandy grunted in agreement.
"Can I return it?"
"You can, but not if its engraved. You can have it engraved later, just bring it in."
"Yeah, that would probably be wise," said Becker. "I wasn't nervous, about seeing her, but now that I think she might turn me down..."
Eleanor smiled kindly. "You have to ask before she says anything."
"I know," said Becker, chuckling. "Thank you. I'll take it."
"Wow," said Brandy. "You're incredible."
"Yes, you are," said Mandy. "I'm depressed. I need some chocolate. If we're done, I'm going to go visit Candy."
"We're done," said Becker. "Thank you, both of you. I didn't know where to start."
"Our pleasure," said Brandy. "Good luck."
Mandy said, "Yes, good luck, but just in case, here," she said, handing him a piece of paper. "If she is crazy, call me."
"Mandy? I can't believe you did that!" cried Brandy. "Here's mine, too." She quickly stuffed a second paper in his hand.
Eleanor chuckled as the two younger girls scampered off. "That wasn't inappropriate at all," she said.
Becker chuckled. "They're sweet."
"They're young and hormonal."
"Actually, they're about the same age as Jess."
"Is that the young lady you're here for?"
"Yeah," he said smiling. "She's young like them, but she has a good deal of sense and maturity," he said, then with a wink, "mostly."
Eleanor smiled. "You smile when you think of her."
"Yeah."
Eleanor handed a white box with a golden embossed lid. "I'd be happy to put it in a gift bag for you."
"Thanks, but I'll take it like this. I kind of have a plan."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I think I'll surprise her with the other gifts, and if she says yes, then Ill spring this on her."
"That's lovely."
"Thank you for your help."
"You're welcome, and I sincerely hope I do not see you returning it."
"Me too."
Becker proceeded to the checkout.
"All the tags have been removed from these, they're gifts," he said to the cashier, an adolescent boy.
"I hope they aren't all for the same girl."
"They are actually."
"Great, I feel inferior," said the kid.
"You are inferior," said the girl in the next check out. "You bought me a lousy bag of crisps."
"We were on break! Was I supposed to give you a ring?"
"It wouldn't hurt."
"You're girlfriend?" asked Becker.
"Yeah. Never date a work mate."
Becker smiled. "She is my work mate," he said, gesturing to the gifts.
"See!" said the girlfriend. "Some guys know how to treat a girl, even if she is a co-worker."
"No offense, but I'm ringing you up fast, to get you the heck out of here."
Becker smiled. "No offense taken. Good luck."
The checkout boy rolled his eyes. "I need more than luck."
Becker checked out, took his large collection of bags, and drove to the flower shop.