Chapter Twenty-Five
Mick and Beth were strolling around Aspen in the late afternoon several days after the New Year's Eve debacle. The snow was softly falling as they walked along the brick paved Hyman Avenue pedestrian mall. Arm in arm, laughing at the scene they had witnessed earlier in the day.
There they were, lined up in the Kostan courtyard: all the Vikings, Collie, Spike and the puppy, being taught their commands by Debbie Hutchinson. "Sit." The puppy was the only one who obeyed until the others noticed that a treat was given out to Faith for good behavior. Then there was a major thud as all went down to the ground.
Mick was still grinning, shaking his head at seeing his red-head stubbornly resisting, asking why she had to be in the class, too? "Ah, my Colleen," said Mick, "my mother would have so loved knowing her." And with that remembrance of his mother, he pulled out an antique white gold filigree ring with a single diamond that had been recently refitted. Shocking Beth, and all the passersby witnessing the display, he got down on one knee and said, "Thank you for having my children and for being so loving towards others in the world. Now that you are ring less, I know my mother would have wanted you to have her wedding ring."
Speechless, Beth held out her hand. When the ring was slipped on, people all around started clapping. And they say Aspenites are jaded. Beth turned her finger towards the streetlight, to get a better view of it. "It's so lovely. I didn't know you had anything from your folks?"
"Just a few trinkets that went to relatives and eventually pawn shops after their passing. My dad's watch I found a long time ago and then just recently at Curious George's here in Aspen, there it was: Mom's wedding ring. She never had an engagement ring. Just this one that she wore all of her married life."
"So, should I let Harmony have the other one?" Beth teases him, until she sees his look of utter disbelief. "Ok, maybe not. But this is the one I'll be wearing from now on."
And Mick glowed as only a vampire in love can.