Chapter 11

"Did I mention Pulstar therapy is the best?" Steffi asked a couple of weeks later while she and the kids were going through some items to donate for a charity rummage sale. "From the first treatment, I felt a difference. I'm still a bit stiff from time to time, especially in the morning, but not the horrible pain I had before treatment."

"Guess that explains why you've been in a good mood again lately," Audrey smiled. "That and you've been doing more stuff without having to take pills or sit down."

"Plus she and Dad had sex last night," Heath whispered in her ear. Audrey smacked his head for his effort.

"Well, they did." Heath said. "Dad's been dancing around and whistling all morning, didn't you notice?"

"Quit being so gross," Audrey replied.

"Did what, and what is so gross?" Steffi wondered.

"Nothing, Mom. Heath's just being a butt again," Audrey said, going through a jewelry box. "Hey, what's this? I don't think I ever saw it before."

"Let me see," Steffi took the ring from her. "Oh, gosh! I totally forgot about this. This is the mother's ring Daddy gave me when Heath was born."

She then peered further into the box in Audrey's lap, spying something else. "And there's the eternity ring he bought when I had you."

"Like was Dad into buying stuff for every occasion? Good thing you didn't have ten kids or something," Heath spoke up.

"It's what a lot of husbands do," Audrey explained. "Here's a pearl necklace too, with a little diamond clasp," she said, holding up a velvet box.

"Those are from our wedding," Steffi nodded, smiling.

"Wow. Now I know I want to marry a guy like Daddy now," Audrey nodded.

"I don't know, sweetheart, he tends to be one of a kind."

"I should have been born sooner," Audrey replied, making Steffi laugh.

"Sis, you're forgetting something. We wouldn't be here at all if he and Mom hadn't met each other," Heath pointed out, diving into the a large box. "Damn, what a bunch of junk. Wait, here's some magazines."

"What kind of magazines?" Steffi asked, before taking them. "Oh no, young man, these are going straight to the Dumpster."

"Won't that make Dad kind of mad?"

"He's probably forgotten about them by now, not that he doesn't need that garbage in the house anyway. Audrey, put these in the trash pile for your dad to take out later."

"Wow," Heath said, getting toward the bottom once he had gone through other items in the box, Steffi sorting what was to be kept, donated, or thrown away. "This is more interesting than the dirty magazine stash."

"Oh God," Steffi sighed. "Don't tell me there's some other things not suitable for young eyes in there too."

"No, but I didn't know Dad had a thing for stashing jewelry," Heath answered.

"What are you talking about?"

Heath held up a small gold band. "Check it out."

"Wait, that's a wedding band," Audrey observed. "But…..he already wears one."

Steffi nodded, laughing. "I think your brother has come across one of many that Daddy lost during the course of our marriage. Who knows what number that one is. Let me see."

Heath handed it over and Steffi studied it, a look coming over her face.

"What's wrong, Mom? Is your back getting stiff again? Heath and I can finish this," Audrey offered.

"No, I'm fine," Steffi responded, a smile coming across her face again. "This is the original ring from our wedding. To think it had been laying in that box all this time. I think I need to have a talk with your father."

A short time later:

"Hey, guys, you have stuff up there ready for the Dumpster?" Brian yelled. "I'm about to head out as soon as I finish the rest of this shit."

"Got a big bag of crap, Dad," Heath replied. "I'm bringing it down so Mom doesn't have to carry it."

"Ahh, good job. Your training to be a gentleman is going quite well, boy."

"Mom's coming down too," Heath added. "We're done up there and Audi's got everything about cleaned up."

"One thing about Mama getting an idea about rummage sales, it gives us an excuse to get some of this junk out of the house we don't use anymore."

Heath plopped the bag at the bottom of the stairs. "Here you go."

"Thanks, buddy," Brian grinned as Heath walked away.

Steffi then came in the room, smiling. "Having fun?"

"Lost in some good memories." He then pulled something out to show her. "Remember this?"

Steffi gasped. "That's the replica jacket you gave me on one of our first dates! I thought it had gotten lost when we moved after Audrey was born."

"Smells a little funny, but with cleaning, it could be good as new."

"Well, speaking of things previously lost, you won't believe what your son found among some old dirty magazines of yours."

"Wait, what? How did that little shit find my stash?"

"It wasn't as much a 'stash' as it was an old box with junk in it," Steffi nodded, reaching in her pocket. "But at the bottom, he discovered this." She handed him the ring.

"Holy shit, is this the…."

"Your original wedding band? Yes."

"God, I remember the hell you gave me for about a week when I lost this thing," Brian said, staring at it.

"That was the first of seven that you lost," Steffi grinned. "You're wearing the eighth one."

He gave her a look as if an idea had come to him. "You know, our anniversary is coming up and I have been racking my brain as to what we should do this year."

"Okay, but what does that have to do with your first ring being found, unless….."

"Unless we can renew our vows on that day and put this original ring back on me," Brian finished. "What do you think? Will you have me again?"

Steffi nodded eagerly. "I did the first time, and I certainly will again."