Friday, September 24th, 1954

8:30 p.m.

"You are the fidgetiest person I know!" Therese exclaimed as she grasped Carol's left hand trying to keep it still on top of the table. "I bet you don't do this at the salon."

"Never." Carol retorted.

"Only around me then?" She shrugged. "Good thing you're so gifted with these fingers otherwise… "

Carol raised an eyebrow before speaking. "Gifted, you say?"

"Otherwise… " Therese trailed off as she ignored Carol's comment and raised eyebrow. Carol stilled as Therese filed the last nail before pulling out the assortment of polishes in various shades of dark pinks and reds. Typically, Carol went to the salon to have her nails done. That Friday night, at home, Therese in her robe and Carol in her slip, and with not much else to do, Therese thought of asking Carol if she could file and paint her nails.

"Pick a color."

Therese saw Carol's indecisiveness in choosing and took the opportunity to massage the fingers of her left hand that she still held onto. She took each finger, one at a time and held onto it between her thumb and forefinger, then firmly rubbed each one with her thumb. She massaged each joint, circling each finger and gently rubbing. The motions distracted Carol from actually picking out a color as she hummed contentedly at Therese's pressing and tugging.

Mulling over her choices between about six different bottles, Carol picked one in a deep hue of red. It was a hint darker than her typical red polish, fitting well with the change in seasons. "It'll match the trees changing color soon, don't you think?"

"Hmmm." Therese took the bottle from Carol and gently rolled it between her hands. She looked for a washcloth to fold and place under Carol's hand while she painted her nails. She found on the floor beside her feet two washcloths, and bent over to pick them up. Therese grabbed them, then looked to Carol's bare feet moving and tapping beneath the table. Her legs weren't in the usual crossed position at either the knee or ankle, but were sliding around against the floor, merrily keeping the beat to the song they were listening to.

"You're in a good mood today." Therese noted.

"That and about five cups of coffee today." Carol said. "Plus it's Friday and I have you to myself all weekend long." Therese sat back up in her seat, looking at Carol who was simply too happy for words. "And yesterday was the first day of fall, which means it's getting cooler, and it's going to snow… "

Therese saw the hint of a smile when talking about snow. "You do love the snow, which means we should start planning that overdue ski trip to Vermont."

Suddenly, Carol then got very quiet, ceasing the movement of her legs and other fidgety movements with her legs. She shook her head to run her fingers through her hair and brush against the back of her neck. "I do love it there, but last time, it was not under the best of circumstances."

Therese moved from the side opposite Carol to sit next to her. "Tell me when you're ready, okay?" Therese picked up Carol's left hand and placed it back on the table, still holding onto it. She stroked the top of her hand, rubbing her thumb against the knuckles and increasingly dry skin. "How about I finish your nails. Just your fingernails; your toes can wait. Then I draw you a bath, turn down the lights, put on some music. I think you need some calm after all that coffee you had earlier."

Carol lifted their joined hands together toward her lips, delicately kissing the top of Therese's hand. "Only if you join me, dearest."

Saturday, September 25th, 1954

11:35 a.m.

Tiffany's was filled with the usual Saturday shoppers, outside only minimal window shoppers on a Saturday so many weeks before Christmas. In a few more weeks, it would be impossible to hit Fifth Avenue without endless crowds of people carrying oversized parcels and gift bags, knocking into each other as they politely attempted to open or hold doors and then walk down the sidewalk, inconsiderately three across, carrying all those items. Therese knew from previous experience that the window of opportunity to get in any shopping was now. After a couple hours of pleading with Dannie and bribing him with a case of beer, he finally agreed to wear an actual suit and tie to venture up to Midtown for help out Therese.

"Whaddaya like?" Dannie said with a wave to the glass case in front of him. Therese glared at Dannie, hoping he could at least sound a bit more coupley in looking at the rings in front of the astute salesgirl. "Shnookums?"

Therese rolled her eyes and continued looking.

There was one case in particular where Therese's walked back and forth looking at the rose gold different bands. She really liked the silver bands on display, so shiny and simple. But Harge had given her a silver band and she didn't want to do something so similar, something that he would have done. Gold was too plain, too boring, not exciting enough, not their style. Rose gold, there was something intriguing about that. It was different than regular gold, had the element of shine from silver but something altogether unique. The reddish hint to the gold also made it perfect for Carol.

"That's the one." Therese lightly tapped a gloved finger on the case, pointing to the thin rose gold band.

"Aren't you supposed to get one with a diamond or something?" Dannie whispered.

Therese looked up to see where the salesgirl was before speaking; she was temporarily distracted by a thirty year-old man pointing at some rings in the case beside them. "Carol doesn't like diamonds."

"That surprises me," said Dannie.

"Besides, the one with a diamond is an engagement ring." Therese pointed out. She scratched her head and took a deep breath, nervously looking around the room. Once more, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that kept coming loose from leaning forward to look into the case. "Honestly, I think we're beyond engagement."

"It's been, what? Two years now?"

"One and a half."

"Same thing."

"We live together."

"I don't know anyone unmarried who lives together," Dannie stated. "Except you two, but, y'know, I suppose it's different. You've been through a lot."

"Do you think we're already 'married' then?"

Dannie looked Therese up and down. She was dressed in her brown tweed Bonwit suit, heels, had meticulously done her hair, and wore a light silk scarf around her neck. "She's inspired all this in you."

"Yeah?"

"Maybe not the scarf. You're just wearin' that to hide the love bite on your neck."

"What?" Therese scurried to adjust the scarf some. "You can see it?"

Dannie laughed. "That was a shot in the dark because it's kinda warm out and y'gotta a scarf on."

"You're an ass." Therese whispered as she finished adjusting the scarf around her neck. The salesgirl walked back toward them, curious as to the commotion. Therese nudged Dannie who straightened up and continued looking into the glass case.

"Have you made up your mind, sir?"

Dannie looked to Therese for guidance, pointing back to the rose gold bands underneath the glass where they had been looking earlier.

"Yeah, these gold ones - rose gold, I think it is. Yeah, I'll take one of those."

They could tell the salesgirl was reluctant about Dannie's vague demeanor. "Did you want this engraved?"

"Engraved?" Dannie looked puzzled, until Therese had to nudge him one more time. "Oh yeah, almost forgot. And the size is on there too." He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a little piece of paper with some scribbles on it. "Hope that's, uh, legible."

The salesgirl took a brief look at the crumbled piece of paper Dannie set on the counter and unfurled it, smoothing it out against the corners of the countertop.

"How will you be paying, sir?"

Dannie stood still, not breaking eye contact with the salesgirl who took out her sales book, lost in a trance of purchasing the ring. "Uh, cash. Cash, please." Dannie patted down his jacket, feeling for the thick wallet that sat in his breast pocket. The associate found a pen and began to write down the transaction details in the book. Dannie pulled out the wallet he had earlier stuffed full of the cash that Therese had given him and carefully counted out the balance owed.

"I can't believe I just did that." Dannie said, slowly walking toward the Fifth Avenue doorway. "I can't believe I just spent that. I can't believe - "

"C'mon, let's go get started on those beers." Therese interjected as she took his arm. They took a right out of the building and headed back toward the Madison Avenue apartment on foot. "I really could use one myself."