Love’s Suicide(10)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I took a bite of toast before grabbing the small box and shaking it. It didn’t make a sound, so I figured that it would probably be a pair of stud earrings. I’d been hinting that I wanted a real pair to wear in my second hole.

Branch nudged me. “Well, go ahead and open it.”

I ripped open the paper and was holding a small red velvet box. I looked at Branch before opening it and getting the shock of my life. Inside was a very sparkly emerald cut diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds on both sides.

“So, what do you say? Do you still want to be my wife? I think we’ve waited long enough.”

I threw my arms around Branch. “Yes. Oh my goodness, yes, of course I do.” I closed my eyes and tried not to cry, removing the thought of my mother’s ring that had been recovered and given back to me all those years ago when they’d found her remains. In fact, her body was so damaged that her ring was one of the key points in identifying her. I’d promised myself that if I ever got married I would proudly wear the ring that she married my father with.

Now I had been presented this spectacular, very expensive, piece of jewelry and I felt obligated to accept it, no matter how sentimental the other one was.

I placed it on my finger and admired it sparkling against the sunshine coming in our window. “It’s beautiful, Branch. I never expected this.”

He held up my hand and looked at the ring on my finger. “I knew it would fit perfectly. They tried to convince me that you would need it sized. I told them that I knew my girl.”

I kissed him softly on the cheek and looked back at my hand. It was surreal making our engagement official. Of course, for years we’d discussed being married. It was never a matter of if, but more of when.

Granted, it wouldn’t be until we graduated, which was still two years away.

Branch and I had made a home in Salisbury, Maryland. We still went home once a month for dinner at his parents, but our lives were busy. Aside from school, we both worked jobs to pay the bills. In our spare time, we were either studying or sleeping. Even our sex life suffered, not that it was enough to complain about. We had it often, but other couples our age were doing it all of the time, and neither me nor Branch had the energy for that kind of thing.

I put my hand down and looked into Branch’s eyes. “This calls for some extra celebrating, don’t you think?” Without him answering me yet, I climbed into his lap and started rocking my body over his.

Branch groaned and kissed me softly. “I’m at your mercy.”

Of course he was. I had a lot of thanking to do, and we weren’t leaving our bed until he was a very happy fiancé.

After we’d celebrated in bed for the entire morning, we dressed and got ready to spend Christmas at his parents, where we would spend the night instead of making the long drive home. We both liked to have a few glasses of wine and neither of us wanted to get on the road afterwards.

Branch and I stood in the driveway as the car warmed up and flipped a coin for who would drive first. He lost and climbed into the driver’s seat, while I took the co-pilot spot next to him. We were holding hands before we backed out of the driveway, and I’d never felt so excited to share something with the family.

Then my mind went to Brooks.

This would be the second Christmas in a row without him. Since joining the army he’d been away. After boot camp, he was stationed in Texas. Even though he was allowed leave, it always happened when we couldn’t get away. Even though the distance had been good for my and Branch’s relationship, it still hadn’t filled the hole that he’d left in my heart.

For the first whole year I never received any form of communication from him. I still wrote him letters once a week, no matter how trivial the topic was. I just wanted him to know I was thinking about him and that I hoped he was well.

Then, just a few months ago, I’d started getting letters back. They weren’t anything spectacular, but my heart beat double on the day I received the first one.

I memorized his words and kept the letter hidden in a pair of old wool socks that itched too much to wear.

Dear Kat,

Thanks for writing me all those letters. Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond. My life’s been busy and I know yours has too. I hear you and Branch are doing well from Mom’s letters. Tell him I said hi.

I will try to write more.

Love, Brooks

It wasn’t anything mushy, but it was still something. He’d finally stopped ignoring me and accepted that we’d all grown up and that it was time to be friends again.

Although I’d never forget what happened between us, the secret I would take to the grave, I knew I couldn’t hate him. He put his own feelings aside for his brother and even though I could never understand it, I had to respect it.

Besides, somehow knowing that we’d shared something so intimate helped me cope with losing him. Maybe it was the reason he did it. I’d probably never find out and, by that point, I didn’t need to. Branch and I were on our way to share our good news. We were engaged and I wanted to shout it from the rooftops. The handsome man holding my hand, who made me smile every day wanted me to be his forever. I was honored to have his love and vowed to never take it for granted again.

We were greeted by his parents at the door, who then helped bring in the rest of the presents that we couldn’t carry in on the first trip inside. The house smelled like ham, and I couldn’t wait to tear into a nice family dinner. We’d been eating microwave dinners for two years, so any chance to have real food was like putting a child in a candy shop with free reign.

I didn’t care if I left there weighing ten more pounds. All I wanted to do was eat, drink, and be merry.

That’s exactly what I did too. We caught up with Danica and Walt, answering all of their questions about school and work.

It took them nearly an hour before they noticed the ring on my hand. His dad saw it first, but didn’t say anything. I caught him glancing at it as he spoke. When Danica finally spotted it on my finger, she snatched my hand up and looked down at it. “It’s more beautiful than the pictures, Branch. You did good picking it out on your own.”

I was shocked. “You knew?”

She dropped my hand and folded hers together. “Well, of course we knew. He had to call me for shopping advice. It wasn’t like his brother or father would know anything about what you’d like.” She winked, but of course my mind went to Brooks and how wrong she was about him knowing me.

After a little too much celebrating, I found myself climbing the ladder to the tree house. I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea, but there I was, pushing myself through the small opening, wearing a dress and a shawl. One of my shoes fell to the ground and I didn’t bother going back down to get it.