It fit as if it was made for her.
Magnolia gasped as she looked at the ring. “Luke, this is beautiful.”
I swallowed down on my emotions so I could explain, “It was my mother’s and my grandmother’s before her.”
She looked back at me as that sank in, then let out an awed, “Ohh. It’s absolutely perfect. I’m the one who’s honored.”
She tugged me to my feet, placed her hands on each side of my face, and kissed me hard. Then she threw her arms around my neck and hugged me, bouncing on the balls of her sock-covered feet. “We’re getting married!”
I pulled her into me and breathed her in, overcome by bliss and happiness and, not going to lie, relief. She wanted to be mine. Forever.
“Thank God,” I said, pressing my forehead to hers. “It took us a long time to get here.”
“But we made it.”
At that moment, a wrecking ball crashed into our sides. I laughed at my daughter, picked her up, and pulled her into our hug.
“You’re okay with me marrying Miss Magnolia, bug?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Addie yelled. “I’m getting my wish, Daddy!”
My dad had shuffled over to us. As I set Addie back on the floor, he came up to Magnolia’s side with his arms spread. “Welcome to our family, Magnolia.”
“Thank you,” she said as she hugged him. “I’m…” She shook her head. “I’m blown away. Did you know about this?”
“I did. I dug out his mother’s ring. She’d be thrilled for you two.”
Magnolia examined the ring again, holding it up at every angle, watching how the light hit it.
“Wait till you see it in the sunlight,” I told her.
It wasn’t the largest stone, but I knew very well that Magnolia would treasure this family heirloom a thousand times more than something that cost, well, a thousand times more.
“We get to have a wedding!” Addie sang. “Can I help decorate again?”
Magnolia laughed and bent down to her level. “You can help with more than decorations. Your daddy and I have a lot to discuss, but how would you feel about being a flower girl?”
My daughter’s eyes went huge. “Will my dress be sparkly?”
“It just might be,” Magnolia said. “We’ll have to find something beautiful.”
Addie threw her arms around Magnolia, making my heart damn near explode.
The Facetime ringtone sounded from Addie’s tablet, which she’d set out on the coffee table for her mom’s planned call.
“Mommy!” Addie yelled. “I have to tell her we’re having a wedding!”
“Let’s go out to the kitchen and set you up at the table for that call,” my dad said. “Let your dad and Miss Magnolia have some time together.”
Addie grabbed the tablet and sprinted to the kitchen table with my dad shuffling after her.
“Are you okay with your ex being the first to know?” she asked.
“Jessie will be cool. She’s been seeing a guy for over a year and always asks me if I’m ever going to settle down.”
Magnolia held her hand out again, admiring the ring on her finger. I moved next to her and admired it too.
“I love it so much, Luke. I love that it was your mom’s and your grandmother’s. I don’t know about your grandmother, but your mother left some big shoes to fill.”
