"Excellent choice, sir," the jeweler said, obviously pleased with the sale. "Shall we discuss payment plans?"
"Sure," Henry replied, his voice still shaky but resolute. "Let's do it."
As the jeweler led Henry over to a desk to discuss the finer details of diamond financing, I was so proud of my little brother.
I watched as Henry handed over his credit card, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. The jeweler swiped the card through the machine with practiced ease, and I could practically hear my brother's heart thumping in his chest.
“Nicely done,” Daniel whispered into my ear. “I’ll have to bring you the next time I need to buy jewelry.”
“But then you wouldn’t be able to surprise me with it,” I told him, grinning.
He smiled back. “How do you know it’ll be for you? Henry and I could really use a nice pair of friendship bracelets.”
We laughed together, then focused back on Henry as he was given a folder with papers and information. He stood up, but his gaze was focused on what the salesman was doing with his ring. Alice was one lucky lady, because when Henry chose something, he saw it as the best thing ever and treasured it as such.
"Congratulations, sir," the jeweler said, handing Henry the small velvet box containing the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. It truly was perfect for Alice.
Henry looked relieved, his shoulders visibly relaxing as he exhaled heavily and turned to us. "Thank you both. I really appreciate your help today."
"Of course," Daniel said. "Now, the real question is, how are you going to propose?"
My ears perked up at this, my curiosity piqued. I hadn't even thought about that part yet, but now I couldn't wait to hear Henry's plan.
"Okay, so you know how Alice and I are both huge fans of the same video game series, right?" Henry's eyes lit up with excitement.
I nodded, a familiar knot of apprehension tightening in my stomach. My brother's ideas tended to be on the wild side, and I had a sinking feeling that this one would be no exception.
"Well, I thought it would be cool to incorporate the game into my proposal." Henry grinned. "I'm going to create a custom level where Alice has to defeat a dragon to save a princess, and when she does, the princess will present her with the ring."
"That's...unique. Sounds lovely," Daniel said diplomatically, shooting me a sidelong glance.
"Are you sure Alice would like that?" I asked, trying my best to hide the skepticism in my voice. "It sounds pretty involved."
"Trust me, she'll love it," Henry said, his face flushed with enthusiasm. "We've spent countless hours playing those games together."
"Okay, then," I said. There was no use arguing with him when he got like this, especially when I thought it was entirely possible Alicewouldlike his idea. "Just make sure you're there to explain everything, in case she doesn't quite get what's going on."
"Of course," Henry promised. "It's going to be perfect, just like this ring."
I really wanted it to be. I wanted Henry’s life to be beautiful and perfect, because that’s what he deserved, so some small part of me felt guilty for not voicing a little more doubt over the plan. My brother deserved someone who would speak up when they thought he might be wrong, but also not crap all over the things he loved.
"Okay, so the video game proposal is great and all," I began, trying to gently nudge Henry in a different direction. "Have you considered something a little more...classic? Like a romantic dinner or a scenic hike?"
"Trust me," he said with an air of certainty that left no room for doubt. "Alice will love this. It's perfectly us."
I glanced at Daniel, who gave me a small shrug as though to say, 'we tried.' With a sigh, I relented. "If you're sure, then I'm sure. I can't wait to hear how it goes."
"Speaking of surprises," he said, changing the subject. "I want to pick up a few things for Alice's new room. You guys don't mind tagging along, do you?"
"Of course not," Daniel said. "Lead the way, my friend." We set off down the charming streets of our town, the afternoon sun casting warm, golden light on the quaint shops that lined both sides.
As we strolled, my senses were filled with the sights, sounds, and smells of our beloved hometown. The scent of fresh bread wafting from the bakery, children's laughter floating through the air from the nearby park, and the vibrant hues of flowers blooming in window boxes all contributed to the idyllic atmosphere.
"Let's start in here," Henry suggested, guiding us into a cozy little shop filled with an eclectic mix of knickknacks and home décor.
"Ooh, I love this place," I said, instantly drawn to a display of colorful throw pillows. I picked one up to examine the intricate embroidery, my fingers reveled in its soft texture.
"Focus," Daniel said, gently tugging the pillow from my grasp.
