After the funeral, Ethan took Maeve back to the Refuge. Tomas invited him to stay for dinner, but Ethan respectfully declined, saying he wanted some time alone to think. He shared a very private goodbye with Maeve out of sight, and then headed back into town.
The emotions roiling in his chest were something fierce and he?d needed some time alone to sort them out. During the funeral, he?d got to thinking about losing loved ones and how short life can be. The obvious conclusion was that he should marry Maeve, right? That?s where his mind went. But was it the right decision? Was this just some gut decision made because he was afraid of losing her? Or was this really the right time to be proposing? He loved her, yes, but did he love her enough to marry her right now?
These thoughts and more bounced around in his mind. He?d nearly talked himself out of it when something possessed him to enter a jeweler?s shop.
?Top o? the mornin? to ya, Sir.? The woman behind the counter at the back of the shop was a beauty. It was easy to see she was Irish, even without the help of the accent. Her fiery red hair was streaked with bits of gold and piled atop her head. Bright green eyes peered at Ethan with the warmth of a summer?s day. There was something about her mouth, too, that made you feel at ease. Perhaps it was the way she smiled so prettily, or perhaps the small beauty mark at the corner. Either way, her presence warmed Ethan to the bones, despite having just come from his niece?s funeral.
?I think it?s probably afternoon now,? he said, checking his watch.
The woman at the counter looked at the clock on the wall beside her and grinned. ?Oh, that it ?tis. That it ?tis. And what can I do ya? for, on this fine afternoon??
Ethan tore his gaze away from her bright, green eyes and stared blankly down at the glass counter. ?Oh, well, I thinking of? of looking at some rings.?
?An? just what kind o? rings would ye be needin? to look at??
?An engagement ring.? Even as he said it, Ethan?s mouth went dry.
?Oh!? The woman clapped her hands in delight. ?I do always love when the young men come in here lookin? for pretties. Well, Molly will certainly get you what you?ll be needin?.?
Molly. How fittingly clich?. Ethan smiled at Molly and leaned on the glass top. ?I want it to be pretty, but not overly obnoxious. She?s.. well, my girlfriend isn?t the gaudy type. Besides, I?m not rich by any means.?
?But of course not! Your pretty Maeve?ll be wanting something small and beautiful.?
Ethan stared at her. ?How..?
?Don?t be silly, man! Y?think Miss Molly here doesn?t know who ye are? I have to walk by your shop every day to get t?mine. And, of course, who doesn?t read the Gossip Gangstar? Why, I think I should die if my gossip columns ever went away. Oh! But listen to me blatherin? on when you?re probably itching to find a ring. Excuse me chatter, I do get carried away at times.?
?Well,? he said with a chuckle. ?It?s alright, but I would like to take a look at some rings.?
?And that we shall do, darlin?!? Molly led Ethan over to the display that held the rings and brought a carton up for him to look at. As he perused, Molly sighed. ?I saw in the paper about your niece, Mr. Kaiser. Was today the funeral?? When he nodded, she sighed again. ?Such a wee little thing she was. Always a happy little lass, though, hm??
?She never liked to let on that she was sick.?
?And strong, too! I never knew she was sick until after she?d gone. Ah, but life is short, isn?t it?? Molly paused, peering up at Ethan intently. ?I suppose that?s why yer? here now, isn?t it? Wanting to keep the loved ones close, aye.?
Ethan stared at Molly, wondering how she was so intuitive. He didn?t know what caused him to do so, but everything just spilled out of his mouth before he could stop it. Everything that had been bothering him about Adalia?s death, how to behave around his brother who seemed to have withdrawn into himself, and his confusion about what to do in Maeve?s instance.
?Well, I don?t rightly know what to say about the first two; I?ve never dealt with a death in my family ?afore. But in regards to the lady, well, all I can say is that whatever rings true in your heart is the path you should take. Love is never wrong.? She smiled kindly, then touched his hand. ?Should I put that in a box and ring it up for ye??
?W-what??
Molly laughed. ?That ring yer holdin? there. You haven?t looked at another this whole time. It?s a beauty, that one is. I?m sure she?ll love it.?
?Oh,? Ethan looked down at the ring in his hand once more. It was beautiful and reminded him of Maeve so much that he truly hadn?t been able to look at another. But was this the right time? He didn?t have the answer yet, but handed the ring to Molly anyway. ?Yes, yes go ahead and ring it up for me, Molly.?
Perhaps he?d give it to Maeve for Christmas, perhaps not. Only time would tell.
The emotions roiling in his chest were something fierce and he?d needed some time alone to sort them out. During the funeral, he?d got to thinking about losing loved ones and how short life can be. The obvious conclusion was that he should marry Maeve, right? That?s where his mind went. But was it the right decision? Was this just some gut decision made because he was afraid of losing her? Or was this really the right time to be proposing? He loved her, yes, but did he love her enough to marry her right now?
These thoughts and more bounced around in his mind. He?d nearly talked himself out of it when something possessed him to enter a jeweler?s shop.
?Top o? the mornin? to ya, Sir.? The woman behind the counter at the back of the shop was a beauty. It was easy to see she was Irish, even without the help of the accent. Her fiery red hair was streaked with bits of gold and piled atop her head. Bright green eyes peered at Ethan with the warmth of a summer?s day. There was something about her mouth, too, that made you feel at ease. Perhaps it was the way she smiled so prettily, or perhaps the small beauty mark at the corner. Either way, her presence warmed Ethan to the bones, despite having just come from his niece?s funeral.
?I think it?s probably afternoon now,? he said, checking his watch.
The woman at the counter looked at the clock on the wall beside her and grinned. ?Oh, that it ?tis. That it ?tis. And what can I do ya? for, on this fine afternoon??
Ethan tore his gaze away from her bright, green eyes and stared blankly down at the glass counter. ?Oh, well, I thinking of? of looking at some rings.?
?An? just what kind o? rings would ye be needin? to look at??
?An engagement ring.? Even as he said it, Ethan?s mouth went dry.
?Oh!? The woman clapped her hands in delight. ?I do always love when the young men come in here lookin? for pretties. Well, Molly will certainly get you what you?ll be needin?.?
Molly. How fittingly clich?. Ethan smiled at Molly and leaned on the glass top. ?I want it to be pretty, but not overly obnoxious. She?s.. well, my girlfriend isn?t the gaudy type. Besides, I?m not rich by any means.?
?But of course not! Your pretty Maeve?ll be wanting something small and beautiful.?
Ethan stared at her. ?How..?
?Don?t be silly, man! Y?think Miss Molly here doesn?t know who ye are? I have to walk by your shop every day to get t?mine. And, of course, who doesn?t read the Gossip Gangstar? Why, I think I should die if my gossip columns ever went away. Oh! But listen to me blatherin? on when you?re probably itching to find a ring. Excuse me chatter, I do get carried away at times.?
?Well,? he said with a chuckle. ?It?s alright, but I would like to take a look at some rings.?
?And that we shall do, darlin?!? Molly led Ethan over to the display that held the rings and brought a carton up for him to look at. As he perused, Molly sighed. ?I saw in the paper about your niece, Mr. Kaiser. Was today the funeral?? When he nodded, she sighed again. ?Such a wee little thing she was. Always a happy little lass, though, hm??
?She never liked to let on that she was sick.?
?And strong, too! I never knew she was sick until after she?d gone. Ah, but life is short, isn?t it?? Molly paused, peering up at Ethan intently. ?I suppose that?s why yer? here now, isn?t it? Wanting to keep the loved ones close, aye.?
Ethan stared at Molly, wondering how she was so intuitive. He didn?t know what caused him to do so, but everything just spilled out of his mouth before he could stop it. Everything that had been bothering him about Adalia?s death, how to behave around his brother who seemed to have withdrawn into himself, and his confusion about what to do in Maeve?s instance.
?Well, I don?t rightly know what to say about the first two; I?ve never dealt with a death in my family ?afore. But in regards to the lady, well, all I can say is that whatever rings true in your heart is the path you should take. Love is never wrong.? She smiled kindly, then touched his hand. ?Should I put that in a box and ring it up for ye??
?W-what??
Molly laughed. ?That ring yer holdin? there. You haven?t looked at another this whole time. It?s a beauty, that one is. I?m sure she?ll love it.?
?Oh,? Ethan looked down at the ring in his hand once more. It was beautiful and reminded him of Maeve so much that he truly hadn?t been able to look at another. But was this the right time? He didn?t have the answer yet, but handed the ring to Molly anyway. ?Yes, yes go ahead and ring it up for me, Molly.?
Perhaps he?d give it to Maeve for Christmas, perhaps not. Only time would tell.