Pink star opal

 She hinted she would like a pink star opal for her birthday. He smiled, squeezing her hand but saying nothing, as his plan was already in effect. Hed been doing part-time jobs around the neighborhood, like cutting lawns and raking leaves. He shoveled driveways with a shovel, not a plow, and he washed dishes at a 24-hour diner. And to add to that, going to school and seeing her whenever he could, he often found an excuse, like he had to help his dad with something or his mom had errands for him. He later learned that she knew all along what he was doing.

It started with a walk into town, looking in shop windows, especially the jewelry store, where a beautiful pink star opal ring slowly spun on a display case. She didn't say anything, but her eyes told the story. He had asked her to be his girl last Christmas when he gave her a promise ring, a symbol of his feelings for her. She cried like most girls did, holding her finger up to show off the fact that she was his girl.

A few days after seeing the pink opal, he put the ring on layaway and made weekly payments. Eleven months later, it was paid off and hidden away in his room until he would give it to her on her birthday. On October 17th, he took her to the best restaurant in the small town for dinner. She was striking in a red dress and he in the only suit he owned. Neither was old enough to drink yet, but they toasted her special day with fruit punch. After the desert, he took the jewelry box from his pocket and slowly handed it to her. Go ahead, open it, he told her. She didn't move for a second, smiling her best smile and accepting the box with the jeweler's name embossed in gold trim.

The tears flowed down her face as she slowly opened the box and saw the most beautiful pink opal ring she had ever seen. Put it on he whispered, and she did just that, holding her ringed finger to the sky for the world to see. He waved down their waitress, and she brought her a birthday cake as tears continued to flow.

They decided to walk home, as she lived nearby. It was a cool October night, and he held her close as they walked in silence as she raised her ring finger to the sky. Look how it shines, she said, " Can you see the star in the opal? she asked. He told her he'd take it out of its box at night, holding the ring under the lamp, looking at the star, and wishing on it to be on her finger until he could replace it with a diamond ring.

She wore the pink opal for years to come, and he was sent off to war, where every night he'd look to the sky, wondering if she was looking at the same ones holding up her ring, hoping he would see the smallest of stars surrounding the pink opal she cherished more than any of her possessions.

He didn't come home, and her heart was shattered. She cried until no more tears would flow, and she wore the pink opal until the day she passed on. The ring she loved so much was buried on her finger per her request, the small star pointing to the sky where she hoped it would guide her to him in the heavens, where she knew he'd be waiting with a diamond.

Mike 2025