Imdalind 01 - Kiss of Fire

lap.
    “What? Are you asking me to marry you?” I scoffed the words, but I still couldn’t take my eyes off the box.
    “Hell, no! I have been engaged to Cynthia McFadden for years. Didn’t you know?” He pushed into my shoulder, almost knocking me over. “Just open it.”
    I moved back to a sitting position like a weeble. I couldn’t say anything; the richest guy in the state had just given me a jewelry box. Part of me didn’t want it, but the girl inside of me forced my fingers to rip the paper off.
    The box was back velvet, soft to the touch. I caressed it, like the box itself was the gift, before opening it to reveal an inside of soft black silk. Nestled into the shiny silk was a teardrop-shaped ruby the size of my thumbnail; the beautiful jewel was suspended from a fine silver chain. A beautiful silver wire wrapped around the Ruby in swirls and spirals that joined it to the chain. I could only stare at it. I knew without asking that the ruby was real. The necklace was worth more than my mother made in a year.
    “Do you like it?” Ryland’s voice was soft, entertained as he chuckled at my solitary head-bob of a response. He grabbed the necklace out of the box, and moved to place it around my neck.
    “Sorry it’s not a car,” he laughed, “but your mom wanted to give you a full new outfit for your birthday and forced... eh, recruited me to help. I thought this would set off the diamonds in your eyes. I think she will do anything to get you out of those hoodies and jeans.”
    I looked down at the necklace that now hung around my neck, my voice coming back. I moved my hair out from under the chain careful not to show that dreaded mark.
    “Besides,” Ryland continued, “You can always wear your new outfit under a hoodie and then your mom can still feel like she won.” I couldn’t help but laugh. But, I also felt like crying. I had never received anything so beautiful, something that I instantly loved. Darn my girl emotions! One tear had leaked out.
    “Thank you, Ryland. It’s beautiful. I love it.” My voice did not get above a whisper.
    “You know, Jos, you’re more of a girl than you let on. I’m just glad I am the one who gets to see it.” And then Ryland kissed my forehead; I thought my heart might explode.
    I hadn’t had a birthday this good, ever.

Two

    That all ended with dinner.
    We always met my grandparents at the same place, a little Mexican dive called La Fea Gato. La Fea Gato was in between our two houses, so we each had to drive an hour to meet for dinner. After having done it for eleven years, it wasn’t a big deal; I even had a favorite on the menu and spent the majority of the hour dreaming of Chile Verde rather than listening to my mom dote over how pretty I looked, and how big the rock Ryland had given me was.
    At first, she had attempted to pull my hair up, but I had put my foot down, startling poor Mette with a wail she had never heard come out of me before. I didn’t care how much my mom promised that the mark was barely noticeable, or that scars were fashionable; mine was staying hidden. I had brushed my dark hair out until it hung around my slender face like a sheet.
    We arrived at the restaurant late, rushing to the table to allow my grandmother her obligatory time to ogle over how much I had grown or changed. We all knew it was an act; my grandparents only came out of respect for my mother’s wishes. I never saw them any other time.
    My grandmother was a round woman with gray hair that she always wore in a bun. Her appearance suggested that she would be wearing a flowered apron, smiling and selling butter rolls rather than wearing business suits and the severe look she always had. My grandfather had always been quiet and somewhat reserved, but today he seemed downright cranky, and greeted my mother and me with a curt head-nod. My grandmother didn’t seem to notice and looked me over quickly before shoving a bright pink parcel into my hands. I tried my hardest to smile at the impending skirt, but I am not sure it worked. My mom’s iron grip dug into my arm as she prompted me to open it. Even though it was obvious no one wanted to be there, my mom was still going to try her hardest to make this work.
    The tape came off easily as if it had been rewrapped, and an atrocious red and black plaid skirt tumbled onto my lap, followed by a small black bag that would hold only a wallet, if I was lucky. I looked at them both as happily as I could before being shooed off