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Perhaps agreeing to this impromptu date wasn’t the wisest course of action.
They had just gotten back to the states from Yokohama, and Margaret wasted no time in showing him around all her favourite spots in the city not too far from her hometown. One of these spots happened to be a jewelry store, which had set him on edge though he dared not show it. While the store itself was not to blame, it certainly didn’t make the situation easier to deal with.
As Margaret went to look around at the various necklaces and earrings, Nathaniel hung back while remaining close enough to his beloved. It did not take long for his eyes to be drawn to the diamond rings inside the display to his right, nor did it take long for inferiority to take over. One look at the price tag was enough to tell him that they were well outside his pay grade, even with the money Francis had given them before going home. Of course, he didn’t need one; the weight of a small box in his pocket was proof enough of that. However, the object inside it paled in comparison to the ones in the display, and this was where the root of his insecurity took hold. He knew Margaret had an eye for the finest of things, and the realization that the ring he had for her would be nowhere near her standards began to eat away at him. In fact, it made him reconsider this whole affair, which had caused his anxiety to rise over the past few days. Perhaps if he had a better ring, he would be more prepared…
Before his thoughts could continue to spiral out of control, a voice next to him brought Nathaniel back to reality.
“Hmm?” he asked, not surprised by Margaret’s disappointed and annoyed expression.
“I said, ‘Aren’t these lovely?’ Honestly, it’s not like you to not pay attention.” A shiver of fear ran down his spine.
“Sorry, Margaret dear,” he said, trying to keep his tone apologetic and neutral to avoid any more suspicion. Judging from the way her eyes narrowed, he had failed.
“Is something the matter? You know you can talk to me.”
“Everything is fine,” he said, trying to be as assuring as he could, though Margaret was not convinced.
“You’re a horrible liar, you know that?” Placing a hand on her hip, she looked up to him, concern evident in her expression. “Seriously, just tell me what’s wrong.”
Realizing that he was not going to win this, much like every other time, Nathaniel let out a sigh. “Alright, though I would prefer to take this elsewhere.” He took one last look at the display of diamond rings before leaving the store, Margaret following alongside him. His pace increased as they walked through the mall, partially due to his long gait, and partially due to his own rapidly growing anxiety. Margaret, who was far shorter than himself, struggled to keep up with his pace. It wasn’t until both got to the car that Margaret was finally able to catch up, and by this point she was far more irritated than she had been earlier.
“Will you just tell me already!” She snapped, fixing a glare on Nathaniel, who couldn’t bring himself to meet her eye.
“I was hoping we could find a better place for this,” he replied quietly. “I don’t think doing this here in front of a mall is a wise choice.”
“What do you mean? If you’re going to tell me something, then the location doesn’t matter! Here is just as good as anywhere else!”
“Not for what I wanted to tell you.”
Margaret fell silent. His words carried a tone of serious, and she knew that continuing to argue would get them nowhere. Plus, his tone only added to her worry.
“…fine, but do not keep me waiting any longer than I have to.”
“Thank you.” Nathaniel paused for a moment before continuing. “There is a place I wish to take you. Once we get there, I will tell you everything. Would this suffice?”
“I suppose, but you had better follow through with this.”
“I will. I promise.”
It took a bit of time, and a lot of twists and turns, but eventually the pair made it to their destination; a lovely park complete with a majestic looking fountain and many a rose bush surrounding it. He had found the place while wandering about, and one look was all he needed to declare this spot as perfect. From the look of surprise and slight awe on her features, Nathaniel was inclined to believe that she thought the same.
“I never really noticed this place before,” she said, following after Nathaniel as he led them towards the fountain. “However, I don’t know what this place has to do with what you wished to tell me, though it is lovely.”
As he turned to her, he placed a hand in his pocket, his fingers curving around the small box that rested inside. Already he could feel his earlier anxiety returning, and his mind began to fill with doubt. It would only take one wrong move to ruin the moment, and with the quality of the ring not being up to her standards, there was ground for rejection. However, another part of him urged him forward, reminding him of all they had been through, and how happy Margaret was to be by his side.
The latter thought got through to him, and with a determined expression, he removed the box from his pocket and got down on one knee. It was a miracle that he didn’t fall over then and there, or drop the box from how hard his hand was shaking.
“I know I was supposed to explain everything to you in full, but I think this will more than suffice.” He looked up at her, noticing her eyes widen in surprise as he opened the box, revealing a small yet pretty diamond ring. “Margaret, would you do me the honor of staying by my side for many years to come?
Will you marry me?”
A heavy silence descended upon the pair; Nathaniel wearing a hopeful, yet nervous expression while Margaret’s reflected surprise, as well as the beginning of tears. She had brought a hand up to cover her mouth, and when the full weight of Nathaniel’s words hit her, the tears that had been welling up began to fall. The pair continued to look at each other, the heavy silence remaining until Margaret moved to where Nathaniel knelt. In an instant she fell to her knees and her arms found their way around his neck, the gesture being enough to nearly topple both of them.
“Did you even need to ask?” Her voice was clouded by tears, prompting Nathaniel to wrap his free arm around her waist.
“Well this is the proper way to go about it, is it not?”
“Yes, it is, and yes, I will.”
When she finally pulled away, Nathaniel took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger. While the ring would never be like anything in any store, the look of adoration on her face as she stared down at it proved to him that it was enough.
Besides, the true diamond was his soon to be beloved wife, and that was a diamond which could not be bought in any store, or for any price.