Chapter Text
“Papa, what’s a wedding ring?”
“Why do you ask?”
That evening, when Mama had come home, she’d been distracted, and Anya had read her mind: Millie was right. Everyone at the Lady Patriots Society wears their wedding ring. Since ours is a fake marriage, we never discussed it. I told them I am too clumsy to wear a ring. But what if someone asks Loid? We should have the same story. But how do I bring this up? It could be too painful for him. He probably associates wedding rings with his first wife. I wonder if he gave her an heirloom ring. Did he even have one? Maybe they bought a new set. No, I don’t want to remind him of painful memories. So, should…
Even though Anya couldn’t grasp exactly what Mama thought, she understood one thing – Mama wanted a ring. [Definitely not what Yor was thinking]
But what do I tell Papa? Thought Anya. I can’t tell him I read Mama’s mind. Oh, I know!
“Uh, Becky. It was in that show Becky watches. Berlint in Love”
“Well, wedding rings are exchanged during weddings and are worn to indicate that the wearer is married. They usually contain precious metals and sometimes gemstones. Not everyone wears them all the time, because it is an expensive piece of jewellery.”
“But in the show, only the boy gave it. The girl didn’t give him a ring.”
“That’s called an engagement ring. A person uses it to propose and ask their partner to marry them.”
I can anticipate her next question, thought Loid.
“Did you give one to Mama when you asked her to marry you?”
There you go, he thought.
“Not exactly.”
“Why not?”
“We needed to focus on your admission interview. It slipped my mind.”
The one I did pick for Yor was lost in a scuffle, thought Loid. I was too preoccupied with Operation Strix to remember it later.
“Can you only get them when you get married?”
“Well, they are generally used for symbolic purposes. But, I guess, we can still buy it for Yor.”
Anya jumped off his lap.
“Yayy! When are we going?”
“Not ‘we’, Anya. I will go and buy it.”
“Nooooooo. She’s MY Mama, too.”
That’s not what the ring is for, thought Loid. But her excitement stems from her love for Yor. Maybe I should let her be a part of this.
“Yayyyy!”
“I haven’t said yes.”
Anya gave him a cheeky smile. “Yayyyyyy!”
She seems to have decided on my behalf, thought Loid, shaking his head.
“Fine. I’ll pick you up after school, and we’ll go and buy one. But you can’t tell others about it.”
Especially not Yuri, thought Loid.
“Papa, is the ring a secret?”
“Wedding rings aren’t secret. But people think your Mama and I have been married for almost two years. It can make people suspicious if they find out we bought the rings now.”
“Okey-dokey. I won’t tell anyone. Secret gift for Mama. Yayyyy!”
Loid smiled, mentally combing through potential specifics of the ring – metal, gem, setting, cut, weight. He looked forward to identifying the one befitting Yor. However, first he had to embark on an activity which he fervently did not look forward to – convincing Handler to reimburse it.