She had nearly forgotten all about it she admitted to herself as her entire face colored in embarrassment. It was such a sweet, albeit bittersweet gesture. Lifting her hand to take it from him gently, she stated down at the beautiful ring and the promise it meant.
“I will,” she whispered, tears coming to her eyes even more as she smiled at him. Slipping the ring back on her finger, she couldn’t believe this was happening. The familiar weight was assuring as she twirled the ring around. “Because I still want it all with you. To have a life with you and only you.”
Looking up at him, she gave him a sweet smile.
He watched, love and hope welling up in a warm glow inside him, as she slipped the ring back on. And when she gave him that sweet smile, Jack pulled her into his arms again. “Then that’s what we’ll have, Katelynn,” he whispered against her hair.
The two of them cuddled like that for a while longer. Nothing was said – nothing needed to be. They had been apart for too long, and simply wanted to be as close as they could, just for now.
Eventually, though, Jack realized that her clothes were still torn, and she was grimy with soot and dirt. “Um … I guess you’d probably like to get cleaned up?” he asked, with an embarrassed smile.
Her catsuit had been crinkling when she moved but she had not paid it any mind any more than one would listen to outside traffic. But now that he pointed it out she peered down at herself and wrapped her arms around herself.
“Y-Yes..” She whispered, licking her lips. “Sorry I’m..such a mess..it was..well..we all did our best.”
Releasing herself gently from Jack’s arms, she rose from the couch and walked to the bedroom for clothes, wondering if her bathing supplies were all still there and if Jack was forced to look at them. She peered back at him. “I’ll be quick..and maybe we can just..relax and watch a movie?” She needed a sense of normalcy after everything.
“O-of course,” Jack replied. “T-take all the time you need. Your, um, your stuff’s still in the bathroom,” he added. “I moved it under the sink, but it’s all there.” It had been too hard for him to look at it (not to mention it got in the way), but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to get rid of it, either. Like the ring, he’d kept it as a silent hope that Katelynn would come back.
Now that the people were done talking, Roxy came nosing over to the couch. With a smile, Jack lifted the little pug into his arms, and called to Katelynn, “A movie sounds good. And maybe you could tell me what you were up to just now?” The way she’d talked about it, we all did our best, made him think it wasn’t something bad, and he was genuinely curious.
Jack Maple 