The Ring by Mariia Kukshyna

Today is the day.

He is going to propose to her. He is nervously juggling a little black box in his jeans pocket while frantically pacing around the room. The room that just this morning he emptied with his friend Jeremy to make it look uninhabited. Just like it looked when he had first moved in here.

To stop himself from spiralling, Jax decides to take a quick shower. He throws his dirty clothes into the laundry basket and washes off the sweat. After which, Jax is heading to the bedroom to change into new fresh clothes.

Every detail about tonight is perfectly curated. He sprays the perfume – that same perfume that was gifted by his girlfriend on their first anniversary and that was discontinued a couple of months ago, yet Jax managed to find one of the last batches sold – and starts searching the wardrobe for something appropriate to wear. Half an hour in, four sets of pants and shirts out, and he finally settles on a simple hoodie paired with pants.

He takes Chinese take-out from the fridge along with a $2 bottle of sparkling wine and places it on the floor. He then sets tea candles around it, checking his phone in between lightning each of them.

“She must be here soon,” he says aloud. Jax uncorks the wine, stuffing the rubbish into his pocket. Just in time because as soon as the cork pops, Evelyn enters the apartment.

“I have had the most terrible day in the history of…” She does not finish her sentence as she turns around to find Jax in the middle of the empty living room, standing on one knee.

“Surprise,” he says with a squeaky voice. He takes a long breath and closes his eyes for a second to collect his thoughts. When he opens them, Evelyn is standing in front of him, her own eyes wide with awe and confusion.

“What is going on?” she asks in a hushed voice. But she does not really need an explanation. Just as, Jax does not need another second to calm his nerves. Because the smell of Evelyn’s lavender scent and the warmth of her presence is everything he needs to feel like himself again.

“Evelyn. My love. These three years has been a hell of a ride. I lost my job. Then got a new one. I got evicted, and then moved in here with you, exactly on this day, a year ago. At one point I felt like I had lost everything, but then I found you. You have been my support through thin and thick. You have been my most loving partner and my best friend. I cannot imagine my life without you in it,” he reaches into his pocket. And then the realisation hits like cold rain on a late April afternoon. There are only a cork and a metal string. And the ring he so carefully picked up for her is resting in his jeans, forgotten in the laundry basket.

“Shit,” he mumbles. “Evelyn, I am so sorry. Please give me a second. I need to get the ring. Sorry. It was supposed to be perfect,” Jax spits out while standing up. Evelyn catches his wrists with her hands and looks him into the eyes, hers already filled with happy tears.

“It is perfect, Jax. I will marry you,” she says, smiling.

His eyes start glistening.

“No. That won’t do.” He takes a metal string out of his pocket, loops it around itself and holds it out between them.

“Evelyn J. Collins. Will you marry me?”

She huffs out a laugh. “Yes!”

Jax threads the handmade ring onto her finger and then embraces her in his arms. They stand there, hugging, for hours. Just like they did a year ago when they moved into this place. When it was just as empty and unfurnished as today. With the Chinese take-out from the restaurant downstairs and a $2 bottle of sparkling wine, they grabbed at a 24/7 convenience store. And just as they started a new chapter back then, they are starting a new one right now.