24: Ring

"Hello, Nate."

"Hello."

"I'm glad you came back this week."

"You too, I thought you might bail on me."

"Oh no no no! I would never– plus it's my job."

"What was that last part?"

"Oh nothing…"

"Okay ma'am."

"Okay Nate~ So how have things been going? Are you still with your girlfriend?"

"Yep. Seems she isn't sick of me yet."

Mrs. Shannon looked at me with eager eyes. She sat back in her expensive therapist chair while I sat across from her at her desk.

"Good. Good. Nate, can I ask you… how are you doing?"

"You mean with… the voice?"

"Yeah… the voice. Has he come back? Said anything… negative?"

"No! No… I mean… there was this one time when… no, he hasn't."

"Oh, okay Nate. I'll trust you, but just know if it ever comes back, you can call me at any time."

"Yes Ma'am."

We sat there in silence for a little bit while she read through my file.

"Voice… check… girlfriend… check… mental state of the patient?"

She looked at me with a quizzical expression. A yellow blotch appeared behind her spreading across the air as a painted canvas behind her appeared. Suddenly she was a painting of a stoic young therapist, longing for meaning in life. I watched the paint trail through the air and branch into other colors. Soon the whole room turned into a painting. Even the street outside was paper. A beautiful mural of life.

"Nate!"

She interrupted my daydream.

"S-sorry… What was that Mrs. Shannon?"

"I said: How is your mental state? Beside the voice, have you had any negative or suicidal thoughts? Any days where you have low motivation and feel down in passion? Any signs you may be becoming anti-social and pushed away from society?"

I gripped the pen I was holding that I stole off of her desk.

"No… no… nothing like that. Everything's A-Okay."

"Okay…"

I watch her put the file on her desk and start to scribble in some notes under that question. I couldn't read well but what I made out was this:

"Patient seems to be exhibiting closed off behavior. Hiding behind a wall of positivity, it is clear that there are still dark thoughts being suppressed or ignored. He shows signs of dissociation. Refusing to talk and coping through his imagination. I often have to wake him up during sessions from random spells of daydreams. He is doing an amazing job at continuing life outside of the office. I do not personally recommend his prescription be upped but I will notify the head doctors if he requires a new prescription."

Heh. What a joke. I'm… completely… fine.

"Well this seems like since you don't have any issues to discuss, that would be it for today."

"Okay Mrs. Shannon. Do you want me to leave the check here?"

"Same place as usual. Bye Nate."

"Bye Mrs. Shannon."

I walk out of the office, shutting the door behind me and leaving my signed check with the receptionist.

"Bye Linda!"

On my way back to the car I get a call from Hailey.

"Hello?"

"Hello Hailey…"

"Are you free today?"

"I should be… how come?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me and Marc. We are gonna go to the mall."

"So you're hanging out with Marc now?"

I didn't think he'd be your type. What a surprise.

"It's not… It's not like that."

"Eh eh, I'm not shaming. Okay I'll meet you guys there."

"Yay! Thanks Nate. See you then."

"Bye Hailey, but one more thing– don't go being all lovey-dovey with my best friend in front of me."

"I said it's not like tha–"

I hang up laughing to myself as I start up my car. The mall eh. I guess I'm going to the mall.

I didn't know Marc and Emma were so close… What. Why do I care? Whatever. I should call Emma.

"Hey Emma."

"Hey Nate!"

"Are you still in the hospital?"

"Yeah, get out tomorrow."

"Ooo! I'm excited to see you. They haven't let me visit you since the first day you got in there."

"Yeah, I've missed you."

"I missed you too."

I continued driving and then arrived at the mall. I parked my car and took my phone off the stand.

"Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"I…"

I still can't say it.

"I… I gotta go Emma."

"Huh? Oh, okay… where are you going?"

"Marc and Hailey of all people called me up and asked me to accompany them to the mall."

"Sounds romantic."

"Right?"

"Well, have fun babe."

"Bye Emma."

"Bye!"

I step out of my car and start to walk toward the mall when a very deep voice calls my name from behind.

"Nate." The low husky voice said.

I turned around.

"Marc, what are you doing?"

"I was trying to scare you, make you think Freddy Kruger was after you."

"That doesn't even make sense! We aren't at my house, it isn't night, and I'm not sleeping."

"Hehehe, I guess that's true."

"Whatever Marc. Just give me the deets on Hailey? How come you've gotten so close out of nowhere?"

"I wouldn't say 'nowhere'. I mean we've had class together all year— multiple years actually, I just never spoke to her until this year. Anyways, ever since y'know… that thing back in winter… we've been spending a lot of time together. I know I'm probably just a rebound for her, y'know so she can get over you, but I kinda y'know… l…lll… li…"

"Like her?"

"Yeah… that…"

Marc blushed.

"Well, well, well. Who knew the great Marc the fool had actual feelings. I thought you only existed to hurt mine."

"Hey man! Chill out… you're not all cool, just because you've got a girlfriend and all. Stop acting all high and mighty."

"Heh, what's the deal man? You've had plenty of girlfriends before. Why is it so hard for you to say it about Hailey?"

"Well, I mean… I didn't actually like any of my girlfriends. I just kinda dated them because of social shit and… y'know it-it's stupid."

"No, come on man. You know I love both of you, I want the best for you both."

"Well… it's like… when I'm with Hailey, I'm like… myself."

I look at him without saying anything. He continues.

"I mean, it's like how you feel super comfortable with Emma. I've never felt like that with any of my girlfriends. I always had to keep up this facade. So for once… it was… it was kinda nice to y'know… feel like I belonged with someone. Even if we aren't dating…"

"Oh come on man," I wrap my arm over his shoulder, "I'm happy, man. I'm really happy for you."

I sway back and forth with my arm over him like I was a fisherman singing a sea shanty.

"Cut it out okay! Since when were you the romance expert?"

"Since it seems that I've got my emotions in better condition than you do."

We both laugh and then look toward the entrance of the mall where we see Hailey standing.

She was extra dolled up today. A nice floral summer dress with a white lace on the lining. Her hair wasn't straight like usual, it was curled, but only slightly. She had light makeup on. She looked pretty, Marc is a lucky man,

Not as lucky as me.

"Well someone's dressed up. Sorry, I didn't know I was supposed to come in wedding casual."

"Shut up Nate."

She's more assertive. Very good sign. Good job Marc.

"So Hailey, what are we going to do today?"

"Wellllllllllllll–" That 'well' went on for quite a long time. "-llllllllll… Marc, do you want to tell him?"

"What! Me?! Why me?"

"Because… just do it."

"Fine…"

It was funny seeing Marc get the treatment that he had given me for so many years.

"Okay… Nate… so the reason we called you here is because an important event is coming up."

"Graduation?"

"No…"

"Career plan slips?"

"You are not this dense. Use your brain Nate. What has been almost 3 months since?"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......….."

"Hold up, don't short circuit me now."

"Anniversary!"

"Bingo! Lucky winner number 3, Nate. You've won an exclusive trip to the mall with your two best friends to buy your girlfriend a 3 month anniversary gift."

Who said you guys were my best friends??

I have other friends, you know that!!

I talk to people other than you!

I'm not a shut-in!

Hey!

Can you hear me Marc!

Well, in all honesty… They were my best friends.

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate it."

Inside of my head, I could see the blurry face of a pink me smiling. Only faintly, but the outline of Nick still remained.

I'm glad.

I'm glad.

"Okay Nate… so… you know Emma the best, so only you can make the final decision… but… we are here to help… guide you…"

"Do you guys really think I'm that hopeless?"

They both nod their head in agreement.

"Wow… I'm glad to hear you have so much faith in me."

"Nate… it's not that we don't have faith in you…"

"It's just that we aren't sure if you'll make the best decision…"

"So basically you two are saying you don't trust my knowledge about my girlfriend?"

They nod in agreement again.

Wow.

"Right. Okay, both of you. Follow me."

I led them both to a bookstore.

"Y'see, right here? Emma and I have been to this place a few times, and every time, she has eyeballed one book, but never bought it. It may have been because I was there, or that she didn't have money, either way, she looked at it but never got it. She must want it."

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

"What, Hailey?"

"I just think… y'know 3 months is a long time… you should get her something more… valuable."

I took a deep exhale.

"Fine. I have something in mind,"

We walked to an expensive clothes store.

"Here is a place that I have never purchased something from because: 1) It's a girls store. And 2) It's expensive. Emma is my girlfriend and I… l…lll… like her… so I want to buy her something nice. Even though it will cost me an arm and a leg, I'm willing to buy her something from here.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

Marc walked into the store and I held Hailey back.

"Hey… Hailey."

"Yeah?"

"Marc?"

"Yeah…"

"Yep."

"Well, I'm happy for you…"

"I told you it's not like that."

"Isn't it?"

"Jeez, keep your voice down.

She blushed.

"So it is."

She was bright red and nodded her head, hiding her face with her hair.

"Well, I'm glad. Very glad."

"Thanks Nate."

She patted me on the shoulder.

"Well, I'm off to go pick out a gift for my girlfriend that you're just going to reject."

"Good luck."

We spent about thirty minutes in that store and didn't find anything we could imagine Emma wearing.

We narrowed down the lists, moving shop after shop until we found a jewelry shop.

"In the end, it seems, I truly am a basic boyfriend."

"Well… who said there's anything wrong with basic?"

"You're right…"

We looked through the shop observing everything they had until I got to their very last ring.

It was a gold plated ring, size medium. $200 dollars, and could get engraved for free.

I decided to engrave an N and an E in the ring, and buy two of them.

A matching set of rings.

Outside of the store, we went to eat. And I thanked them both. As thanks, I paid for their food, gave Marc $100 and told him to treat Hailey.

They both turned bright red and in unison said, "It's not like that!"

I thanked them once again and left them in the food court by themselves.

* * *

About a week and a half passed since then, and on our anniversary I went to Emma's house and knocked on the front door.

"Coming!" She yelled from upstairs.

She opened the door and with slightly messy hair and a pair of house clothes, she flared up after seeing it was me at the door.

I grabbed her hand upon her opening the door and pulled the ring out of my pocket.

"Emma…"

"N-nate…"

"For you."

"For me."

We both smiled and kissed.

"Happy three months."

"Happy three months."

We went inside and spent the night watching movies in Emma's room. Exactly how she wanted to spend the day.

Hand in hand.

Ring to ring.

Thank you guys.

Thanks for everything.