Her hand felt different. Not like it was colder or oddly shaped but when he grabbed it it hadn't really felt like hers. It felt like the hand he held in high school, the start of a new relationship that he had been dreaming of since elementary. He looked to her while they walked and she spoke. Nothing had changed about her appearance; smile as she told a story, strawberry blonde hair in loose curls, freckles scattered like stars amongst her make-up-less cheeks. Yeah she was definitely still the same Lydia, he concluded. But her hand was definitely not her hand.
They stopped walking and he pulled her to the side of the aisle in whatever store they were in. Target? He didn't know. He lifted up her hand oddly to his eyesight causing a few stares from the guy looking at laundry detergent a few feet down.
"Your ring."
"What?"
"Your wedding ring, it's missing." He concluded. And normally he would've brushed it off. She was surprised! When had it fallen off? Where had it gone! But instead of surprise, her face fell.
"I was going to tell you I just don't know–...I lost it three days ago..." She mumbles, looking to the ground ashamed. Dammit she loved him so much; he didn't have an outburst or yell about how much the ring had cost him. Instead he took her hand again and kissed her knuckles.
"We'll just have to get you another one..." He sighed.
"Stiles–"
"No, no it's fine Lyds. I'll go to the jewelers Friday and see what they can do." There was a smile on his lips but she could already see his train of thought. Almost a year they'd been married, both of them in college and both with jobs but Stiles was still the harder worker. Not that Lydia didn't do her share, Stiles just put forth more. He worked down at the station with his father, still in training but it earned him some money. When he had time he took online courses so as to become a full time officer.
When he wasn't working, he didn't see Lydia often was so even simple trips to the store as such were a rare event. But she knew he wouldn't be able to afford another ring. He was too busy paying the bills, paying through not only his college but helping her as well despite all protests (she didn't earn enough as a waitress).
"Lyds?" Stiles yelled through the house, messing with the cuff of his dress shirt. He peeked around the corner of one room but she wasn't there. "I need help with my tie!" He called again. There was a bang and a curse from the kitchen. He found her on her knees under the kitchen table, rubbing the back of her head with a wince. "What are you doing?" He laughed before helping her stand. The look on her face was one he had memorized and witnessed earlier that day in fact. She was guilty.
"Lydia, no, we're not doing this." He handed her the tie.
"Yes, we are! I lost my wedding ring, that's my fault, you are not going to pay for a new one." She whined as he ducked so she could wrap the fabric around his neck. Fancy freaking high school lacrosse reunions. Why the hell did he need to wear a suit.
He scowled. "It's not that big of a deal. People lose their rings all the time."
"But other people can afford to replace them. . ." She mumbled, finishing her job. Stiles' gaze softened and he grabbed her hands tenderly.
She avoided his eyes.
"You think we can't afford to get you another?" He sounded like he was going to cry and Lydia remembered something her mother had once told her: never make a man feel like he hasn't done his job. The guilt became overbearing.
"No, I just – " she cut herself off with a sigh. For a moment it was just them in the kitchen, holding hands with late night silence.
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek and she finally turned to look at him. "Ya know I'm trying. For us. For you."
"I know, I know how much you do and I'm no help losing things that are so damn expensive." She began to grow angry at herself. But he only smiled and pecked her lips before telling her to stay put and walking off.
He returned a second later with a ball of yarn and some scissors.
"Do you love me?" He asked. What the hell was he even saying.
"Of course." Lydia spoke cautiously. He chuckled, took the red string and looped it around her ring finger twice before cutting it and tying it in a bow. She laughed.
"Then I hope it doesn't matter that this'll be your replacement for a bit." He said, kissing her once more.
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Authors note:
Happy valentines!!! Ahem lowkey lowkey upset with y'all cause I did a livestream on insta, six of you showed up, said hello, left and for a good half hour it was just me talking to my bff😑 LOWKEY LOWKEY THO.
Love y'all!
Comment, read, enjoy!
-Chloe