Just Human (33 page)

“Uh oh!” laughs Jen. “Looks like you’ll be parting with a fair amount of cash then.”

Victoria continues. “There is also size to consider. The national average carat weight of an engagement ring is 0.4 carats. Whereas here in Los Angeles the average is 1.8 to 2.0 carats.”

“Well we live in London now,” I laugh nervously.

“I always say, buy what you can afford,” Victoria concludes, coming to my rescue.

“Well I want to buy the right ring, so I’m flexible to a point, but I was thinking $20,000.” I turn to Jen. She’s wide-eyed. “What? I talked to Scott this morning, he gave me a reality check.”

“Yeah but, he wouldn’t spend that on a ring.”

“No, I figured I should at least double whatever he suggested,” I tease, winking at her. “Besides, we’re older than you guys were.”

Victoria smiles. “Well there are a few options and I can show you through a few options on here,” she says opening the iPad and scrolling through the menus. She leaves us with a slideshow and goes to find a couple more rings.

She joins us again and shows us two more rings. “I thought it would be worth trying these on, but there is one I know of that I think could be just what you are looking for. However, it is marked for transfer to our Las Vegas branch. I have a colleague finding out if it has left and if it was for a sale, or just a change of display.”

“Thank you so much,” I say.

Just then a girl hurries in from the back with another tray, which she places on the table. “It was just a change over, not a sale and I managed to stop the courier,” she puffs, out of breath.

“Thanks Holly. Well, let’s hope it’s as good as I remember,” says Victoria as she pulls back the cover.

She reveals ‘the’ ring. She lifts it up and Jen puts her hand to her mouth. Victoria talks us through it.

“It’s a gray, cushion cut, 2.04 carat diamond, set in platinum. The band is set with approximately .60 carats of matching gray diamonds. It’s very rare; most diamonds that are classed as gray are yellowish or greenish grays. This is a true gray. I have never seen one like it before.” She hands it to me and I turn it in the impressive light. It’s perfect.

“Is the metal darker than the others?”

“No, but I think the colour of the stones would have it seem that way.”

I hand it to Jen and she tries it on.

“This is the one Danny.”

“I know, she’ll love it.”

“This one is $26,000,” says Victoria in the background. I don’t care.

“We’ll take it.” I tell her. “How long does it take to have it sized? I’m returning to the UK on May 20
^th
.”

“That will be no problem. I’ll get the paperwork,” she replies.

Half an hour later, we step out into the fresh air and Jen lets out a little squeal and hugs me. “Well done.”

“Thanks. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Now you just need to decide how you’re going to ask her.”

“I was thinking of doing it at my big send off.”

“Oh yay, I’ll get to see it.”

“Well it’s perfect really, both our families will be there. I don’t want to wait.”

We have done so much this last week. The beach, shopping, Liv has spent lots of time with her family. We’ve been to my parents, had breakfast at Scott and Jen’s. I took her up to Malibu in the Mustang, I let her drive and we lived to tell the tale! I think she has had the time of her life. I had my meeting and I’ll be starting a huge job when we get back. Things have been great and with only a few days left, I’m trying to pack in as much family and Jen time as possible as well as getting organised to move.

We decided I would give my notice on the apartment just before we go. Then Dad has some time to make room for the spare furniture and there is time to get whatever I can’t carry shipped. Dad is going to take over once we leave and sort everything out for us and he’s going to oversee the sale of my truck. I haven’t decided what to do about the Mustang yet. It’s safely garaged at my parents’ for now. I did some research and shipping it doesn’t cost as much as I thought, but I would have nowhere to keep it in the UK. I have looked into selling it and I was really surprised. It would pay for a wedding and a house deposit! So I’m seriously considering selling her. I can’t discuss it with Liv yet, not until she has the ring.

The jeweler called a while ago to let me know it was ready. I’ll get it tomorrow, it’s too late now and we have to get ready for dinner with Scott and Jen. They’re having a big send off for me on Friday, but we decided to have a quiet night with them tonight as well. I tape up another box and jump in the shower. Liv is finishing her hair when I come out of the bathroom.

“You look beautiful,” I say as I cross the room to my closet.

“Thanks. Someone called your mobile while you were in the shower, I heard the last ring when I switched off the hairdryer.”

“Okay,” I say going in search of my cell. “Do you know where it is?”

“It sounded like it was coming from the hall.”

I find it on top of a box. There’s a missed call from Brooke. What the fuck does she want? I clear the call list and shut it off, returning to the bedroom and heading straight into the closet.

“Anyone important?” Liv asks.

“No, just a cold call.” I curse myself inwardly, that is the third time I’ve straight up lied to Liv about Brooke. I’ve done nothing wrong, but I feel like I’ve dug a big ol’ hole now. The sooner I’m back in the UK the better. I’ll be getting a new cell and I’ll drop her on Facebook from a safe distance. I finish buttoning my shirt and return to the bedroom.

“Are you okay? You look little flushed.”

“I’m fine, the shower was really hot; I should have turned it down.” Fourth time I’ve lied.

“I’m ready when you are,” Liv says as she puts her cell in her purse.

I splash on some cologne and follow her into the hall. “Let’s go then,” I say.

We arrive first at the restaurant. A couple of friends are sitting at a table outside, so we stop and talk to them for a moment. Then we head in and the waiter shows us to our table. Jen and Scott are not far behind and they join us, looking a bit stressed.

“Everything alright?” I ask Jen.

She looks at Scott and he nods. She looks back to me. “We got our fertility results through today,” she says with a heavy sigh.

“Oh. So, what did they say?”

Liv starts to get up. ”I’ll give you guys a minute,” she says sweetly.

“No!” says Jen grabbing her hand. “You’re part of the family now. Please, stay.”

I put my arm around Liv. “So?” I ask again.

“So, I have some minor ovulation problems that can probably be fixed with drugs, but…” She looks at Scott, again they exchange regretful smiles. “But, we definitely won’t conceive without a sperm donor.”

I reach across the table and hold Jen’s hand. “God, I’m sorry. So what happens now?”

Jen shrugs. “We don’t know.”

“I told her, we start looking tomorrow,” says Scott putting his arm around Jen.

“And I told him we need to talk about this. Having a baby we didn’t make together isn’t something we can do without some serious discussion,” she says as though they’ve had this argument already today.

“It’s just sperm Jen,” he carries on regardless, “I’ll be its dad.”

"I don't really know much about this, forgive me. Will you have to adopt the baby if you use a donor?" I ask Scott.

"No," he says. "It's really simple. The donor signs his rights away when he donates and then the recipient mother states the father, me, on the birth certificate. Legally the baby is mine from day one."

"But how do you know you'll be okay with it when the baby comes?" Jen asks him. "You might feel completely detached and there won't be a damned thing I can do about it." She turns to us. "Sorry, we're killing the mood." Then she says to Scott, "Let's just leave it for tonight."

"I know, sorry guys," he says to us. "It's really fresh, we didn't mean to bring it out with us."

"Don't worry about it, it's us," I reassure them. "We're behind you, whatever you decide."

Liv shifts beside me and leans forward. “I know it's none of my business, but from personal experience, can I just tell you that biology has absolutely nothing to do with being a great dad. Trust me, I know." She gives Scott's hand a gentle squeeze and then Jen's. "You two will be great parents." Then she sits back. I give her knee a stroke.

"Thanks Liv," says Jen.

We manage to lighten the conversation and have a few laughs as we eat. I'm going to miss them so much, I hate to leave them like this. We order deserts and as the waiter walks away I freeze as I see Brooke walk through the door. She walks almost past our table and then stops and comes over.

"I thought it was you," she says to us all. "I'm outside with friends." She gives me her 'oh-so-innocent' smile.

"Danny, I tried to call you a little while ago, you didn't answer." My stomach turns over and I see Liv look at me from my peripheral vision. "I was wondering if I left my sweater at your place the other night."

My fingers dig into the palms of my hands as I feel Liv's silence next to me.

"No," I say, through gritted teeth.

"Oh, okay then," she says, all sweetness and light. "Well, you all have a lovely evening." She marches away to the restrooms.

I glance at Liv as she gets up.

"Excuse me,” she mutters apologetically, placing her napkin on the table and walking away. I jump up and follow her, catching up with her at the door.

"Liv, wait," I plead.

She ignores me and heads out onto the sidewalk. She walks quickly away from the restaurant, with me behind her. I stop her at the corner.

"Hey!"

"What happened the other night?" she asks impatiently.

"Nothing," I sigh. "She came by and got upset, I sent her away."

"So what was all that about?"

"It's just a game. She’s trying to mess with us."

She stares me down for a minute.

"No," she says, shaking her head. "You're hiding something from me." She trys to walk away again. I pull her back.

"Okay," I relent. "Okay, but nothing is going on, I just didn't want to worry you."

"So?" she says, arms folded, tapping her foot.

"So, in Bruges when she called and I told her about you, she didn't take it well." I try to put my hands on her arms in an effort to help her see I’m telling the truth, but she shrugs me off. "The night before I flew back, she called me, she'd found out I was on my way home and called to see if we could hook up. I didn't answer. Then the next morning, she text me, saying that she’d tried calling, could she see me. We were eating breakfast together and I didn't want her to spoil our morning, it was bad enough leaving you.”

"You said it was your mum," Liv spits, getting angry.

"I know,” I sigh. “I didn't want to upset you."

"Well you have. Go on."

"Okay. Ten minutes after I get home, she’s at my door, turning on the waterworks. She thought I would invite her in and, you know… I told her I was in love with you and I was moving to England to be with you. She cried and I had to get her a tissue, when I came back she’d come into the entrance hall. That's it. If she had a sweater, I never saw it. She’s just trying to cause trouble and now she knows she has succeeded, because we’re out here fighting." I reach out to touch her again, this time she doesn't stop me.

"Tonight, that missed call was her?" Liv asks.

I nod. "I'm sorry. After I didn't tell you the truth the first time, I just felt like I couldn't tell you the next time, without you losing confidence in me."

She scoffs. "And how did that work out for you?"

"Terrible," I admit. She thinks for a moment.

"I trust you Danny," she says reluctantly. "Just don't ever lie to me again."

"I won't," I promise, pulling her to me. I wrap her in my arms and hold her. I wish I could tell her about the ring, then she would know how sincere I am, but it's only another three days and I don't want to spoil it.

"They'll be wondering where we are," she says after a short while.

"Do you want to go back in, or shall we just go home?"

"No, we're not being driven away. But I'm not giving that bitch the satisfaction of thinking she’s upset me. I don't want to walk past them looking anything but happy, do you understand?"

"Okay. What shall I do, tell a joke?" I ask.

Liv smiles, thank God.

"Just look happy, smart arse," she says sternly.

I put my arm around her shoulders and I'm gratified when she puts her fingers between mine as we walk in. Just before we pass Brooke's table, I plant a kiss on the top of Liv's head and in response she tucks her other hand in my back pocket. Neither one of us even acknowledges her and I hold the door open for Liv as we enter the restaurant.

When we sit back down, our desserts have arrived.

"Everything okay?" asks Jen.

Liv nods and gives me a brave smile.

"I was just giving Liv the explanation I owed her a week ago about this whole Brooke mess."

"Don't let her get to you," Jen comforts Liv. "She’s just a sore loser."

"I know," says Liv. "I just need to be kept in the loop." She looks pointedly at me.

I nod in agreement and then Scott changes the subject. We finish our meal in reasonably good spirits and say our goodbyes.

Liv goes straight in and changes when we get home. I watch her as she takes off her makeup.

"Are we okay?" I ask quietly as I start to undress.

"Yes," she replies sullenly.

"Please don't lose faith in me."

"I can only trust you when you give me nothing to distrust," She sighs. "Until tonight, I trusted you implicitly. I'm just a little thrown by what you didn't tell me. I can see you did nothing wrong, but you certainly made it seem like you had something to hide."

"I know. I've been an idiot. It won't happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't."

She brushes her teeth and then I brush mine. When I switch off the bathroom light, she’s already in bed, with the covers pulled up around her, facing away from my side. This is going to take time. I slide in beside her, but don't try to make any contact. We lie in silence for some time and then she turns over and faces me. Slowly, she lifts my arm and places it around her. So I follow her lead and wrap her up, relieved that she’ll allow me that. I’ll have to work extra hard over the next few days to make her trust me so that the proposal isn’t tainted by this in any way.