Chapter Eighteen: Desmond
Enough time had passed since Desmond and Claire exchanged their ‘I love yous,’ and since then, Desmond’s heart hadn’t changed. He had thought it would have by now, but every day he fell more and more in love with Claire, which was a message he received loud and clear. He was planning to show Claire just how much he loved her today.
He smiled to himself as he helped Claire and Violet set up. Violet was back from maternity leave and finally on her feet. It felt weird to see her skinny again. She had delivered a healthy boy and girl, and was happy to be back home. Even though she insisted she enjoyed her time in Farthingtowne, she didn’t like being away from Frank.
Now that she was back, she and Claire were running a best friend promotion at their stores, using crystals from Claire’s shop to make pendants and bracelets in a jewelry-making workshop with Violet. It was a perfect way for the girls to bond, and for Frank and Desmond to catch up. With the finishing touches made to the layout of the materials and double checking that each table had the right amount of stones, Desmond plunked down in a chair beside Frank at one of the tables. He planned to participate in the workshops as much he planned to catch up with his friend.
Frank bounced his chunky son and stoic daughter on each of his knees.
“Let me see my godson,” Desmond said, holding out his arms. Frank gladly passed him off, and Desmond pretended to groan picking him up. “Man, he’s getting big.”
“I know,” Frank said, smiling like a proud father while nuzzling his daughter to make it clear there wasn’t any favoritism. “Just like his dad. My mom says we look just alike, too.”
Desmond blew raspberries in his godson’s cheek. “Jesse’s growing like his Uncle Des. Everybody knows I grew faster than you,” Desmond said, laughing.
Hannah whimpered as if she was going to cry, and Frank cooed, trying to cajole her. She extended her hands toward Desmond and wailed.
“Okay, okay,” Desmond said, handing Jesse to Frank. “I know what you want,” he said, taking Hannah from his Frank’s hands. “You want a little love, too,” he said, and once seated, he bounced his legs like Frank to keep her calm. “See?” Desmond said, looking out the side of his eye. “Uncle Des does it better.”
Violet clapped her hands, and Claire spoke over all the noise, calling everyone to order. Several of their friends were there along with loyal customers in the workshop. The women hugged, and a few came by to see the babies and tease Desmond about him and Claire being next.
“When is this thing supposed to start?” Frank asked Desmond, frustrated by Jesse’s intent on pulling out his pacifier, catching it just before it hit the ground.
“I don’t know,” Desmond said, and hoped he didn’t look too eager. He had plans, and the plan’s success was based on subtlety.
“All right, guys,” Claire screamed over the noise. “Everyone get to a table. Make sure you have a crystal set and string of your own. If you don’t, raise your hand, and I will bring whatever you need to you. If everyone’s good, we’re going to get started. If you don’t know by now or are new, my name is Claire. I’ll be your resident crystal expert and…” she said, turning to Violet.
“My name is Violet, and I will be teaching you how to make jewelry. Thanks for coming, and let’s get this thing started,” she cheered.
They talked over some music, dancing, and repeatedly showing techniques to make the three types of jewelry being offered. Violet was teaching how to make a ring, a bracelet, or a pendant. The pendant was the easiest, requiring metal wrapping around the stone and string. The bracelet was more complicated, requiring more based on the style, and the ring was the most complicated, requiring a balance of technique and skill. Desmond watched casually, appearing like he was talking to Frank and not making a ring under the table.
“So, what’s it like?” Desmond asked.
“What’s what like?”
“Being a daddy. Do you like daddy duty?” Desmond asked.
“Sure. It’s tiring and, if I’m being honest, Vi does most of the work, but it’s worth it. I love having these two around,” Frank said, hugging his son to his chest. “Jesse is just like I thought he would be – a real character. He has so much personality for someone who can’t talk.”
Desmond laughed. He could already see that. In the few times he’d been with Jesse, he’d seen the little guy dance and throw a tantrum because he wasn’t allowed to eat what the grown folks were eating.
“And Hannah is like our watchdog. She sees everything. I can tell she’s going to be just as much trouble as her brother, though. She’s too smart. Already, she’s reading and trying to help her momma around the kitchen.”
“You’re lucky,” Desmond said. “Your house sounds like it’s full of love.”
Frank smiled widely. “It is. I’m a very lucky man.”
“When are you going to get in on some of this?” Frank asked, nudging Desmond’s side.
“Who knows?” he said.
Desmond hoped sometime soon he would be right behind Frank on getting the same kind of love.
Desmond’s fingers moved deftly in the way Violet said while still following Frank’s conversation and keeping Hannah from putting any of the materials in her mouth.
“That’s kind of vague,” Frank said. “I hope you don’t plan to drag this thing out with Claire just because you’re scared.”
Desmond scoffed, still paying attention to his fingers. “You don’t know what I’m scared of. Fear causes you to do many things, but it doesn’t make you prolong things.”
Frank chuckled. “All right. If you say so.”
“I do say so,” he said, grabbing another crystal to make the simple band.
Desmond struggled to keep up with the directions and hold the nodding baby. He hoped he would be able to finish the ring in time.
Dave, who was one of Claire and Violet’s friends, had been wrangled into attending but couldn’t be forced to participate. He had a musician’s sensitivity toward changes in rhythm, so he came forward when it was clear Hannah was falling asleep.
“Need me to hold her?” Dave asked, somehow making the question sound like a lullaby.
“Yeah. Can you take her?” Desmond tried to copy Dave’s tone and managed a passable imitation.
Carefully, he switched Hannah over to Dave’s shoulders and she thankfully stayed asleep. With two hands free, Desmond was able to work quicker and catch up where he had fallen behind.
Within an hour, the class was wrapping up, and Desmond’s ring was completely finished, looking just like he imagined it would look like. A ring made of all the chakra crystals: onyx, orange fire agate, citrine, rose quartz, aquamarine, amethyst, and violet quartz – a rainbow-colored band of stones with healing and love wrapped into one band to signify the love Desmond had for Claire.
It was perfect, and he held it tightly, smiling at himself and thinking of how he would surprise her. She thought Desmond like flashy things, with glitz and glam. To Claire, he would probably take her to a fancy restaurant with expensive food and wine, but he wasn’t. He was planning to get down on a knee right here in front of their friends and a few strangers to proclaim his love.
He smiled to himself as Claire and Violet wrapped the class up.
“Hey, can you do me a favor?” Desmond asked Katherine, pulling her aside.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“Can you record this for me?”
“Record what?” she said, setting her bracelet down with an arched brow.
“You’ll see,” he said as Violet started clapping to get everyone’s attention. “Just promise me, when you see it, you start the video,” he said, handing her his phone.
“You got it,” she said with an uncertain smile as they both faced forward to give Violet their undivided attention.
“I would like to thank everyone for coming,” Violet said, smiling widely. “Everyone’s pieces are beautiful! If you haven’t finished or need some last-minute help, please raise your hand, and I’ll come by to help you right after we take the picture. If not, please walk over to this wall and bring your jewelry. We’re going to take a picture right now. If we take the picture quickly, we can get everyone who needs it the help they need and get people on their way. Thanks again for coming, and I hope you come back again soon. If you leave a review online, you’ll get ten percent off your next workshop, and if you bring a friend you’ll get a free gift!”
Desmond watched Claire do what she did best, caroling others to the wall and telling people where to stand. Desmond came up behind her, waiting just out of her vision as all the students took their jewelry and stood in place.
“Is that everybody?” she said, turning around to see Desmond. “If you made something, you’re standing in the wrong place, mister,” she said with her hands on her hips. To anyone else, it might sound like she had an attitude, but Desmond knew the difference. He could hear the teasing tone underneath.
“Yeah, I made something,” he said, still unmoving.
“Then get over there,” she said, pointing behind her shoulder. “You’re tall, so stand in the back.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, sliding his hand into his pocket and taking a deep breath. He could feel his heart beating so hard, he thought he might faint.
“You haven’t moved,” Claire whispered, or maybe he could barely hear her over the pulse in his ears.
“I know,” Desmond stage whispered back as he slid to one knee. This was it. Everything he was waiting for and needed rested in this one moment.
Violet squeaked and covered her mouth as if she was being proposed to. “Oh, my god. Oh, my god, he’s proposing,” she said.
“Be quiet,” Claire hissed, making him smile. That was just one of the reasons why he loved the woman in front of him. “He hasn’t said anything yet,” Claire said, not looking away from Desmond. “Go on, Des.”
“I’m trying to ask her to spend the rest of her life with me, and she’s still telling me what to do,” Desmond said, smirking to the crowd, and a few women giggled. He glanced to the corner where Katherine held his phone up, pointing it in his direction. She gave him a thumbs up, and he smiled with gratitude before he continued. He was ready.
“Claire,” he said, taking her left hand. He could feel her trembling. “When I first met you, you called me an egotistical asshole.” A few women in the crowd who didn’t know their relationship gasped in horror. “But you were right,” he said, nodding. “You were right. I was selfish, and I was an asshole, and who better than you to tell me about myself. You challenge me, and when I think back on it, that’s the moment I fell in love with you. Before I met you, I was unfulfilled and unsatisfied. I didn’t know I could feel more in life. But you showed me different. You made me excited for more and think about someone other than myself. I love and respect your ambition, and it makes me want to try harder to be that way myself. When I met you, I knew I’d met my match. It was only a matter of time until we arrived at this moment. How it turns out is all in your hands. I know my life will never be complete without you beside me to share it. Every argument, joke, and lesson on crystals is worth it. I promise you, no one will work harder to make you happy or cherish you more than me. Will you marry me?” He extended the ring he just made to the tip of her ring finger and waited.
Claire stared at him with tears streaming down her face, and said, “Yes.”
“Yes?” Desmond said, surprised she didn’t say anything sarcastic or lead him on.
“Yes,” she said, nodding. “Yes! Now put that damn thing on my finger.”
Desmond laughed and pushed it past her knuckle and stood to kiss her.
Everyone clapped and cheered as he kissed her.
“I knew you would say yes,” he mumbled against her lips.
“You did?” she said, pulling back enough to see his eyes.
“Yup,” he said, and smirked.
“How?” she said, smiling back at him.
“‘Cause you love me,” he said, dancing a little with her in his arms.
“I guess I do, huh?”
“Mhm,” he said, spinning her around. “Yeah, you do, or you wouldn’t have said yes.”
She shrugged as he put her on his feet. “I guess you’re right,” she said, and kissed him quickly before turning to her friends.
“I’m getting married,” she screamed, and held up her hand to show her friends. Katherine, Monica, and Violet crowded around her with several other women in the workshop to see the ring.
Frank, Dave, and Sean crowded around Desmond. Frank came forward with Jesse in his arm and smacked Desmond on the back. “You sneaky dog, you been planning this the entire time?”
Desmond felt a rare blush heat his skin, though his complexion didn’t reveal it. “Yeah,” he said, shrugging it off.
While carrying Hannah, Dave smiled and said congratulations.
“Well, I guess all that crying was worth something,” Sean said, earning a smack from Desmond.
“What? I’m just saying,” Sean said, laughing.
“I’ll allow that, but only because she said yes,” Desmond said, smiling and turning back to see Claire watching him with a smile on her face as well.