David half expected to hear Amelia’s footsteps coming from the office, her cheerful voice calling out to greet him as soon as she heard the door open. But there was only silence.

He thought that he would enjoy the solitude. He’d lived with Amelia for so long that he’d nearly forgotten what it was like to be single. Wasn’t that something that couples always complained about? The lack of privacy, the competition for what music to play or what show to watch, the sharing of closet space. All the little things he’d thought he’d enjoy not having to worry about anymore.

It was more than six months yet he missed those small things. Amelia’s clothes crowding his in the small closet of their old apartment for example. His new place had a walk-in, plenty of room for two people's clothes with some left over, and he felt her absence every time he saw the bare hangers and empty wall. It was foolish, he knew, but it was one of a dozen daily little things that he still missed.

He knew he should have talked to her about the job offer. He should have sought out her opinion. He’d been so high-handed, and so sure that she would follow him willingly. To use the job offer as an excuse to test her love for him was a despicable act and he knew that now. Now, alone in the city, coming home to his empty, grand apartment every day, all that he could think about was the pain that her absence was causing him.

She did contact him that one time of course, When she was en route but there had been nothing since that call. He’d still found himself checking his phone several times a day, on the off chance of there being a missed call, or message. Not hearing the sound of her voice was almost too much to bear.

His mother said she was sorry about the breakup, but he knew that was a lie. He’d spent a long time defending his mother, and was now realizing that Amelia was right. He was starting to see things more and more from her point of view. His mother, for her part, had barely suppressed her glee at his newly single status.

“Now you can find someone better suited to your station in life,” was one of her less guarded comments and his blood ran cold whenever it resurfaced in his mind. He had never thought of Amelia as beneath him, and he has assumed that his mother didn't either but he was so very wrong and he knew that now.

His mother had offered to set him up with several of her friends' daughters and he’d politely refused each offer. He had though, brought home a girl he’d met one night. It had been nice to have someone to share his bed and he’d enjoyed the novelty of being with someone new, exploring a new body for the first time. The sex had been good but that was it, nothing deeper. He’d talked to the girl a couple more times since then but he couldn’t imagine cuddling with her on the couch or sharing details of their days over dinner as he did with Amelia. The encounter was a pleasant interlude and that was that.

He’d wanted to email her, telling her he’d been wrong, that he’d find a job back in Chicago if she wanted him to, that he now accepted just how awful his mother had been towards her. But every time he started to write it, the words wouldn't come. The thought of reaching out and being rejected was too crushing. At least this way he still had hope. She may even contact him and then, maybe everything would be OK.

But as the days passed and he heard nothing from her, he’d become more and more convinced that it would be him who would have to make the effort to win Amelia back. A grand gesture, something that would show her how much he loved her and how much he regretted his actions.

That was how he came to be at the Tiffany store on Fifth Avenue, the day before Christmas Eve, staring down at the glittering display of engagement rings. A blonde woman dressed in black was hovering over him.

Amelia liked things that were different, she wouldn’t want a ring that looked like what everyone else had. But her tastes were simple, she wouldn’t want anything too large or fussy, either.

“What color is her hair?” the woman in black asked, while toying with the keys on her wrist.

“Red,” he said. “Soft red.”

“And what’s her style?” He felt himself relax a fraction, felt his heartbeat slow a little. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a hard decision after all. Surely this woman had helped a hundred men like him, dazed and unsure, pick out the perfect ring for their partner.

“Simple,” he said. “She doesn’t like anything trendy, and she wouldn’t want anything too big.” He felt his confidence growing. “She usually wears jeans and a t-shirt, a simple dress for special occasions. She likes bright colors and is not afraid to wear red even though she’s a redhead.”

He loved that about her. She didn’t care what other people thought, or what the rules were. She made up her own and did what she thought was for the best. He knew now they would have made the right decision together if only he’d trusted her.

The woman reached into the case and pulled out a ring. “I think she would love this one,” she said, holding it out.

It was a plain oval diamond set in pale rose gold. A simple ring, and David could picture it on Amelia’s hand. “It’s not part of our ordinary stock,” the woman said, “It was a custom order that was canceled.”

"A ring in need of a second chance, just like me."

The sales clerk looked confused but decided against asking for an explanation.

“Do you want to know the price first?” she asked.

“No. That’s the one.” David pulled out his wallet and handed her a credit card. David suddenly felt very calm. This was it, he was certain. This was the ring he would give Amelia when he asked her to be his wife.

* * *

Amelia's absence was like a hundred-pound weight on his chest. and David honestly didn't know how he was going to make it through the coming weeks.

He wanted to tell his parents about his decision, but he knew that his mother would most definitely not approve. Instinct told him to wait until he spoke to Amelia, to gauge her feelings towards him. Was it worth riling up his mother for what could turn out to be nothing? But then he thought of how she had acted towards Amelia, and the way he’d ignored it, and felt immediately guilty.

When his mother hugged him, pressing her cool, lipsticked mouth against his cheek, it was all he could do not to go on the offensive. He hated that she was pleased over a situation that was making him so unhappy. Twenty years from now, he wanted to be able to look back on this period and laugh at his temporary stupidity. He was distracted throughout dinner, and it wasn't until he'd had his third post dinner Scotch that he found the courage to speak up.

“Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you,” His mother looked up at him. “What is it, David?”

He took a deep breath. “When Amelia comes back from Scotland, I’m going to propose to her.”

His father said nothing. David knew full well that his wife would do the talking for both of them.

“But, you said you broke up,” his mother said. There was more than a hint of anger in her voice.

“We did,” David said. He took a deep breath, fighting to keep his nerves in check. His fingers tapped against his leg anxiously. He had never really stood up to his mother before.

She’d always made her love something to be achieved, something to strive for. He saw now that she’d done this with Amelia. She’d held her approval just out of reach, giving occasional compliments, small concessions but nothing more. His mother had waged a war of attrition with Amelia, waiting for the effort of trying to achieve approval exhaust her. He felt badly about it on occasion, but he hadn't been prepared to damage his relationship with his mother. That had now changed.

“True, we did break up but we also agreed to reassess our relationship when she came back.” He held his mother’s gaze, refusing to look away. “I was wrong not to include her in the decision to take this job, and wrong to insist on the move. We were together for four years and I should have shown her some respect.” He suddenly felt lighter, as if a huge weight had been lifted from him.

“You could do so much better, David,” his mother said.

“I love her,” he said, simply. “I want her back in my life.”

“Well, of course you are going to miss her after such a long relationship. She wasn't right for you, she wasn't worthy of you. After all, she agreed to break up—she didn’t want to come with you to New York.”

“I shouldn’t have surprised her with it,” David said again. “It was a shock. I think once I tell her how sorry I am, how much I want her in my life, she’ll change her mind.”

“She is not the right woman for you, David,” his mother insisted.

He was annoyed both by his mother's intransigence and by his inability to deal with it. She was relentless. He paused, not sure how to negotiate this new territory. His intentions were clear, but his mother was refusing to have any of it. David knew he couldn’t back down, but looking at her cool, impassive face, he was a scolded child again. He felt that sharp longing that he’d felt, the need for her to approve, to extend her love and acceptance.

There was a long moment of silence, and David fought hard not to relent and break the tension. Surely if he stuck to his guns and prepared his mother now, she would be kinder to Amelia once they were back together?

“I want you to be happy,” his mother finally said, breaking yet another awkward silence. “Just think very carefully about this, David. Please. There are so many women out there, so many who will really understand you in a way that Amelia cannot. Besides, wouldn't she be happier with someone more like herself. More on the same level”

David could think of nothing else to say. He sat for a moment, his hands on his knees, and he tried to think of something. But all he could do was nod, and hope that with time, his mother would come around.

He’d made his decision.