Memory in a Bottle

Jace

I sincerely meant what I said, but I can't help to feel like there is some information missing. How didn't I see it sooner? From what I remember from Delilah's dad his hair was brown as well as his eyes. Of course, Delilah's hair isn't brown anymore, but it was brown. She got her mom's bright ocean blue eyes. Dexter has a few ticks like what their dad has.

"-just got to convince the staff that I'm fine. It's not like I don't know how to take care of myself." Dexter says sounding like a winey six-year-old. I must've zoned out and didn't catch the beginning of the conversation. But I knew the gist of it. Dexter doesn't like being taken care of by anyone. Now who does that sound like? I chuckle. Of course, Delilah. She hates it when I try to take care of her. I wonder why they have that mind set. I don't mind being taken care of occasionally. Then an idea formed in my head. Her birthday is this Friday. I want to show her that I'm serious about us. I kiss Delilah on the forehead.

"I have something that I need to do, Love. Call me when you would like to go home." I look over at Dexter. "I trust you'll keep her safe." He smiles and nods.

"No harm will find Delilah." He replied. I nod and look back to her.

"I love you." I tell her.

"I love you too. Be safe." She says and kisses me.

"I will." I walk out of the room and searched for ma. Once again, I found her in the café reading a newspaper and drinking coffee. She looks up and smiles.

"Hey, hon." She says putting the newspaper down.

"Hey, ma. I need you to come with me. I'm going to need help with picking Delilah's birthday gift out."

"Why do you need my help? You should know what she likes by now." Mom asks confusedly.

"Well, you see I need a feminine point of view. And you'll enjoy the gift."

"I still don't understand. You are being very cryptic." I walk over to mom's side and whispered into her ear. "I am going to propose to her, ma."

"Oh. My. God!!" She squealed like a teenager.

"Shh... I don't want anyone who knows Delilah to tell her." Ma smiles and puts her finger over her lips and nods.

"Okay, okay. I'll go with you! Let's go!" She gets up throws a few dollars on the table and grabs my arm. Once we got in the car, I knew she couldn't contain her excitement anymore. "MY BABY'S GETTING MARRIED!" She squeals again and then she starts crying. "You're all grown up! My baby's all grown up!"

"Aw ma! Don't cry!" I say sincerely. She wipes her eyes.

"I know, I know. But I can't help it! You're getting married!"

"Well, ma, I'm not even sure she'll say yes. She'll probably say no."

"Nonsense! She'll say yes. I know she will. So where are you going to do it?" I blush. I know where I want to propose but I also know wouldn't think it'd be a good idea.

"The beach." I tell her honestly.

"Why there? Doesn't it have some um... bad memories?" She questions.

"Well, yeah but that place was the first time me and her ever met. That was the place that I realized that she's my only one true love." Ma doesn't say anything. I glance at her out of the corner of my eye and saw that she was crying again. "Ma, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about how your father would be proud." She chokes out. I felt emotions that I haven't felt in the years. It's been ten years since dad passed away in a motorcycle accident. It's still to this day a sore subject for the both of us. Several months after dad passed away Delilah got kidnapped. I felt like I lost everything. I spent a lot of nights searching for her. Then three years later someone finds her in a cemetery looking half-dead. The night before she was found was the night, I thought she died and wished for her to come back. I was so relieved when she was found. But the Delilah that I once knew was gone and in place was a Delilah that nobody knows. Sometimes to this day she acts like the Delilah that came home that day. But slowly she's going back to my Delilah that I've known for years.

I pull in at the Jewelry store and I could feel ma's excitement as I parked the car. I let her excitement consume me and wash away all the other emotions. We enter the store and started browsing.

"Alright, I have enough money to get one ring. The price limit is about $1,000." I whisper in mom's ear.

"Where did you get that money from?"

"The saving's account you and dad made when I was little."

"I thought you were going to use that money for college?"

"I don't want to besides I only took a little bit out I still have a lot in there." Ma smiles.

"You can use your dad's ring." She replies.

"Ma..."

"No, he would've wanted you to use it. Besides that, ring has been passed down from generation to generation." She replies looking at a ring. "Look at this one! This is so pretty! I think this is the one." She points at it to show me. "Stay here I'll be right back." She leaves. I look at the ring she picked out. It's very beautiful. It'll match Delilah's bright ocean blue eyes. The ring is a bright blue with several small pure white gems on the outside traveling to the big blue gem. I know she'll love it. But that brings the question of if she'll say yes. God, I hope she does. Mom comes back with an employee.

"I'm buying this ring for a friend of mine and he wanted me to pick it out for him." Mom was telling the employee. The employee glanced at me and I shook my head.

"My mom dragged me along so she could teach me what a girl likes." I lie smoothly. The employee nodded her head and grabbed the ring she handed it to me and mom to look at.

"Yes, this is it. This is the ring for her. Son, can you hand me the cash I told you to hold on to?" I nod and grab my money out of my inner jacket pocket. I handed it to ma who then purchased the ring. Once we were in the car, she handed me the ring. "Isn't is beautiful? Delilah will love it!"

"I hope so, ma. I hope so."