Fort Lewis - Day Five, There's going to be a Wedding

It's Saturday. We go home today. Our visit has been much too short. But our departure won't be like the last time we parted ways. The last time the three of us stayed behind and sent him away - to a place we didn't want him to be. This time we all know that we will see each other again and very soon.

What would you do on that last day? Well, based on how this day turned out, you'd shop. I suppose it was the right thing to do. A way to be together, (plus a chance to be apart) and also a way to be entertained.

The highlight of the day? I guess I would have to say it was the jewelry store. We separated from them at one point and after a long walk through the mall and more than a little shopping I called him.

"Where are you?"
"In a store."
"What store."
"Don't know, I'm inside and can't see the sign."
"What are you looking at?"
"Girl stuff."

I'd had enough of "twenty questions" at that point. So I said, "Talk to you in a bit." and hung up.

My wife asks, "Where are they?"
"He didn't want to say."
"I just bet they're in a jewelry store."

I remembered seeing four jewelry stores located at the exact center of the mall where the "spokes" crossed. We went searching for our missing partners. They're not in any of the four. So I called again.

"Where are you?"
"Coming down the hall. We can see you."

We hooked up a few seconds later and decided to leave the mall. Outside in the car we were introduced to a new diamond ring which looked surprisingly like the old diamond ring. And it was easy to make the comparison since she now had a diamond ring on each hand. (Long story short - the new diamond ring is meant to reaffirm his love that he gave to her with the first ring over a year before. Are they engaged? I think so.) We went to Starbucks to have a cup of coffee, talk about diamonds and relax a little.

Well, looking at that new diamond ring set my wife off. We sat at Starbucks talking about the new ring for about a half hour. With our "untrained eyes" my wife and I could see no real difference between the new and the old. I don't remember the exact conversation but at the end it went like this, "This just isn't right. We need to go back to the mall. We need to take care of something."

We parked at the mall, marched back in and made our way to the jewelry store which was hidden down one of the "spokes". The young lady who waited on Jake and Nicole introduced herself. Again, I don't remember the exact words but they went something like this, "My son is back to buy a bigger diamond."

So to summarize, the jewelry store took in two diamonds as a trade-in, my son was a few thousand dollars poorer, his fiance ended up a few thousand times happier, my wife was the heroine and the end result had me in a daze. Must be new math because I still can't follow the entire transaction without getting a headache. And the sales girl was ecstatic - she sold a ring and an upgrade all in the space of an afternoon.

I pulled him aside and asked if he was OK with spending "considerably" more money.

"Yeah, we actually looked at the diamond we just bought when we were here before. She didn't want it - said it was too much to spend. Guess mom changed her mind, huh?"

Looking over at his fiance we could both see that mom had done exactly that.

I wish them all the best and as much happiness as my wife and I have. And after having survived the past year I think their relationship can handle anything the world can throw at them.