“I had a really nice time tonight Brian,” Eve said shyly as she and Brian stood in front of her hotel room door.
“Yeah, me too.” Brian opened his mouth to continue speaking, then quickly closed it again. He looked like he was anxious to do something, and then I remembered the small box Brian had been looking at earlier.
“Eve, invite him in,” I urged her.
“Uh, do you wanna come in?” Eve asked cautiously.
“Sure.” Eve inserted the key, fiddled with the doorknob, and they were in. “Listen Eve, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. We’ve been on a couple of dates, and I really like you. I want to take the next step, so Eve, will you be my girlfriend?” Brian pulled the small, velvety box out from his pocket and opened it for her to see. Inside was a shiny gold ring with a dazzling emerald in the middle. Two diamonds were on either side. I gasped. That ring looked so very familiar…
“I had a really nice time Brian,” I said as we walked up my front steps. We had been dating casually for over a month and just come back from our homecoming at Tates Creek High School. He and I were Homecoming King and Queen, which delighted me to no end.
“Yeah, me too.” Brian twitched nervously in his rented tuxedo and took a step closer to me. I could smell his cologne; a fresh, clean scent which clung to him lightly. It had driven me wild all night long.
“All right Littrell – spill. I know you’re up to something.”
“Why whatever do you mean Miranda?” Brian innocently asked. His brighter than usual smile and sparkling eyes were dead giveaways that he was scheming something.
“Come on Bri, tell me what you’re up to. I know you’re plotting something in that small brain of yours,” I teased good-naturedly.
“Okay, you got me. I’m up to no good,” he admitted with a huge grin. “But I think you’re gonna like it.”
“Oh really?” I raised my eyebrow at him.
“Really,” he promised me. “Miranda, we’ve been going out for a month but we’ve never actually been an official couple. But I think it’s time to start. Will you be my girlfriend?” He pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it for me to see. Inside was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen; it was gold with an emerald and two diamonds.
“Of course I will Brian.” He slipped the ring on my finger and I pulled him in close for a kiss. Our lips were about to touch when…
“Mir-an-da, Mom says get in the house now or you’re groun-ded!” My younger, bratty sister Jana yelled out in a singsong voice from the living room window.
“I guess I’d better get inside now,” I said sheepishly, my cheeks turning red. “Thank you so much for the ring, I promise I’ll never take it off.”
“You’re welcome. ‘Night Miranda.”
Brian turned and headed down the steps. I watched him go, then ran after him. As soon as I caught up, I turned him around and pressed my lips onto his. He was surprised at first, but wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed back. Finally, I pulled away from him and smiled. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
“Hey, it’s no problem. Actually, I wouldn’t mind if you did it again.”
“Let’s save that for next time,” I whispered in his ear. “Good-night Brian.”
“Yeah...” Brian turned around for the second time and got into his car. After he had taken off down the street, I headed into my house, hoping to never forget what happened that night…
I shook myself from my thoughts and stared at Brian and Eve’s make-out fest on the bed. The sight of the both of them disgusted me, so I left the room and paced back and forth in the hallway. ‘I don’t believe Brian, that selfish bastard,’ I thought bitterly.‘That ring is mine and he knows it! What did he do, pry it off of my finger after I died? Oh well, at least my task is complete. Now I can leave this hell and return to Heaven where I will never have to see Brian or Eve. That is, until they die.’
“That’s far from true,” a voice from behind corrected me. It was Maria, here for her nightly status report.
“Hello Maria,” I said as sweetly as I could. “Brian and Eve are going out. Therefore, my task is complete and I’m an Angel now, right?”
“No my dear, you are quite far from it. Sure they’re going out, that’s a big step, but you have to help them overcome the obstacles along the way. There’s one coming soon that will threaten their relationship.”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Damnit, why can’t they ever do anything for themselves? Next you’ll be expecting me to breathe for them!”
“Well, what brought on this attitude?” Maria questioned. “I certainly don’t appreciate it.”
“Brian gave her a ring, my ring to be exact. He gave it to me years ago when we first started going out, and now Eve has it.”
“Reality check Miranda – you and Brian are no longer dating.”
“I know, and I can accept that. But it’s the principle of the thing!” I complained. “If I had given Brian something valuable and he had died instead of me, I wouldn’t go and give it to my next boyfriend. That’s just wrong.”
“Listen, don’t get too worked up over things like this. It could cost you your Wings. Just keep doing the fine job that you’re doing, and I’ll be back tomorrow for the nightly status report. So long dear.”
“Yeah, whatever,” I mumbled as Maria disappeared.
The door to Eve’s room opened and Brian walked out, looking pretty satisfied with himself. “Jerk,” I muttered. He whipped around, his eyes darting back and forth as if he was looking for the person who had made the comment. Smug with the knowledge that he didn’t know it was me, I headed into the room.
“I can’t believe it Miranda!” Eve squealed excitedly. I shuddered as her voice ripped through me. “Brian and I are going out!”
“Congratulations, I’m very happy for you,” I answered dryly. “It’s late and if you ever want to get up on time to catch that plane back to Florida, I suggest you get some sleep.”
“I can’t , I’m on too much of a rush to fall asleep.” Eve sighed happily and skipped over to the bureau to get out her pajamas.
“Please, just do,” I urged her. I wouldn’t be able to stand her perkiness much longer, and I was afraid I would do something that I would regret – like smother her with a pillow.
“All right,” Eve finally agreed. She skipped into the bathroom to brush her teeth and comb her hair, then skipped back and hopped into bed. “Good-night Miranda.”
“Good-night Eve,” I replied as I flickered off the lights.
