Mandy was crying full out now. She nodded, wiping at her face. He got up and sat on the bench. Holding her hand in his, he pulled the ring out and slipped it on her finger. "It fits," he proclaimed.
He put the other one on her other ring finger. It was a little bigger than her finger. "I'll get it sized. If you like it."
She was beaming up at him, tears running down her face. "I like you. That's all that matters. You could have put a rock from the ground on the ring." She sniffled and wiped her face again. "Sorry. Are you going to kiss me?"
He smiled, trying to hold back his own emotional expression. "Of course." He pulled her against him and kissed her. The teachers that were at the door came out of it, clapping. Lori and Donna among them.
Mandy relaxed into him. Her entire being was tilting, but her world had righted itself again. This was where she belonged. This was who she had always loved.
****
Kip took Mandy and Colton out for supper to celebrate. He also hadn't finished asking questions either. But, he was going to save the second part for after the meal.
"So," Mandy said, pointing her bread roll at him, "tell me how you hatched this entire plan?"
"I was talking to Corey and Abby. I'll tell you that story later. And she was saying I needed to get you big things. A bigger ring for example."
"I liked the first ring just fine," Mandy interjected.
Kip rolled his eyes. "I was sitting at Corey's table and it hit me, what you needed. A car." After he'd thought of it he'd felt guilty for letting her drive her ancient model to see him so many weekends during the cold winter months, with Colton in the back. He'd had late fears of her being stranded on the side of the highway.
"So you got me this beautiful car." Mandy nearly refused to get out of the driver's seat to go into the restaurant, after she had insured it.
"It's a really nice car," Colton added. "We should drive it really fast sometime."
Mandy gave Colton a look. He smiled, trying to be cute.
"Corey and I drove all over picking out the perfect car. And then we had to drive all over to get the ring." It was a bit of an exaggeration. Only a smidgen.
"Did Abby help with that too?"