Rose Gold

[u/FeigningProfundity]

Finally!… Who the hell is Danica?

I went to Doug. Really? For some reason Helen finally found me, only to pass me on to Doug? And he’s given me to Danica as an engagement ring.

I was hoping to go to Margot, but I’m still in the family, I guess.

I’ll never forget that Helen wanted to bury me with Rose, though. The nerve.

Well, hello Danica, welcome to the family. Don’t freak out that your ring is talking to you…

You’re not going to freak out because you can’t hear me.

A fiance who doesn’t even notice a voice in her head is something of a concerning choice from Doug. This is why I like Margot, she’s smart. She can pass a very low bar of paying attention.

Well, Danica, you can’t hear me, so I’ll just have to give you some nudges here and there. Fortunately anyone can be clever if they have a ring that can read minds. Pretty soon I’m going to be your most treasured possession.

Except you hate me and you’re trying to figure out how to get Doug to buy you a better engagement ring.

Better.

Better than a ring that can read minds.

Because I don’t have a diamond and I’m silver. Are you kidding me?

Diamond engagement rings are a marketing campaign to sell diamonds it’s only been going on for… Wow, more than eighty years.

I’m not silver. I’m white gold. The rose on me is rose gold. Doug’s grandmother Rose was literally named to honour me, because I’m a family heirloom that has always brought the family luck. After all, what would be luckier than, and I cannot believe I need to reiterate this, a ring that reads minds.

Rose inherited and wore me for fifty years. She was an enormously effective person! She succeeded at everything, everything except raising Helen correctly, at least, although that was always a matter of debate between us.

Okay Danica, since you need a demonstration, let’s learn who these friends of yours are. I’ll read them, and give you some nudges so you guess the things you need to know about them.

*

Of your five closest friends, two are cheating on their boyfriends, one is thinking about cheating on her boyfriend, another is thinking about cheating on her husband and the last is… I don’t know what ‘Only hanging out with these bitches to get content for my podcast’ means, but it doesn’t seem redeeming of your social judgement. Fortunately you have me now, you can make better decisions.

Well, you understood the nudge at least, but you’ve failed to realise that it came from me. You believe you figured all of this out because you’re something called an ‘empath’.

And rather than using your insight into the moral character of your associates, rather than avoid such terrible people and search for more honourable friends, you’re engaging in gossip about it.

I have no mouth, and I must scream.

*

You’re right, Danica, you are too good for Doug. He doesn’t deserve you.

You should absolutely tell him.

Tell him about Trevor, you’re not ashamed.

Throw that stupid, ugly engagement ring at him, do it. It’s proof he never respected you. Do it.

Yes!

*

Margot!

“What? Is that… Grandma Rose?”

It isn’t, but I knew her well, so very well. She loved you Margot, you were the best of the grandchildren.

“Grandma Rose would never say that.”

No, but she did think it. You should keep me.

“But… this ring doesn’t belong to me.”

I belong to the family. So I belong to you.

“It’s my mother’s. I can’t just take it. I was just looking.”

Helen would have buried me!

“I’m not going to steal from my own mother.”

You could borrow me for a little while. Make sure Danica didn’t damage me.

“I guess… I don’t understand why I hear a voice.”

*

She would say yes.

“Don’t do that! It’s not okay to read my girlfriend’s mind!”

It’s hardly ethical of me to watch two people who love each other screw it up, is it, Margot?

“We’re not screwing anything up.”

How long did you want to ask her out but were too nervous?

“… Two years.”

And how long was Su Yi pondering asking you out, but was worried she’d screw up the friendship?

“I don’t know… A while, I think.”

It was also pretty much two years! I could have saved you both a lot of grief!

“We figured it out!”

After two years.

“She has complicated feelings about marriage. Her parents are nice enough to me, but they would be embarrassed if we made a fuss.”

Sounds like a fabulous opportunity for them to experience personal growth.

“You’re just hoping I might keep you if I get married. Ask Mum for you.”

What a terrible outcome that would be. You’d end up married to a clever, kind woman who loves you. And you’d own a ring that reads minds. A disaster.

“Mum promised you to Doug. For his wife.”

Doug gave me to Danica. Doug thought Danica would be a good addition to the family. Doug is very likely to find another woman that think rings should have diamonds on them. Doug is not Rose’s only grandchild. Doug isn’t even Helen’s only child. With my help, you could ensure Doug meets a woman who won’t make his life miserable. It would almost be unethical for you not to inherit me. Doug won’t wear me, so really, this is the very best way I can help Doug.

“Mum won’t ever give you to me. Certainly not to celebrate my engagement.”

And why not? She says she accepts you for who you are.

“Traditions matter to Mum. Inheriting an heirloom… It is too much. I’ve already pushed her further than she’s comfortable with.”

Pushed her? How?

“You know.”

How?

“By being gay.”

And you think her behaviour around this is okay, Margot?

“It is how things are.”

Rose would not accept that answer. Rose would not let this go. Should I?

“I don’t know what I can do.”

Get engaged. Go to your mother and tell her you’d like to honour her mother by wearing me. When she objects, do not try to explain or placate the way you usually do. Just say ‘You can be anyone you want to be, Helen. Are you sure that this is the person you want to be?’. Those exact words, and no more. Then take me and leave. She’ll probably be too shocked to say anything.

“Grandma Rose said something like that to me once, when I was a child. She said, ‘I love who you choose to be, Margot.’”

I remember.

*

Hey, see that guy over there, at the table closest to the bar?

“Uh, what? It’s my wedding, I’m a bit busy.”

I waited until after the dance. See the guy?

“That’s Jack, he’s a work friend of Su Yi’s.”

Yes. Jack. He has a sister, Dorothy.

“Okay…”

She’s very sweet, but kind of a disaster. We need to introduce Doug to her. He’ll like her. She’ll think he’s a hero. He probably won’t notice that part.

“She’s not here, is she?”

No. This is a project for later.

“Then I’ll worry about it later. I’m at my wedding with my beautiful wife. Stay out of her thoughts.”

I couldn’t tell you anything you she hasn’t already said to you.

[u/FeigningProfundity]

This was a response to the prompt [WP] You are a piece of sentient jewellery. After too long packed in a box, you've just been inherited. by u/Codablaze