The ring

Adrain's POV

I awoke with a splitting headache that made me wish I had avoided all the drinks of the previous night.

For a few seconds, I didn't move. I looked at the new ceiling and tried to recall where I was.

Memory came back too fast.

The bar. The teasing. His hand in mine. The hotel room.

Julian.

I turned my head slightly. He slept, with one arm across the bed, his hair and his pillow being in a mess. When he was not smirking he looked younger.

I got on my elbow with as little disturbance as possible. My garments were lying about the floor. I had a few unread notifications on the phone lying on the bedside table.

I rubbed my forehead.

What did I do?

I had accepted marriage to Cassandra a few hours ago. Then I turned around and slept with a stranger.

I looked at Julian again. He turned a little, but did not wake up.

I did not wish to be here when he wakes up . I didn't want explanations. I did not want him to ask me to give him my number or attempt to make it more than what it was.

Last night was a mistake. A reckless one.

Silently I slipped out of bed and took up my clothes. I put on my clothes as swiftly as I could do so without being noisily heard. I checked my phone. One missed call from Lucas. A message.

Lucas: "You disappeared. I went home. Don't die."

I almost smiled.

I looked at Julian one more time before I left. I thought of waking him up and saying something decent a moment. But what would I say?

Thank you?

Goodbye?

Never again, let us not see each other?

I chose the easiest option. I left. I returned to my apartment and Lucas was in the kitchen drinking coffee as though it were his place.

He looked up as I walked in. "You're alive."

"Obviously."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "You didn't answer your phone."

"I was busy."

His face was a little different. "Oh?"

I passed by him and picked a bottle of water. My head was pounding.

"How was your night?" he asked.

"It was fine," I said.

He was leaning on the counter. "Just fine?"

"Yes."

Lucas looked at me a couple of seconds. "You're lying."

"I'm not."

"You're terrible at lying." He snorted.

"I'm not discussing it."

He put up both hands in self-defence. "Okay. Fine. Keep your secrets."

He hesitated and then he said, “You going to the hospital?”

"Yes."

He nodded. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will."

I took a shower and changed to a new suit. When I went I had buried the last night deep in my memory.

It meant nothing.

It would stay that way.

I entered my mother’s ward at the hospital and paused briefly.

She wasn't alone.

Cassandra Whitmore was sitting by her bedside and was holding her hand.

Cassandra rose to her feet at my approach. She was just as I remembered, in perfect pose, with her blonde hair in place, and a soft smile. She had a plain dress which somehow appeared costly.

"Adrian," she said politely.

"Cassandra." I replied.

My mother smiled brightly. "You're late."

“It is ten in the morning,” I replied.

She did not pay attention to this and pointed at Cassandra. “She arrived in time to keep me company.”

“Thank you so much,” I said to Cassandra.

"It's nothing," she said. Your mother must not be alone.

I nodded.

After some few minutes, Dr. Howard arrived with a clip board. He greeted us and covered the recent findings.

“Having read all this,” he stared at my mother. “You are sufficiently stable to go home. We will start the treatment as planned.”

My mother looked pleased. "I told you I wasn't dying."

“Thank you doctor.” I said. “Let’s go get the discharge papers.”

“Sure”. The doctor said and we left the office together.

I returned to my mother’s ward alone. With Cassandra and I by her side, we went to the parking lot and I helped her sit in the car.

It was at that moment I noticed something….odd.

Cassandra was wearing a ring on her left hand.

It wasn't small. It wasn't subtle either.

It resembled an engagement ring.

I shook my head and took another glance, being careful not to imagine that I was dreaming.

It was definitely a ring.

I frowned but said nothing.

Maybe it was just jewelry. Maybe I was overthinking.

"I'll head home," she said. "Call me if she needs anything."

“Thanks,” I said.

She smiled politely. "Of course."

As she moved on the ring was caught once more by the sunlight.

I lingered a little longer than I should have lingered.

There was something wrong about it.

I suppressed the idea, though. There were other more significant things I had to attend.

Back at home I assisted my mother to her room up the stairs. She walked slower than normal, but she did not allow me to carry her.

"I can still walk," she insisted.

"I know."

When she was lying on the bed, I turned her pillows. "Rest. I will prepare you something light to eat.

"You don't have to cook," she said.

"I want to."

I descended down and made a plain supper. Soup. Beef. Nothing complicated.

When I returned to her room with the tray she was dressed in fresh clothes and looked more at her ease.

“You ought to be resting,” I said setting the tray down.

“I only took a bath,” she said.

I made her sit in an upright position and gave her the bowl.

She examined me after a couple of spoonfuls. “I spoke to Cassandra this morning.”

I kept my voice neutral. "About what?"

"About the engagement."

I paused slightly. "Already?"

"Yes. Time is not on our side, Adrian."

I didn't respond.

“This evening,” my mother continued. “I would like us to have dinner at their place. We may talk about the official announcement and select a date.”

"So soon?" I asked.

She laid aside her spoon and looked up at me. "You promised."

"I remember."

"Then let's not delay."

I momentarily hesitated and nodded. "Fine. We'll go."

She smiled with contentment. "Good."

I handed her a glass of water. “You need to be healthy so you can have a blast at my wedding.”

"I will, I promise.” She giggled like a kid who got candy.

I forced a small smile.

But I thought of the hand of Cassandra.

The ring.

Unless--

No. I was reading too much into it.

“She is a good girl,” my mother went on. "You'll see."

I nodded.

When I picked up the bowl that had been emptied, and rose to go away, I still saw the image of that ring.

I told myself it didn't matter.

Tonight, we would sit at a table, discuss dates, and formalize an engagement built on obligation.

And yet, I couldn’t shake the question:

Why was the woman my mother wanted me to marry already wearing a ring that didn’t belong to me?