Allie walked slowly along the banks of the stream, feeling thoroughly miserable. She and Rob had quarrelled the night before and she had pulled off his engagement ring and thrown it at him. Now she was miles away, having travelled north to her great grandparent’s home to join in the celebrations for their Ruby wedding anniversary.
Allie was not looking forward to the party that evening, all the family would be there, grandparent’s, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and her brother and sister. It was a momentous occasion and the whole family had joined in the planning of it. She didn’t want to spoil things for her great grandparents, she loved them dearly, so she would have to put on a brave face when she would much rather hide away somewhere and howl.
A rush of wings startled her as a heron flew up from the streambed, where he had been fishing. Allie sat down on a fallen log and watched the water rippling over the shallow rocky bed, sparkling in the sunlight that filtered through the overhanging trees. The sound of the water tumbling over the rocks and the occasional birdsong was soothing. Allie tried to recall what had started the quarrel but all she could remember was the hurt on Robs’ face when she had thrown the ring at him.
It was then she noticed the rope, it was hanging from a branch of one of the trees and overhung the stream, obviously put there for children to play on, swinging themselves back and forth across the stream. Suddenly she felt a madcap urge to have a go on the rope swing, and pulling herself up, she went over to the edge of the bank, reaching out to grasp the rope. Allie gave it a good solid tug, it seemed to be strong enough to support her weight, so grasping it with both hands she took a few steps back then let herself swing out across the stream. She swung back and forth, twirling on the end of the rope, giggling with exhilaration and feeling rather silly all at the same time.
Snap… the rope parted and Allie found herself sitting in the middle of the stream, then feeling totally ridiculous she burst into tears. She realised the tears were more about Rob than her sudden soaking, feeling irritable and annoyed with herself, she struggled to stand up. Allie caught a glint of something shiny that had been hidden beneath a rock dislodged by her foot, she reached down and picked it up, to her amazement she found it was a beautiful ring, an old ring made for a slender finger. She turned it over in her hand, it was a solitary diamond in an unusual gold setting. Allie put the ring in her pocket and squelched off back to her great grandparent’s home.
After a hot shower and a change of clothes, Allie sat in the kitchen with a cup of steaming coffee, explaining how she had come to be soaked, to Alice and William, her great grandparents. Then she showed them the ring, Alice gave a little cry, and her hands flew to her face. William took the ring from Allie and examined it closely. "Oh, it can’t be… is it?" Alice was looking first at William and then at the ring in wonderment. "It surely is" said William. "It’s our engagement ring, the one you threw away in the stream all those years ago after we quarrelled."
Alice cried, then wiping her eyes she explained to Allie what had happened. She and William had quarrelled one day while walking along the banks of the stream and she had pulled the ring from her finger and flung it angrily into the stream. William had waded in and tried to find it but it had eluded him. They had parted then and both had spent many unhappy months wondering what they had quarrelled about. "To this day, I cannot remember why we quarrelled" said Alice, turning to look at William, she smiled at him lovingly and took his hand "but fortunately, we both came to our senses and got back together again." "We were not able to afford another ring though" said William, "how wonderful that it should be found again after all these years, and today of all days, by the great grandchild named after my darling Alice."
Allie felt her heart twist and she burst into tears. "Why, whatever is the matter dear." Alice came to Allie, putting her arms around her. Through her sobs, Allie told her great grandparents about the quarrel with Rob, and how she had thrown her engagement ring at him and left him with angry words. "I can’t remember what it was all about now, something stupid and silly, but I know he was terribly hurt by the things I said." William gave her a big handkerchief to wipe her eyes with and Alice said "Well you know where the phone is dear, if you really love him, go and call him right now and put things right." "Yes, don’t waste months fretting like we did" said William.
Allie left them gazing at each other adoringly and went straight to the telephone to call Rob, some time later she came back smiling, her eyes shining with tears of happiness. "Rob is coming up on the next train, he will be here for your party and if you don’t mind sharing your special day with us, we would like to announce our wedding date."
"That’s wonderful news Allie dear." Alice hugged her, then held out her left hand "Look, it still fits me after all these years." Allie looked at her great grandmothers hand, old and wrinkled, but her fingers still slender and untouched by arthritis; the diamond ring sparkled next to her wedding band. "It’s the best possible gift that William and I could ever have wished to receive on our special day."
I truly enjoyed this little tale, Jackie; and it proves to me that sometimes the child deep within us can save us from ourselves as Allie's child within her heart and soul made her jump on that swing and find that ring.
