With This Ring

Val let out a long, languid yawn. Her deep, amber eyes opened easily as the light from the sun-drenched, brisk February morning cascaded across the cream-colored walls of her bedroom. For the first time in months, she felt rested. With a satisfying stretch and yawn, she reached over to her phone to see a text from Patrick.

"Hello beautiful! Flying into SF. I miss your face. Love you, call you when I land."

A wide grin spread across her face. Even after almost three years, his words still made her warm and giddy. She shot him a text back and rolled deeper into the covers turning herself into a comfy plush burrito. She might've gotten some great sleep, but she wasn't ready to get out of bed just yet.

Work had been taking its toll on her. Plus, she was beginning to build her own meager business working with clients who'd been rejected by her job. Was it unethical to be poaching from the vast reject pile that her own company dismissed without a second thought to build her own foundation? Sure. Did she particularly care at this point? Not really. Besides, it wasn't costing them anything, considering they were making millions of dollars on the writers they were currently representing. On top of that, she'd done the pitch for her boss on these writers, and her boss was clear on the disinterest. Val was determined to not only capitalize off their white gaze, but hopefully make a few strong connections before anyone found themselves nose deep in her business. Even with all that, she was happy to work there, learn all she could, and help others in the process of making a real name for herself.

Before she could get settled in, a long, whiney growl erupted from her stomach pulling her from her peaceful rest.

The reality of being hungry and knowing that once she got up, she would have to start cleaning was enough to steal anyone's joy. Her brow furrowed at the thought of having to move and actually start the day.

She then thought about Patrick and the fact that he would be back home that night. The idea of him coming in and seeing the state of downstairs was enough for her to kick the covers off in a grunt filled tantrum. Taking in her appearance in the dresser mirror, she couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. Her dark, auburn curls looked like a wild nest all over her head, her oversized shirt, which she'd commandeered from Patrick, had a stain on it from an unfortunate orange chicken incident last night, and there was a pimple reaching puberty on her forehead.

She was a happy, rested mess.

With heavy steps, she descended down to the pigpen she'd nested in for the past week. There wasn't much to clean in the way of the kitchen, but the garbage was overflowing with all her takeout, and the living room looked as though a tornado had touched down right in the middle of the loft. With the discarded clothes left around the bathroom from each shower she took, and the overall layer of dirt form habitual use of the common spaces, Val had done her best to let herself go.

Patrick was generally the tidier one of the two of them as he kept most of the common areas clean. Val kept up plenty herself, she simply hated having to do any sort of housework. It was a redundant waste of time, and unlike her model photographing partner, she worked much longer hours way more consistently. The last thing she wanted to do was come home and wash dishes. When she lived alone, she hired a cleaning service, but once she moved in to his place, Patrick promised that they wouldn't need one.

But he hadn't been there.

For a split second, she considered hiring a service but rolled her eyes. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle, but there was something about having the place to herself. She could do what she wanted, and she did.

It was already 10 am, and Patrick would be home in around 8 hours. Valerie bit her bottom lip trying to decide if she was going to start cleaning or eat first. Another impatient growl came from her stomach.

"Okay, brush my fangs, eat, then clean!" she announced out loud to her stomach.

Another benefit of being home alone besides tossing her things wherever she wanted, she could have an open conversation with herself, and no one looked at her like she was crazy.

Valerie ambled over to the kitchen glancing at the empty food containers from before.

"Actually, I'll order something to eat, then clean." she muttered as though it were some genius plan she'd come up with.

Val rushed back upstairs nearly tripping to grab her phone. Giving the floating stairs a quick side eye, she finished the stairs to the top of the platform and quickly pulled up her favorite breakfast spot. Beginning her day with anything from Cupping Room Café would guarantee it was going to go smoothly, and the night would be perfect, because Patrick would be back.

She finished with her order and put her phone down on the kitchen table. There were two things outside of work that made Val this giddy. Food and sex. She would be getting plenty of both today.

Val smirked to herself thinking about Patrick's return. The payoff of welcome home sex was enough to remove the funk she was in from having to cleaning up her own mess.

*****

His hands roamed up and down her body like cascading water. His lips kissed down her stomach. Soft, sensual kisses that set her skin on fire. Erica looked down to see the red marks his lips left behind. Imprinted on her skin like a tattoo. The moment his tongue reached out and licked up her perfect dark lips, dipping into her wet center, the first surge hit her. The pleasure was so intense, it felt like someone had taken a vibrator to her entire body.

*Ring*

Erica's eyes shot open. He was now deep inside of her, filling her completely. She could feel him everywhere, from the tip of her toes, the tips of her hair. His gorgeous, onyx colored skin seemed to move across his body like liquid, but the moment she touched him, she felt his rock solid muscles underneath. His moves brought her entire body to heights she'd never before experienced. She could feel the next surge coming with every thrust of his hips.

Close... closer... almost there...

*Ring*

Erica tossed and turned in her bed trying to ignore the real-life telephone that was invading her dreams making Idris Elba seem further and further away. After the third ring, he was long gone. She opened one eye toward the loud intrusion sitting on her nightstand.

'On everything I love, I hope your privates are attacked by fire ants and dipped in gasoline...' she thought to herself reaching one long limb over and picking up her cell.

"This better be important." she grumbled into the phone.

"He bought a ring!"

Erica looked at her phone to see that it was Val. She also took in the fact that it was 8am, on her only day off in the past two and a half weeks.

"I was getting it in good with Idris. It was about to be the best orgasm I'd had in months."

"A ring, Erica!"

"Months, Val. And I had at least another hour or so of sleep to go. The things he could've done to my body... oh! I wish it was real." she breathed out with a long stretch.

"Erica, he bought a ring! What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Be thankful?" she quipped rolling over and away from the early morning light peering in through her blinds.

"This is serious Erica. He has a RING!!"

"Yes, yes, we've established there's a ring. And?"

"I mean, I was just cleaning, and, you know I hate cleaning. I was in the living room. I was cleaning in between the couch cushions, and there it was! I mean, who puts a ring in between the couch cushions?"

"Apparently your boyfriend does." Erica yawned.

"I just wanted to clean, have him come home, we have dinner, great welcome home sex..."

"Wait. Why were you cleaning in between the couch cushions?"

Val shook her head unsure of what that had to do with anything.

"I ate on the couch all week. Who cares?"

"I'm just sayin', seems like you were looking for something." Erica yawned out.

"No! I was not. I just, I had Chinese the other night. I was sure I spilled some rice somewhere... Look, it doesn't matter. What am I supposed to do when he comes home?"

"What are you trying to ask me?" Erica asked, already over this conversation.

"I mean, we have to talk about this, right?"

It took her a moment to register what Val had said, but once she did, Erica sat up. "Val, what are you talkin' about?"

"It's clear he was thinking about proposing. Shouldn't we talk about it?"

"Hell no! Where on earth would you get a dumb ass idea like that?"

"No, I just-"

"You just what!? You can't control everything! I mean, damn. Let the man have his proposal!"

"I'm not trying to take his proposal. Why are you yelling at me?"

"Cause you make me want to slap you sometimes." Erica grumbled. She jumped out of her bed and began walking towards her kitchen clad in only a navy-blue tank top, and a black thong.

The spacious, bright, one story apartment was rife with rich earth tones and art from artists back home in Minneapolis such as Daisy Giles-U'u. Cozy, comfortable, and stylish, it was her haven for relaxing after long hours spent trying to help what the world deemed as discarded and disenfranchised youth.

"Erica, I just have to know!"

"Know what?" Erica asked. "You get a ring, an engagement ring at that, what other question is there? I mean besides the question he intends to ask you."

"But why? Why now? We just got past Christmas."

"That was months ago, where you at?"

"It wasn't that long ago." Val argued.

Erica could feel her head starting to pound. She turned on her coffee pot and leaned back on her refrigerator. "You know what, lemme just... hang on a second."

"What are you-" Val hearing the phone click, stopped pacing in her own living room.

"Who did you call?" she asked once the line clicked back over and she heard ringing.

Before Erica could answer, Olivia picked up.

"Hey."

"Liv, your baby sister has lost her damn mind, and I need you to help me talk some sense into her."

"I did not! I just need some answers!"

"Really? Because to me it sounds like you're trying to propose to Patrick with his own ring."

"Okay," Olivia interjected. "I'm gonna need you to back up, speak slowly, and in full sentences please."

Val sighed. "I found a ring buried in the couch cushions while I was cleaning."

"Wow."

"Right! Erica was over there acting like it was no big deal."

"I still don't think him having a ring IS a big deal!" Erica countered.

Olivia chuckled. "Actually, I was more surprised by the fact that you were cleaning."

"In between the couch cushions too."

Val scoffed. "I just told you I spilled food down there."

"I still think you were looking for something." Erica mumbled.

"Okay, I don't think either one of you are listening to me. I have a ring, in my hand, that my boyfriend bought, presumably to put on a very important finger."

"Yes, but I'm not understanding how you proposing to him is the answer." Olivia shot back.

"I'm not trying to propose to him! I just want to talk to him about it."

"I don't think that's..."

"I told you it's stupid..."

Both Olivia and Erica expressed their doubts in Val's plan.

"But we said we were going to wait!" Val told them.

"Did you though?" Erica asked before taking a sip of her coffee.

"It was implied." she spat back quietly.

"Val, why do you feel you need to talk to him about it?" Olivia asked.

"Because we JUST moved in together-"

"Three months ago." Erica interrupted.

"And I don't know if I'm ready to put a ring on my finger."

"Technically, he would be the one putting the ring on your finger."

"Erica." Olivia warned.

Val sighed. "I just don't want things to move any faster than they already are."

"Calm down," Olivia comforted. "I'm going to call mom."

"Yeah! She knows how to get her to stop doing stupid shit."

"Erica!" Val exclaimed.

Erica snickered as Olivia clicked over to call their mother.

Val sat down on the edge of the couch and took a deep breath. Her mind was racing. The last thing she expected to pull out of the couch was a ring box, but there it was. A small part of her was tempted to put it on before sheer panic set in and she thought about what it would mean to be wearing a ring on... that finger. She then called Erica, which she was now regretting considering it was quickly becoming a family affair.

"Val, honey." Deirdra called out.

"Hi mom." Val answered back.

"Sweetie, Tell me what's going on with you. Erica, don't say anything."

"Hey!" Erica protested.

"Mom, I was cleaning up the living room..."

"Wow." Deirdra threw out surprised.

"Seriously? You guys, I can clean, and clean plenty. I just hate it."

"I know sweetheart, continue."

"I found Patrick's engagement ring, and I... I'm just scared. It's not that I would mind, but it's... it's so soon!"

Deirdra sat quietly for a second. "Well, Val, it's really not. You have been together for two years."

"Actually, they closer to three," Erica added quietly.

"The point is, if you're still having commitment issues, then maybe you shouldn't be together." Deirdra finished.

"I'm not having commitment issues." Val argued.

"Then why does a ring have you on the phone with your entire family trying to calm you down?"

"Did Patrick propose?" Theo asked, his voice booming in the background.

Deirdra turned to him. "Apparently, Val was cleaning and found a ring."

"What? Val was cleaning? Hell freeze over or something?" He shot back with a light chuckle.

Val rolled her eyes. "An entire family of comedians." she mumbled.

"Hand me the phone dear" Theo requested.

Deirdra handed it over but didn't move. Instead she made room so she could listen in.

"Look, baby girl, the ring is from Patrick's family. I know he's planning to ask, but you gotta let him do it in his own time. And you got to stop worrying. You got a good one there. Don't be like Livvie."

"Excuse me!" Olivia spoke up.

"What the hell? Where'd you come from?"

"What do you mean don't be like me?" she asked.

"You know. You're all, back and forth with that Brit. Don't know which end is up. I mean, you could be like Erica. No man in sight."

"And I like it that way, thank you." Erica spat back.

"Well shit, I guess it's a party." he grumbled looking at Deirdra.

"Didn't nobody tell you to go off talking about your daughters behind their backs." she countered.

Theo went back to the phone. "Look, you all have to just trust yourselves. You're smart women. Stop letting these men freak you out. It's obvious Patrick... loves you. Just let it happen. Unless you don't want to, then don't. But don't walk around scared every time something happens in the relationship. Otherwise, you'll end up alone. I don't want that for any of my girls."

Val smiled widely at her father's words. She couldn't believe he was the one making the most sense out of everyone.

And if she really thought about it, she was acting crazy. He hadn't asked, or even brought up an engagement of any kind. Why place unnecessary stress on a situation that hadn't even arrived?

Her phone began to beep. She looked to see that it was the man in question.

"Hey, I gotta go. Thanks for talking me off the ledge Dad."

"Anytime baby girl."

"Hold on! Dad! How does he get all the credit?" Erica demanded.

Valerie just laughed. "Bye! Love y'all."

She clicked to her other line with them still bickering.

"Hey babe, you in SF already?"

"Uh, not quite. We're kinda floating in the air at the moment. The storms on the West Coast are making it difficult to come in. I might be delayed a while. Just wanted you to know."

"Are you okay?"

Patrick chuckled. Val could hear the nervousness in his voice. "Uh, well, I've been thrown up on. A baby, not an adult, but I don't know if that makes it better or worse. Putrid milk is not a pleasant smell. There's quite a bit of turbulence, so yeah. I'm hanging in there."

Val did her best to swallow her laughter. "Oh babe. I'm so sorry. Just take a deep breath... or don't actually."

"Funny. Very funny."

"You're going to be fine. Just get home to me."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too."

Val hung up the phone and looked down at the ring in her hand. It was quite beautiful. A rose gold band that weaved together with smaller diamonds encrusted around it. The setting was a simple heptagon with a two-carat diamond in the middle. Carefully, she placed it back in the velvet box and stuffed it back into the couch.

He would ask... eventually, and she'd be ready to give her answer.

Looking around she took in a deep breath. There was no need to stress over something she had no control over. What she did have control over was what Patrick came home to. Not only was she going to finish cleaning, despite her family's shock over the matter, she was going to give him a home coming he'd never forget.

*****

Patrick trudged up the final flight of stairs to his New York loft. Any other day when the elevator was out of service, he didn't mind the five flights, but after a combined total of 28 hours of travel, taking another extra step was bound to drive him insane. He smelled like baby vomit, body odor, and stale peanuts. He was more exhausted than he'd been in a long while, and he was also starving. He couldn't take another disappointment.

Opening the door, he stepped inside and dropped his bags with a loud thud. It wasn't until he was well inside that he'd noticed the spread Val had laid out for him.

In the living room was a romantic scene of candles, wine and a blanket on the floor where the coffee table would normally be. Or, it would've been as the candles were now out, the wine bucket had water and an upturned, empty bottle in it, and Val was sprawled out on the couch in a gray, lace camisole snoring slightly. He chuckled to himself. Even with her hair all over head, she was the most beautiful woman he'd seen in the last two weeks... Gently stroking her hair, he attempted to wake her.

"Valerie."

She didn't budge. He leaned down and tickled her nose.

"Val?"

This time she rubbed her nose and turned her body so that she was now facing the back of the couch, her camisole riding up exposing her smooth midriff. Patrick wanted to reach out and touch the inviting skin, but opted instead to place his hand on her shoulder.

"Val baby, Wake up, I'm home."

Valerie shuffled some more before opening her eyes.

"Hi." she greeted. Her voice rough with sleep.

"There's my beautiful woman. I'm sorry I kept you waiting."

She stretched with a wide, toothy smile. "But you're here now!" she announced gleefully, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Patrick chuckled accepting her kisses all over his face.

"That is some sexy wine breath you got going on."

"Nothing compared to that beautiful scent of baby vomit and stank on you my love." she joked back.

He laughed and took a step back. "You're right. I do smell rancid. Let me get in the shower and I'll be right back." He stretched out with another peck before walking backwards, unbuttoning his shirt along the way.

"You like my cleaning?" she asked stretching her arms out to her sides taking in the entire room.

"How long did it take you?"

"Forever" she groaned out. "Now hurry up so you can get your shit out of here."

"Yes ma'am." he winked moving towards the back.

Getting into the bathroom, he felt an odd pang in his heart. Longing. Even the brief moment with her when he walked into the door wasn't enough to cure the ache he'd felt for her since he left. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, bury his face in her beautiful curls, and bury his member as deep into her body as he could. Even the thought made his cock twitch.