Dangerous Difficult and Complicated (Challenge 112) PG-13

[cassysj]

This was a hard challenge for me. I really just got the words in there but I hope you enjoy.


I do not own any recognizable characters no copyright infringement is intended.




Mick and Beth were going out for dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day. She often teased him that he must get tired of watching her eat, but that wasn‘t true. He loved every aspect of her humanity.

Beth ordered Death by Chocolate for dessert. Mick took her present out of his coat pocket and placed it on the table. He anxiously awaited her reaction, this was the first piece of jewelry he’d bought her since the engagement ring he gave her two months ago.

Beth’s face lit up when she saw the beautiful sapphire earrings.

“Mick they’re gorgeous! Thank you!” She leaned over and kissed him.

As he watched her put the earrings on he was taken back to another Valentine’s Day over thirty years ago when another woman had the same reaction.


Valentine’s Day 1977


He had been fighting with Coraline for weeks but he couldn’t let their 25th Valentine’s Day go unnoticed.

Coraline's eyes lit up in excitement when she opened the box. “Mick they’re gorgeous! Thank you!” Coraline said She leaned over and kissed him.

He had bought her custom made earrings. They were even made by the same jeweler that made Beth‘s last week. Charles Riley made all of Josef’s jewelry and had been in the business for over 150 years. Mick thought back to the earrings he bought Coraline and they were as different as night and day from Beth’s.

Coraline’s earrings had been diamonds but it wasn’t the gems that made it so different it was how they looked on the woman.

The diamond earrings had reminded him of ice when he bought them. They were square cut and had sharp edges. Coraline was a vision of beauty in them and they had made passionate love all night long, but the earrings were cold and harsh and that‘s what he thought of Coraline at the time. That purchase marked the beginning of the end of his marriage.

He watched as Beth put her earrings on. These stones were round instead of square cut and while they were blue there was nothing cold about them. Her eyes made them appear more like a warm lake instead of a cold ocean.

Charles had known Coraline for a long time, at least a hundred years. They didn’t particularly like each other but were civil. He had never met Beth and he insisted on seeing a photo and made me describe her personality. He said if you didn’t know the woman you couldn’t compliment her beauty with jewelry.

As Mick smiled at Beth he thought she was just as beautiful as Coraline but she exuded a softness he never saw in his wife. Both women were strong. Both were survivors. He wondered how different his life would have been if he had met a human Coraline. What was she like before immortality? What did centuries of fighting for survival do to a person? If he turned Beth would he love the person she’d become? Would she still love him?

He had once told Beth that relationships with humans were dangerous, difficult and complicated. That was true of vampire relationships as well.

Beth glanced at Mick while she was removing her earrings to put in his gorgeous sapphires. He looked distracted, she wondered what he was thinking about.

As she put her old earrings in the box she remembered when she got them.

Josh had given them to her on Valentine’s Day two years ago. She thought he was her future. That was before the night at the fountain, before she learned about vampires, before her life really changed. What would her life had been like if she had never met Mick or re-met Mick that night? Would she have been happy with Josh? Would he still have died the way he did? Had her distraction with Mick caused him to dive deeper into work and take a case he may have passed on if he was sure of his future?

As she smiled at Mick she remembered he told her relationships between vampires and humans were dangerous, difficult and complicated. The same could be said for human relationships.

They toasted to their future, enjoyed the present and remembered the past.

[tucutecats]

lovely story,thank you for all your hsrd work, happy valentines day

[francis]

Oh yeah, relationships are like that whether it's vampires or humans. They both got something so much better than they had before. Love how you incorporate Riley and his jewelry.

[coco]

Nicely done, Carol.

I imagine for these two in particular the 'difficult, dangerous & complicated' will always have an element of thinking about their pasts and how those pasts reflect on their present and their futures. They both had strong relationships prior to meeting each other and beginning a life together and I like the introspection you highlighted here.

[darkstarrising]

Wonderfully done, Carol....loved the symmetry of Mick thinking of how the complications of relations with humans could be said of vampires as well with Beth's own thoughts on the subject.

Loved the contrast between Coraline and Beth and the gifts Mick had given them.

The diamond earrings had reminded him of ice when he bought them. They were square cut and had sharp edges. Coraline was a vision of beauty in them and they had made passionate love all night long, but the earrings were cold and harsh and that‘s what he thought of Coraline at the time. That purchase marked the beginning of the end of his marriage.

He watched as Beth put her earrings on. These stones were round instead of square cut and while they were blue there was nothing cold about them. Her eyes made them appear more like a warm lake instead of a cold ocean.

[allegrita]

This story is very deep, Cassy! I love it. Vampire-vampire relationships, human-human relationships, vampire-human relationships... they're all complicated and difficult. And heaven knows, they can be dangerous as well.

The jewelry is a perfect way to bring Mick's and Beth's past relationships to mind, and to compare what they had before to what they have now.

[fairytoes]

very nice story! Thank you!

[Luxe de Luxe]

I really liked the thinking behind this one, cassy... the jewellery signifying the personality of the woman, and Mick's feelings about them at the time. your description of Coraline's diamonds made me shiver. and the lovely way you wove in the theme of the challenge, from both their points of view! Really, really well done.

[MoonlitRose]

Relationships are indeed dangerous, difficult and complicated. It really doesn't matter the combination, be it vampires, humans, or vamipire and human.

Loved the story, cassy.

Thank You for sharing. Happy Valentines Day!

[cassysj]

Thank you everyone for your kind comments. I was a little nervous about this story because Mick/Beth is not my strong suit. I'm glad you enjoyed it. The story started with an idea for two pairs of earrings. I guess my OC Charles wanted to make some more jewelry.

[wollstonecraft61]

Oh cassy, I love your deft use of metaphors. I am a collector, per se, of beautiful metaphors (to me they are like gems). Your description of the warm lake as opposed to a cold ocean was sublime. I also love how you had Beth think back to her gift of Josh's earrings, and how you compared it to Mick's. Cassy, this is expert writing, more in the emotions and feelings behind it than anything. I will treasure this story.

[cassysj]

Woll you make me Thank you.

[mitzie]

Great story!! Loved the way you showed the contrasts in the different relationships!!!!


mitzie

[wpgrace]

This story is very deep, Cassy! I love it. Vampire-vampire relationships, human-human relationships, vampire-human relationships... they're all complicated and difficult. And heaven knows, they can be dangerous as well.

The jewelry is a perfect way to bring Mick's and Beth's past relationships to mind, and to compare what they had before to what they have now.

Totally agree with Alle... tho would only add that jewelry is... perfect. Period.

[jen]

This is quite beautiful

I particularly liked the way each gift matched the recipient.

Thank you!