The Power of Jewelry (PG-13) Champagne Challenge #136

[cassysj]

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


Beth was very content in Mick’s arms. She kissed his hand and was rubbing his fingers.

“Mick how long have you had this ring?”

“A long time.” He said quietly.

“I was thinking of buying you a ring for your birthday but you never take this one off.”

He looked a little uncomfortable. “No. You can buy me a ring, I’ll wear it on another finger.”

“Did Coraline give it to you?”

Mick laughed. “So that’s what’s bothering you. No. I didn’t get it from Coraline.”

“Is it vampire ring?”

“You mean like a decoder ring to get me into the clubhouse? No, it’s just…..I got it at a very difficult time in my life.”

“Okay, never mind it’s not important.”

“You’re going to be thinking about it for weeks now aren’t you? “

“Yes, but you don’t have to tell me. She kissed him lightly. It’s not like we’re married or I’m a vampire or anyone special.”

Mick sighed. "I can never keep a secret from you. “Beth, I got it the day after I rescued you.”

Beth tilted her head, willing him to go on.

“After I was turned I was extremely depressed. I was on suicide watch the first five years.”

“Huh? You’re immortal.”

“It’s rare but if a new vampire is unhappy the sire keeps them on a very short leash to keep them from driving into the desert or setting themselves on fire. I soon figured it out so I started pretending to be happy, slowly Coraline let me spend more time by myself. One day I drove to St. Mary’s Church and I went into the Confessional. I told the priest what I was and I let him open the screen and see my eyes. I asked him if I would be damned if I killed myself considering I’d already been murdered.”

“What did he say?”

Mick looked away. “He didn’t get to answer. Back then Confessional had two sides with the priest in the middle. Coraline broke in through the other screen and tore his throat out.”


“Oh my God.”

“She told me she had to do it to save me. That it was a crime against the tribe to tell outsiders about us. I never entered a church again until 1985.”

“What happened then?”

“I went back to St. Mary’s, by then the old boxes were taken out and they had a Confessional room. You opened the door and there was kneeler behind a screen or you could walk around it and sit in a chair face to face. I sat face to face.”

“Weren’t you afraid to let him see you? I mean he probably would have thought you were crazy but what if he told anyone?”

“Beth the Seal of the Confessional has not been broken since the Catholic Church began. I knew he would keep my secret, I just didn’t know what he would say.”

“What happened?’

“I showed him what I was. He wasn’t surprised.”

“Whoa! How could he not be surprised?’

“He shook my hand when I sat down. Priests know about vampires Beth. It’s part of their seminarian training. I confessed to everything I had done since I was turned, up to murdering Coraline. I told him I didn’t want to hurt people anymore, I wanted to help humans. He absolved me of my sins but for my penance he asked me to return to the Confessional two weeks later at 5P.”

“Did you go back?”

“Yeah, you don’t go to Confession and not do the Penance. They go hand in hand. I showed up and sat in front of him and he handed me a box and in it was this ring.”

“Why?”

“He said I had been in darkness a long time. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. When you look at the cross remember that you need to work for God now not yourself.”

“I told him I wasn’t going to join the priesthood and he laughed. “He said we all work for God or the other team. I tried to give it back to him and he put it on my finger. I haven’t taken it off since.”

“I’m surprised a priest could afford that.” Beth said. “It’s platinum isn’t it?


Mick laughed. “You know what he told me?’

“What?’

“He said it didn’t cost a dime. He had a jeweler as a parishioner and he made it for free.

“Wow. I wonder what kind of jeweler could afford to give something like that away even to a priest.”

“A vampire jeweler. As a matter of fact the same one who made this.” He reached into his pocket and handed Beth a small box.

She gasped “Is that what I think it is?’

“Will you marry me?

[AussieJo]

Oh Carol! It's beautiful. He played Beth so beautifully into his hands (and fingers! )

[BlueEyedMonster]

Beautifully done

[Marigold]

The priest really helped Mick, not only in dealing with the aftermath of rescuing Beth and killing Coraline, but also with his vampirism in general.

Hmm, a vampire jeweler? Sounds familiar.

The last line...

Wonderful response to the challenge, Carol! Nicely done!

[allegrita]

Awwwwwwww....
That's a great story, Cassy. I really love the idea that Charles made Mick's ring... and that he made one for Mick to give to Beth, too.

Sadly, I can imagine Coraline doing terribly hurtful things to Mick in an attempt to help him. I believe she loved him, but she really didn't understand him, at least not in the early days. And her methods, even at the time of the show, were often brutal.

[Luxe de Luxe]

“Is it vampire ring?”

“You mean like a decoder ring to get me into the clubhouse? ....”

What a fabulous exchange! Great line. Lovely take on the meaning of the ring - I liked that you have the priest knowing all about it - it was a twist that makes total sense to me.

[cassysj]

Aussie - Nice to see you. Thanks for commenting.

BEM - Thanks

Marigold - I've used the confessional a few times to help Mick deal with the circumstances of his life. For a Catholic there can be enoromous peace after confessing.

Alle - Charles heard this was about jewelry and he said "I'm here! I'm here! You better include me. In this particular case with Coraline while what she did was terrible I was working from the mindset that she did know priests were aware of vampire existence but in the 1700's they were not sympathetic and considered them demons. She really was trying to help Mick in her mind.

Luxe - Thanks. I couldn't resist a clubhouse reference I thought if vampires have been around for centuries and the Catholic Church has been around for two thousand years. They must know about them.

[jen]

Cassy

This is lovely!

I'm sitting here sniffing with my glasses fogged up (okay, I was sniffing before, but the misting up was entirely this story).

Mick knows Beth. Once they touched on the topic of his ring, he knew that she would not let it go until she got it out of him. In this case, it also gave him a perfect opening for what he really wanted to give her. And she would know that it isn't the ring that gets them into the clubhouse or the other vampires would have one, too. The necklace. Maybe the necklace...

Fabulous answer to the challenge! And so fast!!!

Thank you!

Jenna

[Lucy]

You have a miraculous way of slipping in mysteriously spiritual into your work.... Just exquisite, Carol!

[jen]

She does and it is wonderful!!!!!

When we see a solid object, it has dimension and shadow. There is the spiritual element to what we see with our eyes.

Just my two cents worth...

[francis]

As a catholic I truly love this story. I get where Mick comes from and that he would trust the confessional with his secret. That you include Charles is fantastic. The meaning of the ring is wonderful.

[cassysj]

jen - Thank you. Beth can be a dog with a bone she would have to have the answer. Mick giving her the engagement ring is another symbol of how powerful jewelry can be. If you think about it wedding rings, engagement rings, graduation rings. Many relgious orders are given rings at the time of their vows or in the case of a Bishop/Cardinal/Pope a ring at the time of promotion.

Lucy - I try to put positive spirituality in a story when it fits.

francis - As a Catholic the confessional seemed the perfect place for him to unburden himself. I had to slip Charles in his feelings would have been hurt otherwise

.

[darkstarrising]

This is so cool, Carol Love the way you segue from the story of Mick's ring (very imaginative) to having him propose with his own ring to Beth.

Really like the tone of the story, too. The banter between them is light hearted, but Mick knows Beth won't let go if he doesn't tell her the story.

[cassysj]

Shameless bump. This is one of my favorites.

[MickLifeCrisis]

I'm glad you bumped it! I had not read it before. A great take on where Mick got his ring from. I also loved the "decoder" line. And then at the end he proposed to Beth with a similar ring. Loved this!