That Ring

Laughter flowed from the rooms and mixed with the classic Christmas music pumping through the speakers.  The air was stuffy from over fifty years of life and way too much air freshener, or was it not enough?  All I could feel was suffocation.

He came from behind me and slid his hand into mine, fingers entwining into a lovers handhold.  I shuddered as his grip made the walls feel closer.  He turned to engage conversation, but paused at my frightened face and pale complexion.

“Is everything alright dear?” he asked.  The words left his mouth with unforced concern and genuine worry.

My reply was much more forced.

“Yea.  I’m fine.  Just not quite comfortable with crowds and your family is quite a crowd.”

He smiled in a knowing way, and led me outside to refresh.

The cool air replaced the stuffiness with a slight breeze, but the feeling of being trapped still remained.  A twinkle caught my eye as I glanced down at that ring.  It felt tight; the band squeezing my finger.

My hand twitched towards my purse trying to find one cigarette that may have escaped the mass exodus I agreed to when he placed that ring on my finger.

Understanding immediately, he sweetly handed me a piece of gum.

“Why don’t you stay out here a little bit and relax.  I’m so excited to introduce you to all my family, but I will wait for you to be ready as well.”

He kissed me on the cheek, and turned back into the house.  No arguing, no fighting, just an honest concern for me, an honest caring about my feelings.  Damn, he really loved me.

The feeling of his love gripped my shoulders tightly, and instead of comfort; I just felt trapped.

I watched him walk back inside.  I watched him hug his mother, kiss his grandmother on the cheek, high five his brother, and laugh at his sister’s joke.

I chomped down on the nicotine infused gum, and made a decision.

Slowly and carefully I removed the precious ring around my finger.  I rustled away from the loving embrace and laid that shiny diamond on the handrail.

With no turning back, no reconsidering, no thought other than the need to flee from this life; I made a rash decision.

I ran.

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*fiction alert*  No, I'm not leaving my husband.  Yes, his family is huge.  No, I don't feel trapped in our marriage ... family Christmas (well, that's something else).  Between the prompt 'trapped' and talking to my friend about his 2 failed engagments; this story was born.

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