He was kind, even tender. “A ring a man can be proud to have bought his wife.” He sounded like he could reassure them forever. “Twenty-five years…it’s as if there’s a facet for every loving moment you’ve had together.” Mrs. Daley gave him a look for that line. Eventually Mr. Daley had to give in and buy Mrs. Daley the ring. “Would you like to wear it now?” the salesman asked. Mrs. Daley’s eyes sparkled almost as much as the ring. “Don’t be ridiculous,” Mr. Daley sneered. “We take the train. She’s not wearing a diamond on the subway. Perfect place for a mugging.” The box was included with this ring, and Mr. Daley shoved it into his inside jacket pocket, where it would be relatively safe. When they got home Mrs. Daley asked Mike for the ring, hoping he might want to put it on her himself, as he had long ago with the zircon. She smiled her best smile. “Well, Mike, at least it’s not caught on a thread in your pocket,” she said, trying to help him remember. But he tossed the box onto the dining room table. Mrs. Daley pushed the ring down her dry,
chapped finger. She went to the kitchen window to wiggle her hand in the sunlight. The diamond’s reflections danced around the room, and Mrs. Daley thought of how shocked her sisters would be when they saw her gorgeous diamond. The twenty-fiveyear wait was worth it after all. But Mr. Daley pushed her back from the window. “Don’t flash that ring outside, advertising to strangers that we have things worth stealing in our house.” She covered the diamond with her right hand. “There’s only one way you’re keeping that ring, and it isn’t in our house. It goes into the safety deposit box at the bank on Monday or it goes back to the store.” Mrs. Daley asked him if he meant they’d do this until the ring was insured. But Mr. Daley unconditionally refused to insure it, saying he’d already spent quite enough money. He warned his wife of the serious financial loss they’d sustain were the diamond to be stolen. Mrs. Daley pleaded with him to call the insurance company, just to get a figure. Mr. Daley would not. She had wanted a “priceless gem.” This was the consequence of her wishes. So the ring went to and remained in the safe deposit box. Years later, when Karen finished her schooling and had a secure job, she offered to insure the ring. Mr. Daley would have none of that, so he finally did