On Engagement Day, He Forced His Sweetheart's Ring on Me

The day before my engagement, I went to the jewelry store to pick up the wedding rings.

But the clerk told me that the women's ring had already been taken that morning by Arnold.

That ring had my name engraved on the inside.

He was supposed to slip it onto my finger himself when we went up on stage the next day.

Ten minutes later, Lucinda, his childhood friend, posted to her social media feed.

In the photo, she was standing in front of the flower wall in the banquet hall I had booked, wearing my ring on her ring finger.

The caption was just one line:

Got dragged in to help rehearse; the ring is prettier than I expected.

Their mutual friends egged her on in the comments:

For a second I thought you were the one getting engaged tomorrow.

Arnold liked it.

I sent him the screenshot and replied with just two words.

Delete it.

Half an hour later, he called.

"Lucinda happened to be around, so I had her help me test the shot."

"Both families' elders will be there tomorrow. Don't blow this up in front of everyone."

The next day, the engagement party began.

When the emcee announced the exchange of rings, Arnold walked up to me carrying a tray.

Lucinda stood by the flower wall, still holding the program sheet.

He picked up the ring and took my hand.

"Put it on. Besides you, no one cares whether she touched it last night or not."

......

When the ring pressed against my finger, I didn't move.

Arnold gripped my fingertips, the women's ring hovering just short of my knuckle.

My name was engraved inside it.

Last night, in that post, Lucinda had held it up to the light just like this.

Someone below urged me on first.

"Hurry and put it on, the elders are all watching."

Arnold pressed down on my hand.

"Sybilla, don't make everyone look bad."

I looked toward the flower wall.

Lucinda was still standing there, the program sheet in her hand curled into a white edge.

She didn't step forward, just lowered her head and pressed her lips together.

Arnold pushed the ring toward me a little more.

"Put it on."

"I already had her delete the photos."

"Don't leave her standing here to get yelled at."

I looked at him.

"She touched my ring, and now I'm supposed to smooth things over for her too?"

Arnold's brow furrowed.

"You really have to make a scene today?"

Lucinda's eyes reddened fast.

"Sybilla, I was only trying to help rehearse."

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I'll step back."

She took half a step back, but stayed in front of the flower wall.

The mutual friends nearby immediately chimed in.

"She was just helping test the run-through, no need to take it so seriously."

"It's not like the ring isn't going to you."

"It's your engagement day, don't make things awkward."

The emcee held up the microphone, not daring to read on.

The photographer's lens was still trained on my hand.

The tray wasn't withdrawn, the ring wasn't taken back.

Everyone was waiting for me to hold out my hand.

Arnold's mother rose from the front row.

"Sybilla, whatever it is, come down and we'll talk about it."

"Put the ring on first."

The relatives joined in the coaxing.

"A young woman shouldn't be so petty."

"If this really turns ugly, what will the guests outside think of the James family?"

My mom clutched her purse.

My dad looked at Arnold, the smile on his face fading little by little.

Arnold didn't look at them.

He only stared at me, his voice dropping lower.

"Lucinda's been busy this whole time and hasn't had a sip of water."

"Just put the ring on first, don't let her run around for nothing."

I yanked my hand back hard.

The ring hit the tray with a very faint sound.

Arnold's face darkened.

"Sybilla, if you keep this up, how are we supposed to salvage today?"

Lucinda's tears finally fell.

Arnold let go of me.

His first move wasn't to comfort me.

He walked over to Lucinda, blocking the crowd's view of her.

"Don't cry."

"It's not aimed at you."

Arnold's mother came around the tray too, pressing a tissue into Lucinda's hand first.

"Don't cry your eye makeup off."

Only then did she look at me.

"Sybilla, put your hand down first."

I had put my hand down long ago.

It was only the ring still gleaming on the tray, everyone certain it would end up back on my finger sooner or later.

The mutual friends muttered under their breath.

"Lucinda's got it rough too; she helps out and gets scolded for it."

"She only posted last night because she was happy, and she never claimed to be the bride."

The emcee nudged the tray toward Arnold.

"Should we put it away for now?"

Arnold didn't take it.

His hand was still resting behind Lucinda's shoulder.

"We'll need it later."

Once those words landed, some people below actually looked relieved.

"Good, so it can keep going."

"Let Lucinda step aside and pull herself together first."

"Steady the bride too, don't hold up the program any longer."

"Arnold, calm one of them down at a time."

Hearing that, the emcee immediately lowered the microphone.

The photographer didn't shut off the camera, just let the lens drop to his chest.

They were all waiting for Arnold to soothe Lucinda before coming back to deal with me.

Arnold turned to look at me.

"Wait a minute."

He left me on the red carpet and went with Lucinda behind the flower wall.

The photographer's lens shifted off my hand and swung after them for a moment.

The tray was still in front of me.

The ring was blindingly bright.

No one urged him to come back anymore.

My dad finally stood, meaning to head up to the stage.

Arnold's mother stepped in to block him first.

"In-laws, the children are just squabbling over little things."

"The guests outside are all watching, let them finish the program first."

My dad looked at her, then at the sight of Arnold shielding Lucinda behind the flower wall.

His hand dropped to his side.

The emcee let the microphone hang at his side.

The tray was still in front of me.

That ring was never taken away.

Arnold walked Lucinda behind the flower wall.

No one urged him to come back anymore.

When Arnold pulled me into the lounge, the music outside was still playing.

Once the door shut, the applause and the chatter were muffled behind it.

He set the tray down on the table.

The ring rolled to the edge of the table, and he flicked it casually back to the center.

"What exactly do you want?"

I didn't touch the ring.

"That's what I should be asking you."

"You put my ring on her finger, then made me take it back up on the stage."

Arnold tugged at his tie.

"She was just helping out."

"She's the one who's been running around handling the engagement these past few days."

Several planning sheets were spread across the table.

The top one was the order of the family group photo, freshly printed.

My parents' names had been moved to the second group.

Beside Arnold's parents, there was an extra handwritten sticky note.

Lucinda.

Next to it was a corsage list too.

The line for the bride's parents had been crossed out in red pen, then written back in.

But Lucinda's name was written neatly after "Main Table Assistant."

I picked up the note.

Arnold glanced at it, his tone still steady.

"My mother asked her to sit closer so she could help with the reminders about the schedule."

"You never bother with any of this. What's the point of digging it up now?"

I flipped open the wedding planner's cue cards.

The entrance lines I was supposed to confirm had been changed in two places, in red pen.

Beside them was Lucinda's handwriting.

Pause three seconds here, wait for the close-up on the ring.

Sybilla isn't familiar with the flow, so I'll remind her.

Arnold reached out and pulled the sheet away.

"Stop looking."

"She just didn't want you to panic out there."

He pressed the paper back down on the table, his fingertip landing right on my name.

"You don't understand these details anyway."

"She's saving you the trouble, and you're still picking at her mistakes?"

I looked at him.

"It's my engagement. Why is she the one reminding me?"

The door opened a crack.

Lucinda stood in the doorway holding the schedule, her eyes still red.

"Arnold, they're asking for you out there."

She glanced at me, then lowered her head again.

"Maybe I should step back for now."

Arnold wouldn't let her.

"Step back for what?"

"They're all out there waiting for you to run the schedule."

He stuffed the sheets back into her arms.

"Go with the order you just set up."

Lucinda caught the papers, her fingers clenched tight.

She wasn't smiling, and she didn't keep up the pretense of backing off.

But the moment those sheets were in her hands, the people outside went quiet.

Someone called through the door.

"Lucinda, Mrs. James is asking which side to start the group photo from."

"The emcee's waiting on you too."

"And the favors table wants to know which of the bride's relatives to hand out to first."

The voices outside came one after another, and not one of them asked me.

Arnold looked at her right away.

"You go first."

I stood by the table and saw a long strand of hair caught in the lid of the ring box.

It wasn't mine.

I plucked out the strand and laid it on the table.

Arnold barely glanced at it.

"You're going to make an issue of this too?"

He said it very softly.

Soft enough that no one outside the door could hear.

But I heard it.

In this whole engagement, Lucinda had touched the ring, changed the schedule, and sat in the seats meant for my parents.

And in the end, I was the only one making an issue of anything.

Arnold picked up the ring box.

"Let's take the group photo first."

"Don't hold things up."

He walked to the door, then paused.

"Stop staring at her later."

"She was crying that hard just now. Don't take it out on her."

I looked down at the long strand of hair on the table.

I didn't ask him again whether I could stand it.

The music started up again outside.

The emcee tapped the microphone.

"Just a moment, everyone. The couple will be right back."

The word "couple" drifted in through the door.

I looked at the seating chart and the corsage list on the table.

The spot that belonged to me: one had been moved aside, the other written over by someone else.

Arnold stood at the door, hurrying me.

"Let's go."

"Don't keep the elders waiting."

The elders he spoke of sounded so considerate.

But the ones who'd been soothed first weren't my parents.

I left the long strand of hair on the table.

Arnold didn't look at it again.

He just snapped the ring box shut and gripped it in his hand.

That ring was supposed to have come out of the box for the first time and gone onto my finger.

Now it had been put back, waiting to be taken out again to patch over something for appearances' sake.

Someone outside called again.

"Are the couple ready yet?"

Arnold turned to look at me.

"Don't make them wait a third time."

I followed him out.

Lucinda was already standing at the door, smoothing the cuff of his jacket for him.

When I came back to the banquet hall, the positions for the group photo had already been set.

Arnold's parents sat in the middle.

My parents sat off to the side, with hastily added name cards taped to the backs of their chairs.

Lucinda stood behind Arnold's mother, the run sheet pinched in her hand.

She didn't even need to say anything; the emcee had already handed her the cue cards.

"Are we still going with the version from before?"

Lucinda looked up at Arnold.

Arnold nodded.

"Stick with the earlier plan."

My mom's expression shifted.

"Mrs. James, it's my daughter getting engaged today."

Arnold's mother smiled and patted the back of her hand.

"Of course I know that."

"Lucinda knows the flow, so she's just lending a hand."

"Sybilla ought to learn from this too. She can't leave everything for other people to worry about for her."

The words weren't harsh, but they landed right in front of my parents.

My dad didn't say anything.

His hands rested on his knees, his knuckles taut and white.

When Lucinda handed the run sheet back, she smoothed out Arnold's mother's shawl on the way.

Arnold's mother didn't pull away. She squeezed Lucinda's hand instead.

"Thank you for all this."

The lady next to her smiled and chimed in.

"This girl really knows how to take care of people."

"Any family with a thoughtful girl like her at their engagement would save themselves so much trouble."

Arnold's mother smiled too.

"She grew up right under my eyes, so of course I trust her."

I stood off to the side, suddenly not sure where I was supposed to be.

The photographer raised his camera.

"Could the couple move closer together?"

Arnold reached a hand toward me.

"Come here."

The moment I reached his side, Lucinda had already stepped out of the frame.

But every part of the plan was still in her hands.

Someone asked which side to set the ring box.

Someone asked which table to toast first after the group photo.

Someone asked the emcee whether any lines needed adding.

Every single question circled back to Lucinda in the end.

Arnold heard it and didn't correct anyone.

My mom went to speak, and my dad gently pressed her hand down.

She looked at the run sheet, then at Arnold.

The light in her eyes dimmed, little by little.

The cash gift she'd prepared for today was still in her handbag, bulging out one corner of it.

But no one there asked the bride's parents whether they wanted to confirm anything.

Arnold just tilted his head to remind me.

"Smile."

I looked at the camera.

Lucinda stood off-camera and flipped the run sheet to the next page.

Her thumb pressed down on the line that read Exchange of Rings.

The shutter clicked.

I heard the relatives praising her quietly beside me.

"Lucinda really keeps things steady."

"If it weren't for her, this whole thing would've fallen apart already."

Arnold's mother heard it and didn't deny it.

She just lowered her head and adjusted her corsage.

The corsage Lucinda had pinned on her a moment ago.

The flower on my mom's chest was a little crooked.

No one went to fix it.

I reached over and straightened it for her.

She held my hand; her fingertips were cold.

My parents sat off to the side.

Arnold's parents sat in the middle.

Lucinda wasn't in the photo, yet she held everyone's next move in her hands.

Once the group photo was done, Arnold glanced down at his watch.

"We still have the ring segment to get through."

The relatives nearby immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good, as long as it can keep going."

"That was terrifying. I really thought it was going to break up."

No one looked at my parents anymore.

My mom raised a hand to straighten her collar, then slowly lowered it again.

She'd worn a new cheongsam specially for today, and she'd been placed at the very edge of the frame.

Yet the run sheet in Lucinda's hands kept being passed in front of everyone, over and over.

The wedding planner came over with a pen.

"Should we confirm these few spots?"

He looked to Lucinda first.

Lucinda took the pen, then handed it to Arnold.

Arnold gave it a glance.

"This is fine."

That pen was never passed to me.

It wasn't passed to my parents either.

I stood where I was.

I looked at the tray at the end of the red carpet.

One more step onto the stage, and I'd be stepping back into the spot only after she'd finished arranging it.

Arnold had already walked ahead.

Lucinda held the run sheet, standing in the spot closest to the main table.

She turned the run sheet to the next page.

The emcee glanced at her before raising the microphone again.

My mom's cash gift was still tucked in her bag.

No one asked her anymore whether she wanted to change the plan.

Arnold turned back and hurried me along.

"Sybilla."

"The ring segment can't be put off any longer."

I let go of my mom's hand and walked up to the stage.

Behind me, someone breathed a sigh of relief.

"There we go."

"A young girl can throw her little fit, but she should know where the line is."

The emcee stepped back onto the stage, his voice even brighter than before.

"Next, let's continue to witness this couple's moment of happiness."

Arnold stood beside me.

There was a faint crease on his cuff, left there when he'd steadied Lucinda earlier.

Lucinda had withdrawn beside the flower wall, still clutching the program sheet to her chest.

The emcee held the tray out to Arnold.

"Please, the groom will place the ring on the bride's finger."

Arnold picked up the woman's ring.

The lights glinted along the inner band.

My name was pressed under the pad of his finger, only the last letter showing.

Every gaze in the room settled on my hand.

"Just put it on."

"With all these relatives here, it would look terrible not to go through with the engagement."

"A girl can be jealous, sure, but she shouldn't wreck the whole thing."

Arnold reached his hand toward me.

"That was about enough just now."

"Put the ring on first, and I'll explain later."

"I've already had Lucinda step aside."

"Give me a way out."

I looked at that ring.

Then I looked at where my parents were sitting.

Then at the program sheet in Lucinda's arms.

"You explain it to them."

Arnold forced down the impatience in his eyes.

"Do you really have to drag up old grudges up here on the stage?"

Lucinda suddenly spoke.

"Arnold, maybe we should just let it go."

"I really did wear the ring last night, so it's normal for Sybilla to mind."

"Don't fight with her over me."

Arnold's face went cold at once.

"You hear that?"

"Even now she's still thinking of you."

He grabbed my hand again.

Harder than before.

"Sybilla, there are so many people here today. Can't you be a little more reasonable?"

A few people in the audience nodded along.

"Arnold's already gone this far to smooth it over."

"The ring ends up on your finger in the end, doesn't it? Isn't that enough?"

Arnold's mother spoke up too.

"Sybilla, this has gone far enough for one day."

"The elders are all here. Leave Arnold a little face."

My mom started to rise, but my dad pressed her hand down.

He looked at Arnold on the stage, no longer smiling.

Lucinda didn't step forward; she only gripped the program sheet tighter.

Arnold lowered his voice.

"Hold out your hand."

My dad stood up right then.

Arnold still didn't turn around.

His eyes were only on the ring in my hand, and on Lucinda by the flower wall with her red eyes.

I raised my hand and took the ring from between his fingers.

Not to put it on.

To set it back on the tray.

The emcee's smile froze.

Arnold froze too.

I took the microphone.

A short burst of static crackled.

The room fell completely silent.

"Sorry to make you all come out here for nothing today."

Arnold's expression changed.

"Sybilla!"

I didn't look at him.

"I'm not wearing the ring."

"And the rest of the program isn't necessary either."

The emcee instinctively looked to Arnold.

Arnold reached out to snatch the microphone.

I stepped back.

"This engagement is off."

A page slid loose from the program sheet in Lucinda's arms.

The paper drifted to the floor and stopped at my feet.

The last line on it read:

The couple exchanges rings, then guests gather for photos.

I glanced down at it.

"I don't want a ring someone else has already tried on."

Arnold finally panicked.

"Don't do something rash."

"I'll explain about the ring."

I put the microphone back in the emcee's hand.

"Whoever you let decide the next step just now, let them go on with it."

At last, none of the relatives in the audience tried to talk me down.

Arnold's mother stood up, her face terribly grim.

Lucinda bent to pick up the program sheet, but her fingers trembled.

The page fell open, and my name was there on the second line.

Crossed out in red pen, with "pending" written in beside it.

I didn't pick it up.

Arnold reached out to pull me back.

"Sybilla, don't joke about the engagement."

I put my hands behind my back.

"I'm completely serious."

I stepped around the program sheet and walked down off the stage.

My parents stood up as well.

My mother's eyes were very red, but she didn't cry here.

My dad steadied her and went ahead of me, clearing away the people blocking the end of the red carpet.

This time, at last, someone made way for me.

Behind me, the emcee didn't dare say another word.

That ring stayed on the tray.

This time, no one dared hand it to me again.