Page 75 of Tipping Point

She had made up her mind about something and I was curious about it. She avoided me like the plague. It relieved me and bothered me more than I would have guessed.

She scoops up her backpack, shoulders it, and stands looking around the room while the crew all head towards the door. She’s making sure they leave the place as they found it. A small frown appears when she spots the wooden box on the fireplace mantle.

It contains the Celestia collar.

Before she came over to film, I had this overwhelming urge to make her take it. A type of atonement. Maybe if I got rid of it, I could stop thinking of her wearing it, wearing nothing else but the collar. But when she walked over the gravel towards me, tired and resigned, I knew she wouldn’t take it.

She’s had enough, and, maybe, so have I. It’s time to get over it.

She’s looking at me again, lost in thought, grey eyes brewing up a storm.

“Why?” she asks.

I sigh. “I thought I could…make you take it.”

“Changed your mind?”

“No. I just don’t think you want it.”

“I absolutely don’t want to take your most valued piece of jewelry from you, no.”

“It isn’t.”

She cocks her head, surprised. “You own more expensive pieces?” she asks curiously.

Ever the journalist.

I shake my head. “Not more expensive, but definitely more valued.”

I can tell she’s curious now.

“I could show you?”

Jay pops his head through the door. “Ready, Cam?”

She startles, turns to him, gives me an uncertain look.

He looks between us.

“We’ll only be a minute.” I jerk my chin at him.

He nods and disappears into the night.

Hesitantly, she follows in my wake when I ask her to follow me.

To my bedroom. In the walk-in closet, I open a drawer and type my code into the keypad. A drawer springs open and glides open noiselessly.

I have some watches, some gold, cash, an antique collection of coins. I pick out what I’m looking for.

It’s a silver ring. Two hands holding a black stone, shaped like a heart, a silver crown atop. My mother’s claddach ring.

“Love, loyalty, and friendship.” She smiles, stepping over to inspect it.

“Oh,” I say, surprised. “I know it another way.”

She raises her eyebrows at me.

For some reason, I can’t say it. It’s a sacred thing. She’s waiting patiently.