The ring, I thought and lifted it out of the box. I turned it slowly in my fingers. The diamond glittered like a precious stone with more than simply monetary value. It was a magic stone for me, a stone from which I could draw power and strength. Once my sisters saw it on my finger, they surely would fall back. It was one thing to have a boyfriend like Buddy but another to be moving forward toward marriage. Surely they'd see that. They'd see that it was too late to change my mind or interfere.