"Melanie, aren't you done packing? You know I don't want to miss my flight," Isis called out from her bedroom, her voice tinged with impatience.
"I'm almost done!" Melanie shouted back from another room.
Isis sighed, sinking onto her bed. She had spent hours packing three large suitcases for her trip to Dubai. Because if the wedding dress she had to make, she had decided to bring Melanie along with her to to help shop for the fabrics and materials while she spent time with Barry.
Her three suitcases stood neatly by the door, their sturdy frames packed to the brim with clothing. A smaller, more portable bag lay on the bed in front of her. Isis leaned forward, unzipping it to double-check its contents. She scanned through the items: passport, wallet, phone charger, makeup kit, and a small journal. Confident she had packed everything, she zipped it up.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. Her heart skipped a beat. "Gosh! How could I have forgotten the ring?" she exclaimed. She leapt up from the bed and hurried over to her dressing table. Opening the top drawer, she rummaged through its contents until her hand found what she was looking for—a small red ring case.
The case was exquisite, its surface made of soft velvet, with gold floral patterns intricately etched along the edges. She ran her fingers over the smooth design, admiring the fine craftsmanship. Carefully, she opened the case to reveal the sparkling treasure inside—a 2-carat diamond ring.
The ring was breathtaking. The diamond, cut to perfection, caught the sunlight streaming through the window and scattered dazzling beams of light across the room. The band was a delicate blend of white and yellow gold, with tiny accent diamonds encrusted along its surface. She couldn't help but smile as she admired every inch of it.
She imagined the moment she'd been dreaming about for weeks—getting down on one knee to propose to Barry. "Oh, the perfect proposal," she murmured, lost in her daydream.
Playfully, she slid the ring onto her finger, holding her hand up to admire it. The diamond caught the light again, shimmering like a tiny star. She twisted her hand back and forth, watching the gem sparkle with every movement.
At that moment, the door burst open, and Melanie barged in with her usual energy. Startled, Isis fumbled with the ring in her hand. She tried to hide it quickly, but it slipped from her fingers, fell to the floor, and rolled directly to Melanie's feet.
"What's this?" Melanie asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and surprise.
"Don't… don't touch it!" Isis shouted, her hands stretched out in a desperate attempt to stop Melanie.
Melanie chuckled, clearly amused by Isis's reaction. "Why are you getting so worked up? It's just a ring," she said, bending down to pick it up.
As Melanie held the ring up, she inspected it closely. The sparkle of the diamond caught her eye, and her expression shifted from playful to intrigued. "This looks like a proposal ring," she said, glancing at Isis with a questioning look.
Isis could feel her palms growing sweaty. Her heart raced as she watched Melanie examine the ring. She could only hope that she wouldn't figure out the truth.
Melanie studied the ring again, tilting it to catch the light. "Isis, this can't be your ring. It's way too big for your fingers," she said, walking toward her friend with a curious expression.
Panic set in as she scrambled for a believable explanation. Her mind raced to find the right words, but Melanie didn't give her much time.
"Whose ring is this? It looks so expensive," Melanie said, her tone becoming more suspicious.
"Give me that!" she said hurriedly, snatching the ring from Melanie's hands.
"Geez, what's the rush? It seems like you know exactly what this ring is for," Melanie said, her brows furrowing as she studied Isis's face.
Desperate to deflect Melanie's suspicion, Isis blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "The ring is just… a muse. It's where I get inspiration to design wedding dresses," she said, hoping her explanation sounded convincing.
Melanie raised an eyebrow, her skepticism clear. She looked from Isis to the ring and back again. "A muse, huh?" she said, her tone dripping with disbelief. "That's a pretty fancy muse for a wedding dress designer."
Isis tried her best to maintain a calm expression, clutching the ring tightly in her hand. "It helps me focus on the details. The intricate designs, the sparkle… it inspires me," she added, praying Melanie wouldn't press further.
Mel burst into laughter, her voice ringing with amusement. "Do I look like a kid to you? Come on, Isis! Even if you wanted to use something as a muse for inspiration, it wouldn't be this— very expensive ring, and clearly not a man's ring."
"Take it or leave it," Isis said firmly as she placed the ring back into its case. Without another word, she tucked it carefully into the small portable bag that rested on top of the bed.
"Are you done packing? We're almost late for our flight," she asked, trying to change the subject.
Mel raised an eyebrow, still unconvinced by her earlier explanation. But after a moment, she shrugged it off. There was no solid reason to doubt her friend, even if the story didn't entirely add up.
"Yes, I'm done! And you know I can't wait to get to Dubai. Thank you so much for bringing me along," Mel said, her face lighting up with a big smile as she sat on the edge of the bed.
Isis couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. "Don't get too excited. You're not going there for a vacation—you're going there to work," she said with a teasing grin.
Mel narrowed her eyes and sneered playfully. "It all comes with the package. At the very least, I might get the chance to meet a big tycoon."
Isis burst into uncontrollable laughter. "You dream too much, Mel!"
"Tell me, is it wrong to dream?" Mel retorted, folding her fingers dramatically for emphasis. "I'm keeping my fingers crossed about this."
Still chuckling, Isis shook her head. "Alright, dreamer, let's get going before we really miss our flight. Barry is already waiting at the airport," she said, picking up the portable bag from the bed.
"Ugh!" Mel exclaimed dramatically as she stood up.
"What?" Isis asked, her smile widening. She already knew what was on her mind.
"Must he fly along with us? Can't he come later?" Mel grumbled.
Isis burst into laughter. "Come on, Mel. Barry's my man, and besides, he won't be flying with us. He'll be flying with me. You'll be flying economy," she teased, her voice full of amusement.
Mel pulled a face, exaggerating her expression to mimic the word "economy." "That's fine by me,
long as I don't have to share the same airspace with him," she said with a laugh,
Isis shook her head at the same time laughing at her antics
"Can I say something?" Mel asked suddenly as she looked at Isis.
"I hope it's not about Barry," Isis replied, her tone light.
"Oh, no, it isn't," Mel answered, her smile mischievous.
"Okay, then, I'm all ears," Isis said.
Mel hesitated before speaking again. "Don't take it the wrong way, but don't you think you're doing a little too much with this whole getaway trip? Isn't it a bit much?"
Isis sighed, clearly frustrated. "Yet another person who doesn't understand what I'm doing," she muttered under her breath. Then, more firmly, she said, "Look, the only thing I need right now from you is support in my decisions."
"I, for one, won't settle for a man who can't take care of me or make me feel special," Mel said firmly.
Isis looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "What makes you think Barry hasn't done any of that?"
"Don't deny it. You know I'm right," she replied, her voice steady.
Isis narrowed her eyes. "Has Mum put you up to this?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her tone.
"Your mum? No, this is all coming from me," she said, shaking her head.
"Are you sure about that?" Isis pressed, still skeptical.
"You see, even your mum is against this…" she trailed off, her words heavy with implication.
"That's enough, Mel," Isis snapped, her irritation rising. She had reached her breaking point. "I've had enough of everyone telling me how to run my relationship."
"But…"
"Mel, can we just drop this? We have a flight to catch," Isis interrupted, her tone final.
Mel nodded, her smile faltering slightly. "That's alright… whatever makes you happy," she said softly before getting up and heading for the door.
Isis smiled. "Come on, help me with my suitcases," she called out, grabbing one and dragging it toward the door.
Mel turned back with a playful roll of her eyes. "Fine, but you will add this to my pay" she joked as she grabbed another suitcase and followed Isis out of the room.