The more traditional ruby rings were placed alongside the white-gold and diamond rings in the large jewellery store window. Laura exclaimed with joy, totally smitten by a sparkling 1.5ct diamond halo-set white-gold ring. However Thomas misunderstood as Laura was slightly cross-eyed and when she pointed it out, he assumed she wanted the adjacent rose-gold ruby ring at $3,200, whereas the diamond ring was priced at $20,300. He would have been paying that one off forever.
He purchased the ruby ring the following day and presented it to Laura at dinner that Saturday night. He couldn’t understand why she was crying and assumed she was overjoyed with the whole experience.
Laura’s mother Audrey, also unimpressed with the ring, berated him. ‘You only get married once, why didn’t you choose a diamond for my daughter?’ Laura burst into tears and left the room.
Laura liked beards. Actor Chris Hemsworth had grown one and so Thomas, wanting to please his fiancée, because she was from a better suburb, began cultivating one, with minimal success. He consulted a trichologist who sold him a bottle of Minoxidil for $295 and was informed he’d need at least six months’ treatment. Thomas handed over his credit card for the pre-paid discounted price of $825 for the first three months’ supply. The next day when Thomas spotted the exact Minoxidil in a four month pack in his local pharmacy for only $110, he immediately drove to his trichologist to demand a refund. The business had shut down.
At least the ring wasn’t expensive but he couldn’t understand why Laura still cried when she looked at her left hand. Also, she wasn’t overly loving since the engagement, but he put it down to pre-wedding jitters.
Two days before the wedding, Vince from Accounts Receivable, practising his best man speech, smiled at his immaculate hired suit, which looked brand new. The crisp white shirt was on special at Target for $35 so Vince decided it to be a wise purchase rather than relying on a hire shirt. He thought he may get further use from it because there was a nice girl in Sales. She was petite with a beautiful smile. He was considering accidentally bumping into her one day when they all left the building at 5 pm. He would ask her out for a casual dinner, or maybe a movie.
