"Are you sure about this?"

The conversation came to an abrupt halt when Carey suddenly sprang to her feet and ran across the room to break up a fight that had started between two girls. One of them was howling because she had been stabbed in the hand with the other girl's fork.

"You're gonna pay for this, you fucking bitch!" The girl balled her hand into a fist and caught the other girl in the nose.

"All right, break it up," Carey said as she grabbed the girl with the bloody nose and pulled her away before she could return the punch.

"She started it!" the girl with the bloody hand shouted.

"I did not, you—“

"I don't care who started it. Both of you drop and give me twenty."

The girls just stood there glaring at each other. "Now!"

The girls dropped and started their push-ups and Carey motioned for Donaldson to come over. "Take care of this for me, will ya? When they finish get them over to the infirmary to check on those injuries." Carey walked back to the table and dropped into her seat. "I just don't need this kind of stress in my life anymore, ya know?"

"I know."

"It used to be a challenge that I enjoyed, now I just want to be able to spend more time with Grace."

"What are your plans?"

"We're moving to the cottage. I'm sure I'll be able to find some kind of job that will allow us a more normal life." She looked around the room. "Because this isn't it."

Gage reached over and covered Carey's hand with her own. "I wish all the best for you, my friend. But I'm sure gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

Carey put her book down when she heard a car pull up. A storm had rolled in the day before and she had insisted that Grace stay in Mohawk with Tom until it blew over. She met her at the door and helped her off with her coat. "I missed you," she said, as she pulled her into her arms. Grace wrapped her arms around Carey and returned the hug. "Did you?"

"Desperately." Carey released her hold and led her to the couch. "I told Sue that I'm leaving Sapling Hill today." She sat down and pulled Grace with her.

"How did she take it?"

"She was shocked, but I think she was happy about the promotion."

"I'm glad they accepted your recommendation," Grace said. "I think she'll do great."

Carey nodded. "I do too. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, we got a postcard from the folks. They're having a wonderful time in Hawaii." She got up and walked into the kitchen to retrieve the card. "Look," she said, holding the card out as she returned. "They had it custom made with their wedding picture on it."

"I can't remember when I've seen my dad look this happy," Grace said, her eyes misting over with tears. It was a nice shot of the two of them. They were standing at the altar, facing each other, and Richard was slipping a ring on Barbara's finger. She wiped a stray tear away with the back of her hand, and looked up at Carey. "I don't believe this." She glanced at the postmark on the card. "They got married on Monday, and Tuesday they already had postcards to commemorate the event in the mail."

"I guess they were anxious to share their wedding with us, and with digital cameras and computers, they probably had the postcards in hand before they left the chapel." Carey laughed. "It was probably part of the wedding package."

Grace sniffled and leaned into Carey, the postcard clutched to her chest. "Can you imagine what it would be like to stand at the altar like that and pledge yourself to the one you love?"

"To tell you the truth, I've never given it much thought," Carey said. "I think it would be wonderful." Grace looked at the picture and smiled. "They look so happy."

"So what is it?" Gage said as she unwrapped her sub.

"What's what? I can't invite my friend to my office for lunch?"

"Uh-huh," Gage said. "I only get free lunch from you when you want to talk about something...usually Grace."

Carey leaned back in her chair and smiled. "You know me too well."

"That I do, my friend." Gage picked up her soda and took a sip. "So out with it. What's on your mind?"

"Well, it is about Grace," Carey said. "We got a postcard from our parents yesterday. It was their wedding picture, and Grace got all sentimental and misty-eyed."

"What'd she do, ask you to marry her?" Gage joked, then took a bite of her sub.

"No," Carey said. "She just mentioned how happy they looked, and that she could imagine us standing at the altar."

"Earth to Carey, in the real world that's called a hint," Gage said.

Carey nodded. "That's kinda what I was thinking."

"Better get those two months' pay saved up."

"Two months' pay? For what?"

Gage shook her head. "A ring, oh dense one. You are going to give her a ring, aren't you? Standard rule of thumb is two months' pay on an engagement ring."

"That's outrageous," Carey said. "You know how much money that is?"

"It's a small price to make your wife happy," Gage said. "Or do you call her something else?"

"I have no idea," Carey said, still in shock. "Two months' pay?"

Gage nodded. "That's what I hear. I wouldn't know from personal experience though." She took another bite of her sandwich and watched Carey sit and fiddle with the wrapper on hers. "Do you think you'll ask her?"

"I can't imagine life without her anymore, Sue. It took me some time to get it through my thick head that she really is the one, ya know?" She smiled sheepishly and shook her head. "I can be really dense sometimes."

Gage laughed. "That's the understatement of the year."

Carey relaxed a little and laughed too. Finally she picked up her sub and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. "I'm going to ask Reverend Pellegrino if he would be willing to marry us. You think he will?"

Sue shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

Carey spotted the jewelry store. "You know I've never gone past this place without there being a sale going on?"

Grace smiled and walked over to the large display window.

"Different sales," she said. "One week it's a gold sale, the next it's a diamond sale. This week it's engagement rings and wedding sets." She pointed at the sign showing a bride and groom exchanging rings. "Some of these are so gaudy."

"Which ones?" Carey asked casually, hoping to pick up clues as to what kind of ring Grace would like.

"Well, like that one," Grace said, pointing at a large solitaire. "That's a 'no glove' ring. The diamond's so big you can't wear a glove with it."

"So you don't like large stones?"

Grace shook her head. "Not that kind. Now this one is nice." She pointed at a ring with two bands of small diamonds. "That's pretty."

"You like that one?"

"Well, it's nice, but not for me," Grace said. "First of all I could never afford it, and secondly I like white gold, not yellow."

White, not yellow. Got it. "But you like that style?"

"It's nice," Grace said, then pointed at a similar one. "But see how that one has a larger diamond in the middle of the band? That's nicer, I think."

Carey looked closer. "But it is pretty."

Grace pointed to one of the wedding and engagement ring sets on display. "I think it's silly to wear two rings when one will do. I mean, why spend all that money on an engagement ring and then get a band for the actual wedding. Of course, I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a ring." She looked at Carey's bare left hand. "At least, not for myself. What kind of rings do you like?"

"I don't have a jewelry box for a reason," Carey said. "I'm not really one to wear rings."

"Did Eve give you a ring?"

"We were in the Coast Guard," Carey said. "It wouldn't have looked good for us to be wearing matching rings."

Grace smiled. "I guess not. Come on; let's go to the food court. I'm starving."

Jan took a bite of her pizza, then froze in mid chew. She had noticed a couple of women holding hands in line at Pizza Express. But when they got their food and turned to find a table, she recognized her friend Grace and Scary Carey. She did it. She actually did it. "I'll be right back," she said to her friends at the table. "I think I see someone I know." She walked over and tapped Grace on the shoulder. "Hi there, stranger, long time no see."

Grace stood up and gave her friend a quick hug. "Carey, you remember Jan."

"How could I forget?" Carey smiled and pointed to an empty seat. "Good to see you, Bowen. Would you like to join us?"

"No thanks, ma'am. I've got friends waiting for me. I just wanted to say hi."

Grace laughed. "Ma'am? Jan, we're not at Sapling Hill any more. You can call her Carey."

"Or Scary, if you prefer," Carey said.

Jan's face reddened and she looked at Grace. "You told her?"

Carey burst out laughing. "No, she didn't tell me. She didn't have to."

"I...I'm sorry, ma'am."

"Just Carey. Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." Her face reddened even more. She shrugged her shoulders. "It's a hard habit to break." She turned to Grace. "Call me and let me know what's been going on with you." She glanced at Carey, then leaned a little closer. "And I do mean everything."

"Come to my office," Carey said, tugging on Sue's arm.

"Why?"

"I want to show you something." She unlocked the door and stepped inside. "You can't say anything to Grace," she said, crossing to her desk and opening the top drawer

"You didn't," Sue said, smiling when she saw the black velvet box. "Let me see."

Carey opened the box, showing the white gold ring with two bands of small diamonds and a larger square stone in the center. "Think she'll like it?"