“Well, if it’s not an engagement ring, what is it?" He lifted my hand again and studied the ring. “It’s a... ‘I promise to be with you forever, or at least until you’re totally sick of me’ ring,” he declared. “I see. A bit wordy. But seriously, next time you want to buy me jewelry - think ‘small’.”

“The ring is a copy of my mother’s. I took the stone from her engagement ring and had a jeweler place it in a titanium setting.”“Titanium?” I asked.“Dick knew a guy."“Of course he did.”“You’re a bit rough and tumble with jewelry, and I knew it would have to be able to stand up to…”“Nuclear winter?”His eyebrow lifted. “I never know with you.”

“It’s a promise ring,” he said solemnly. “The lady at the store said it’s what you give the girl you love. It means I want to marry you someday.”

“They’re promise rings,” he whispered. Picking up the woman’s, he lifted my right hand. Sliding it on my finger, he softly said, “You wear one,” he slipped the man’s on the ring finger of his right hand, “and I wear one.”

“I want to give you something.” He slid the ring off his finger. “Up until this week, I’ve never wanted anything more in my life than to wear this ring. Not as a piece of jewelry, but because I thought I could find meaning in saving others, in being a hero. But the meaning I’ve finally found in my life is from meeting you.” He set the ring on the palm of his hand and held it out. “I want you to have it.”

“Oh, is that what's in the box? You threw my engagement ring at me?”