Chapter 9: The meaning of "SS"

At the New World jewelry store.

"Welcome to our jewelry shop." A smiling shop assistant opened the door for her, greeted her and led her in, "What would you like to buy? Just tell me how I can help, young lady?"

The goods displayed in the shop window looked swanky and shining in the neon light. On the other side, brilliantly lit in the light, stood display cases with glass tops. Every time Becky glimpsed herself in the shop's glass, she felt she was someone to be taken seriously; not a girl anymore, but a young lady. For some time, she gazed longingly at the rings in the window. Her face shone with excitement.

"I'd like to buy a ring."

There were so many thoughts coming to her, from so many directions, about so many subjects. She always wanted to buy a pair of wedding rings again after paying off the debt. She thought about this problem for a long time. Therefore, she had to shift away from the thought and have a sustained effort that she could stop this affair.

She just wanted things to be back the way they were. If everything went according to plan, she would be after him right straight away.

No matter how wonderful the present moment was, the future could be even more fulfilling and joyous. Thinking about the bright future, she laughed, and the mood abruptly lightened. Then, she quickly found what she wanted there: a pair of diamond rings.

"Wait a minute! I'll get you those items." The shop assistant sold wares with expeditiousness not to keep her waiting.

She nodded in agreement, and then suddenly she heard a man's voice behind her say.

"It's Becky, right?"

In the twinkling of an eye, she was at a loss when she met him. It was Adam Frost, and he was one of Elias's best friends. Adam was a fine figure of a man and handsome. He had short brown hair and a charming smile. His face was friendly as he watched her. However, she got all hot and bothered when he came close to her. She wondered how long he would stay there and if he would reveal her secret or not.

She was very cautious. But if Adam had a big mouth, he would tell Elias what she was getting him for his birthday. Sometimes she thought about what would happen if Elias found out. Would he laugh her down or decline her gift?

"Hello, Mr. Frost."

However, she quickly cleaned up her thinking. Her lips parted in a smile and greeted him.

"You came alone? Why don't you go with your husband?"

Adam Frost, who had a lot of experience in design, used the money he inherited to set up as a fashion designer. He was also a designer of handmade costume jewelry and fashion jewelry and took his inspiration from everything around him.

But, after a few minutes, she found herself more silly. She did not understand why she could forget Adam was the owner of this famous jewelry store.

Adam had no clue what she was thinking about. He and Elias were classmates since childhood. Their relationship was not bad, he even was invited to their wedding. He was a very witty talker. Then, he walked up to her, introduced himself and talked to her.

"What have you just bought? I'll give you a discount."

Adam reached up to the cabinet and brought down a rectangular red box. Then he handed it back to her. When he took a glance at the receipt, he chuckled.

"So, are you looking for some rings to give your husband as a wedding anniversary gift? That is so romantic!"

As soon as she had heard it, Adam picked up a pen and wrote something on the receipt. He gave her a fifty percent discount on that pair of rings. Then he beamed up at her, his smile shockingly lovely. He explained.

"Actually, I really want to repay his favor. Before getting married, Elias came to my shop and ordered a pair of engagement rings. And of course, those are my designs."

"He bought the rings here?" Her heart jumped. She knew nothing about it.

"A wedding ring symbolizes the union of husband and wife. And do you know your wedding rings are my significant work?" Adam said proudly and conceitedly to himself, "It's been used in Alice in wonderland Series since 2010."

"Come here." Adam took off his wedding ring from his right hand and waved, "My wedding ring is also in this series. Look at the letters on it."

It was an opal ring, with his wife's name engraved on it - the same opal ring which she saw at the showroom. On the tag was the date of her birth, and the words "IN WONDERLAND".

Generations of the Frost family had pursued this trade. It was an invaluable craft, and they had to preserve it. Many people could not differentiate traditional handicraft from industrial products. Hundreds of shops on Glens Falls were selling similar commercial products. Theirs were handmade. It was their advantage and they could make a living from this job.

"My fair hand makes the pair of your rings. When Elias went to my shop to order, he asked me to engrave a message on it." He said.

A message? So what did it mean to be "SS"?

Susan Smith? Or Sophronia Smith?

Becky was in a strained condition. She had certainly never thought of this before, but after listening to Adam, she felt certain she knew exactly what the reason was. She had no time for another thought before Adam called out to her.

"Elias said that the abbreviation for Alice In Wonderland was meaningless, so he wanted the initials of the ring to be a reduction of his name and his lover's name, SS, which signed with love forever true just for his lover."

So, "SS" was really the abbreviation for their name? Sophronia and Smith?

What a joking!

"However, Elias has wonderful taste." Adam spoke highly of him. Then, he placed his ring on the fourth finger of his left hand again. Joking, he said, "Actually, thanks to Elias, this series is popular at present. People are buying because a man of great renown like him is buying, and going up."

His stories made her in fits of laughter. Then, she received a beautifully wrapped gift box from the shop assistant, gently smiled at them and left the shop. She could feel nothing but despair until she walked alone to her car in the parking lot in front of the shop. She leaned motionlessly against her polished scarlet Volvo, like a marble tribute to some forgotten pagan god of beauty. There was some hurt in her eyes. She felt sorry for herself. She always thought herself mighty wise, but she was so childish, silly, and naïve.

After years of living together as husband and wife, she just wanted to have something changed. But the meaning of that ring definitely pricked her bubble.

At home.

"The number you are calling has rejected your call…"

Elias's eyebrows pulled together. He was standing at the window, staring out. It became darker and darker. The seconds passed, and he grew more and more stressed, wondering how much time would pass before it was too much time. He tried to get a hold of her, but he could not get through.

He knew she was highly disciplined and behaved sensibly. He thought she was a good person to have around in an emergency and always behind him over the years, but sometimes she would vanish without a trace. And he would feel qualmish and anxious because she had not come home yet. So, he hoped nothing awful would happen to her.

But what if something bad happened to her? How could he be proud of who he was when he was walking around the denial? Rather than avoid the bad stuff, view it from a distance. As he considered life's unfortunate events during the past year, imagined watching them on a screen that was a comfortable distance away.

"Yeah, there'll be no harm done, unless you wish that there should be harm done."

Elias tried to soothe himself, but he was absolutely frantic with worry. He sat rocking in the seat and staring out of the window. He was about to pick up a car key and stand up when she walked into the house.

"Sir?"

He terrified her with his presence. She thought he would come home late, because the party usually broke up at 10 PM. But now it was already 9 o'clock. Why did he leave early?

"Where do you come from? Why aren't you returning my calls?" He made no bones about questioning her.

Becky with a foolish expression on her face and she dept looking around stupidly as if she was trying hard to understand what was going on. Then, she remembered her phone was out of battery and had been powered off for a long time.

"Sorry, sir. My phone is out of battery."

"You…" He wanted to ask where she was going. However, the positive opinion of his looks was damaged by the next words out of his mouth, "If you want to go out, you only have to say the word."

"I…" She was in a bad mood, so her manner of speaking was quite abrupt, "Work time is over, Sir!"

"So?" But he did not understand.

"It means the working time is up, and from now on, I will no longer be your personal assistant. I am not under any compulsion to disclose everything to you." She explained.

Her hands balled up, knuckles white, and she turned away from him. Then, she said nothing, but walked out of the living room and went to her study. He wanted to haul her into his arms and hold her, but she avoided him like the plague.

"Leave me alone." She said and rolled the door shut without waiting for him to reply.