Free Submission Revealed by Diana Hunter

case hadn’t been between them.
    “Hello, Uncle Irv. You’re looking great.”
    His uncle? Sarah resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. Phillip had somehow forgotten to mention that little tidbit of information.
    “And who is the lovely woman at your side?”
    Phillip put his arm around her waist as he introduced her. “This is Sarah. She has consented to be my wife.”
    Even as she extended her hand to Phillip’s uncle, Sarah felt the atmosphere change. Was it her imagination or did Mr. Anberg hesitate ever so slightly before taking her hand? But then the moment passed and he was smiling and charming and offering to show them his favorite set of wedding bands. Sarah glanced outside and decided the sudden chill she got must just be from a passing cloud.
    Phillip picked a ring from the velvet pad on the counter and held it for Sarah to see. Made of silver, the artist had taken a traditional Celtic knot design and changed the angles slightly, giving the intricate pattern that circled the ring more of an art deco flair.
    “And see?” Phillip’s uncle pointed to one of the threads of silver that made up the knots. “If you follow that all the way around the ring, you’ll discover the entire series of knots is made up from one single line.”
    “Really?” Sarah reached over and Phillip handed her the ring. She twisted and turned it, her eye following the line as it intersected itself over and over until she had gone around the ring twice.
    The old man nodded toward the ring in her fingers. “The symbolism is perfect for a wedding ring. Two lines that seem independent of each other but are truly one life intertwining.”
    “And you designed this?” Sarah was enchanted. “Mr. Anberg, it’s wonderful!”
    “You call me Uncle Irv if you’re going to be a member of the family.”
    This time Sarah knew for certain that the atmosphere changed. Mr. Anberg—Uncle Irv—and Phillip exchanged a glance that seemed to communicate some sort of secret message. What were they up to?
    “And will you need anything else?” Uncle Irv looked pointedly at Phillip who turned to Sarah.
    Phillip pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, playing with the end in a possessive gesture. Without looking away from Sarah, he answered his uncle. “Yes, Sir. We do.”
    A huge smile came from the old man. “Good! Good. Come in the back, then and let me get my tape.”
    Sarah sent a quizzical look at Phillip, who only smiled at her and gestured for her to follow his uncle. Mystified, she did so, trusting that he wasn’t leading her into some den of iniquity.
    The workshop behind the door looked like any other artist’s studio. Tools and scraps of paper covered the workbench where a large, round magnifying glass sat propped on its bent metal arm. Sarah wondered what treasures she would find if she looked through it.
    A smaller display case occupied a similar position in the workroom as did the larger one out front. The bracelets here were more of the wide-banded type, although there were several that had small chains connecting the bracelet to a ring that were obviously meant to be worn as a set. She flexed her hand unconsciously as her mind reacted to the confinement such a ring and bracelet could produce.
    She looked a little further in the case and saw an assortment of earrings. Sarah shook her head. Why would anyone want to wear an earring with such a huge gold ball on both sides? Looked more like a barbell than an earring. Well, there was no accounting for taste. Although she did rather like the set with the two small hoops and a chain of amethyst hanging from each one. But why the tiny gold chain connecting them? It didn’t seem long enough to go under a woman’s chin and would look silly across the bridge of her nose. She turned to Phillip to ask about them when Uncle Irv noticed what had her attention.
    “Ah, I see my soon-to-be niece has discovered the nipple rings.”
     
    Phillip wished he had a camera to capture the look on