When She Came, the Wedding Feast Was Over

At Grandpa Clark Henson's eightieth birthday banquet, the old man slid the signet ring off his thumb.

Gold bone wound around jade, nine coils in all.

By the Henson family's rules, this ring passed only to the granddaughter's husband.

Every gaze in the room turned toward me, knowing, egging us on.

"Seven years now, it's time to put it on Derek Sawyer!"

"Once he's wearing the ring, he's family!"

Molly Henson was nudged forward until she stood right in front of me.

I held out my right hand, my whole face bright with joy, waiting for her to slip it on.