Karen didn’t think she was about to cry, but it seemed like she was supposed to.  Maybe it was the cold. Her sinuses were too congested and she couldn’t cry, or she didn’t feel like it. She just wasn’t like that  

Karen and Erich walked to the jewelry counter where there was a nice looking middle aged lady smiling a bit too much.

“How can I help you today?” she chirped happily

“Hi, there’s a ring here under the name Landis,” Erich spoke with a slight question in his voice.

“Oooh! The engagement ring. Just give me ooone moment! Oooh! This is soooo exciting!” The lady, Barbara is what her name tag read, singsonged on her way to the back room.  

Erich leveled an intense look at Karen (more accurately the top of her head). Until she craned her neck up so that they could make eye contact.

“Are you going to tell her?”

“Why would we ruin her joy? Let her have this.” Karen said with a fond giggle. Bumping her shoulder into Erich's elbow until he draped his arm around her shoulders.

Just then, Barbara came walking out from the back room with a slight dance in her step. It made her look like a giddy child, Karen thought.

    “Now. when are you going to pop the question, Mr. Landis?”

    “Oh well”... “I’m going to ruin her joy” he whispered to Karen… “we’re already married.”

As Erich gently told the woman that there would be no exciting proposal. Karen casually took the ring out of the box and slowly slid it onto her ring finger.

    “Oh. Congratulations anyway” crooned joy not ruined at all be the new information.

And with that Karen and Erich walked into the West Texas heat hand in hand, visibly married. And Karen still didn’t feel the need to cry, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to smile.