****
Toriano went directly from Ethan’s burial to visit Mark Nelson. He had been determined to start a new life with Connie that day. Why didn’t he love her? Why couldn’t see himself spending the rest of his life with her? He had tried and tried, but the feelings simply were not there. He had become engaged to her the first time because she seemed like a perfect match, and had broken it off amidst his increasing passion for Linzi because he respected Connie too much to cheat on her. He never could figure out what was missing, but maybe he would see something in her that he didn’t see the first time around.
What he didn’t want to do under any circumstances was fall in love with someone else and break Connie’s heart again, especially now that he knew that pain himself. Attractive women like Linzi weren’t exactly beating down his door these days, but once cured of the ‘Ruby Kisses’, things could change. He thought he had found his soul mate in Linzi, and wondered at what point did she start to see things differently.
‘Do you know I have thirty-thousand dollars in the bank that I was going to use to put a down payment on a new house for us?’ He called out to his ex in his mind. ‘I did without all these years to put this money aside.’
He wondered if she had ever loved him or if her feelings had faded over time.
Nelson wordlessly invited him to take a seat next to him on the porch.
“You can’t buy love,” Nelson said laconically. “It’s either there or it’s not.” Toriano was startled. This man was some type of evil wizard. Toriano had never believed in the supernatural before, but there was no other explanation for this curse of ‘Ruby Kisses’ and Nelson’s ability to read his thoughts.
“What you did to me was vicious and unjust,” he said. “You accuse me of greed when I was only trying to give my wife the best life I could. Weren’t you trying to do the same when you bought your wife an expensive ruby ring?” Nelson did not answer. “You’re right when you say that love that is not there cannot be bought. I worked hard to provide for my wife, but it was never enough. No matter what I gave her, Linzi always wanted more. What’s worse is that I would have worked myself into the ground to give her all her heart desired. Truth be told, I still would.”
“I understand,” Nelson said. “Terri resented having to work to help pay the bills. She too had expensive tastes and in particular coveted jewelry. She saw the ring in Pat’s store and talked of nothing else. I made an agreement with Pat to buy the ring on credit, foolish enough to believe that she would be grateful for my sacrifice.”
“Is that so?” Toriano exclaimed “You know, the woman who loves me was satisfied with the tacos I brought her for lunch. I could give the ring to her and be rid of this curse you decided I deserved because you are so convinced of my dishonesty and selfishness. So tell me, Mr. Nelson: If I’m as heartless as you believe me to be, then why can’t I bring myself to use Connie to lift the curse? If I’m so dishonest, why can’t I pretend to love her? And if I’m so greedy, then why am I prepared to give you back the ring, cancelling out any chance the curse will ever be lifted, along with the life savings you used to pay for it? Does that sound like a selfish, compassionless, dishonest person to you?”
Nelson opened his mouth to speak, but Toriano cut him off. “Here is the ring that rightfully belongs to Terri. Give it to your granddaughter like you wanted.” He placed The Star in Nelson’s reluctantly outstretched hand. Toriano took out his check book and begin to write. “Here is a check for thirty-thousand dollars. That’s more than you paid for the ring. You now have Terri’s ring and your life savings back.” Toriano stood up to leave. “Treasure every minute you have with your granddaughter. Life is very short.” As he walked to his car, he thought he saw Nelson raising an eyebrow and smiling slightly.
He drove to Norwich Street, near a train track. It was the same spot where Ethan had been shot just five days before. A memorial, decorated with football regalia to honor Ethan’s position as running back for his high school’s team, had already been defaced already by mean-spirited vandals.
Connie, it seemed, was the only example of pure love left in the world. He would give her the ultimate gift, one that no piece of jewelry could replace. It was a gift he could give her honestly and with no ulterior motive. Toriano, feeling unburdened for the first time in months, decided it was a gift he was more than willing to give her.
‘Toriano heard the four o’clock train approach. As it grew closer, he calmly stepped on the track and faced the oncoming train.
‘This is for you, my dear Connie.’
He would set her free so she could find a man who would love her with all his heart, the way she deserved. The only way she would be free is if Toriano was out of her life forever. The train came closer, blinding him with it’s high-beam lights.
“I hope you know, Connie, how sorry I am for hur--.”