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17. detailed research about the perfect gift + also Zekina please because I'm greedy when it comes to this ship! LOL XD
zekina + detailed research about the perfect gift 🎄
“Hey, Mrs. B?” Zeke asks, swinging off his backpack and letting it drop it to the floor. “Can I ask ya something?”
Linda smiles, still scrubbing the restaurant counter with an old dishrag.
“Aww! Of course, sweetie! Is this about my teeny Tina?”
Her smile falls briefly, eyes nearly bulging out of her head.
“Wait, this isn’t proposal talk is it? You know I love you two together, but seventeen is just too young! I always thought you’d propose after college. On a boat, maybe, or—ooh! On horseback? That would be nice!”
Zeke chuckles. Though a proposal isn’t on his agenda just yet, it’s nice to know that he’ll have Linda’s blessing when that time comes. He thinks about marriage a lot, actually. More than most teenage boyfriends do. When he has a bad day, he envisions the way Tina will smile when he finally pops the question. Sometimes, when he kisses her, he’s secretly imagining that they’re at the alter.
“Nah, it’s nothing that serious.” He assures his girlfriend’s mom. “Not yet, anyway. I’m actually in the market for…well. Do you think Tina’d like a promise ring?”
Zeke’s eyes fall to the counter, as he finishes his sentence. He doesn’t want to see Linda’s face if it turns sour. Luckily, excitement in her voice prompts him to raise his head again.
“A promise ring?” She asks, one hand flying over her heart. “How romantic! What a little gentleman you are.”
Zeke feels a brief flash of heat in his face. Something about earning approval from adults always makes him bashful, and knowing that Linda likes him feels like a gigantic win.
“Oh, I dunno about that. Just…with Christmas comin’ up and all. I thought you might like to see the one I picked out, if that’s alright with you.”
Restaurant chores forgotten, Linda props her chin in her hands as she leans forward.
“It’s more than alright!” She says. “Let’s see what you’ve got, hon.”
Zeke’s a little nervous, as he pulls up his camera roll. He’s put a lot of thought into Tina’s Christmas gift, but it’s not like he has the kind of money to get her a really nice ring. Even all the saving he’s been doing has left him with a slightly underwhelming ring selection.
“Here’s the one I found.” Zeke says, zooming in on the picture to give Linda a better look. “I thought the blue might make her eyes pop.”
He has to actively refrain from gushing. Something about the color blue makes Tina’s dark eyes shine, and that girl’s eyes are enough to make a man go weak in the knees. He’s probably biased, though. To him, everything about Tina is uniquely beautiful.
“Wow!” Linda says, examining the small blue stone in the center of the ring. “What a beaut! You picked that out yourself, huh?”
Zeke’s eyebrows knit together, a little confused by the question. Did I pick it out myself? He’s been pouring over ring catalogues for weeks, searching for the perfect fit for his girlfriend. He’s already consulted with Gene, a self proclaimed expert on bling, and he’s learned more about ring sizes in the last month than he ever planned on learning in a lifetime.
“Course I did!” He says, taken aback. “I knew I wanted this to be perfect. Tina’s…well hell, you raised her! You know how special she is.”
Any shyness from before is gone, as Linda looks between he and the ring. He thinks the world of her daughter, and that’s not something that embarrasses him. It feels natural. He watches as a small, touched smile appears on Linda’s face.
“Tina’s gonna love it, sweetie.” She says softly. “She’ll think it’s absolutely perfect.”
Pulling the phone back with a grin on his face, Zeke admires the photo for himself. There’s still two weeks left until Christmas, and he’s going to spend each of those days daydreaming about seeing his ring on Tina’s finger.
“Thanks, Mrs. B.” He says, his girl’s pretty smile on his mind. “I sure hope you’re right.”