Chapter 10

When they arrived at the plane they could hear the electric tools of the work crew already installing the living room furniture. They carried the first load of packages into the meeting room and found Maggie there watching TV.

"Hey Maggie, wanna give us a hand carrying some stuff in?" Cindy asked.

"Sure." she replied, and between the five of them they got the rest in one more trip.

"Stay here." Cindy said with a wink, and let herself into the living room to check the progress of the work.

"Here, Amanda," Corey said, digging through his pile of packages. "I've got something for you to wear to dinner." He handed her a large box tied with a white ribbon and a bow. "You can change in the cockpit, since Cindy wants to surprise us with the living room." he said with a grin.

Amanda's face lit up as she took it. She smiled up at Corey and ran into the cockpit, slamming the door behind her. A moment later she ran back out and dug through her own pile for a new pair of panties, found a box of panty liners and ripped it open, spilling them all over in her haste.

"Shit!" she cursed, stuffing them haphazardly back in except one, and ran grinning back into the cockpit.

"Don't you wish you still had energy like that?" Maggie marveled.

"If you hang around her very long, you will." Cindy smiled as she emerged from the living room and closed the door behind her. "Amanda is definitely contagious."

"Here, Cindy." Corey said as he handed her a box with a red ribbon. "Something to wear this evening."

"Thanks, Corey my love." she said, and kissed him on his chest. He leaned down so she could kiss his mouth, then she lifted a corner of the box and peeked inside. "Oooh, I love red!" she exclaimed, then dug through her packages for a pair of red panties. "I'll go change in our bathroom." she said, and left to do so.

"Quittin' time, Markus." Corey grinned as he headed for the bar. "Join me in a cool one?"

"Fuckin' ay, Bubba." Markus mock growled, taking off his jacket and un-belting his shoulder holster. He sat down by Maggie, took the gun out of and popped out the clip, visually confirmed that the chamber was empty, and laid it on the table.

"Maggie? Cool one?"

"Sure Corey. Bud if ya got it." she said as she picked up the gleaming chrome automatic. She expertly took it apart with a few quick motions, sighted down the barrel, grinned at Markus, and slapped it back together. She set it down in time to take the beer Corey handed her.

"To a great day!" Corey raised his long-neck in toast.

"A great day!" they answered sincerely, smiled, clinked, and drank.

"So, you guys gonna join us for dinner?" Corey asked.

Markus and Maggie smiled at each other for a moment.

"Is it alright if we don't?" Markus asked. "I think we'd like some private time."

"Hey, I understand completely!" Corey laughed. "As Amanda would say, you've got some bonding to do."

"That's one way of putting it." Maggie smirked. "I think this is a room service night."

Markus grinned like a schoolboy.

"Where are you staying?" Corey asked.

"Me and the crew have rooms at the airport hotel. If you don't want to go too far, the dining room there is excellent." Maggie answered.

"Sounds good." Corey mused. "We'll probably get a room there ourselves, since it doesn't look like the bedroom will be ready tonight."

A few moments later Amanda emerged hesitantly from the cockpit, her hands clasped in front of her holding a pair of panties.

"Oh. My. God." Maggie said in amazement. Markus whistled quietly through his teeth.

Amanda stood there wearing a clinging and filmy white evening gown. It made her look amazingly beautiful, and had scooped neckline, low back, short puffed sleeves and a ruffled hem, slit on one side to mid thigh. The outfit had been complete in the box, including stay-up transparent silk stocking that came almost to the top of her thighs, delicate white sandal-style high heels composed of a web of thin straps that came four inches up her ankles, and tiny white cotton thong panties that slid into the crack of her bum and fit so smooth they were invisible through the gauzy dress. The ensemble was completed by two-carat diamond solitaire ear-rings, and a necklace a little looser than a choker composed of a single row of diamonds ranging from single carats in the back by the clasp, gradually larger to the front, culminating in a hypnotic four carat diamond glimmering in the center.

"I don't know what to say." Amanda said, sounding a little choked up. "How do I even thank you for something like this?"

Corey stepped close and hugged her. "Your expression is thanks enough. And the way you look in it. So beautiful it's magic. And the way you feel in it." He ran his hands lightly over her body, down her back, over her behind to her thighs, up over her hips to her tummy, delighting in the sensuous feel of her warm skin through the delicate material. As his hands cupped her perfect little bosom, Markus laughed quietly.

"Musicians. They're all exhibitionists, you know." he told Maggie, who chuckled.

"Ah hell I'm sorry." Corey stated abashedly. He stepped back, lightly holding Amanda's hands in his and smiling down at her. "I guess I forgot myself."

She was blushing furiously, but her gleeful little smile shone up at him.

"You know, just 'cuz he's a rich and famous rock star doesn't mean you can't tell him he's embarrassing you." Markus said to her teasingly.

Amanda smiled at him for a moment. "He's Corey. Anything he does is fine by me." she stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh. Well of course, since you put it that way." Markus chuckled.

"You two look like you've been caught doing something." Cindy said from the doorway. She stepped gracefully into the room, casually striking a pose as she sat on the arm of a chair, one hand on her hip, the other arm across the chair's back. Her red dress was of the same material as Amanda's but halter style, high necked in the front and leaving her shoulders and back bare almost to the top of her bum. The hem was smooth instead of ruffled, and the side slit came almost to her hip. Her stockings were the same as Amanda's, her shoes the same but red. Her ear-rings each had a pair of two carat diamonds above a three carat diamond in a triangle, and dangled where Amanda's were stud type. Her necklace had a similar trio, with two three-carat diamonds above a stunning five carat beauty of a stone, dangling from a slim gold band a fifth of an inch wide that formed a choker around her neck.

"Actually, Markus was teasing us," Corey said with a smile as he walked over to her, "Because Amanda looked so beautiful, and so scrumptious, that I couldn't help touching her. Just, like, this."

"Mmmmm..." Cindy went as she reveled in the attention, rubbing herself against him like a cat.

He stepped back and looked at her, grinning.

"How come the more beautiful something is when you put it on, the more I want to take it off?" he mused.

"Just lucky I guess." Cindy teased.

"We're in the middle of a beer. You girls want something to drink before we go to dinner? I still have to get changed anyway." Corey said.

"In outfits like this? Champagne please, my good man!" Cindy teased as she walked over to check Amanda out up-close.

"Dom Perignon. Only the best!" Corey said as he headed for the bar.

"You look beautiful, Amanda." Cindy smiled.

"Thanks Cin. So do you. He got you with the panties too, ay?"

"Yup." They opened their hands to show the panties they were each holding, un-needed since the dresses had come with them. They laughed and threw them on the piles of packages.

Cindy stepped close and kissed Amanda passionately, running her hands over her even more intimately than Corey had.

"You must be a musician, Cindy." Markus laughed when they finished.

"Not really." Cindy giggled as she took a seat beside Corey's.

"She is so!" Amanda said proudly. "Cindy's an excellent piano player."

"Is she? I didn't know that!" Corey stated as he poured the champagne.

"Hey, I'm not that good. I don't even read music, I just figured some stuff out on my own." Cindy protested.

"So? I don't read music either." Corey said as he handed her a glass. "I'll have to get you to show me your licks later. Amanda? Aren't you going to sit down?"

"I'm scared to move." Amanda explained. "What if I caught my heel in the hem? Or dropped an ear-ring? God, if I even got a run in one of the stockings I'd never forgive myself."

"I can always buy you another one." Corey chuckled.

"Well..." Amanda hesitated.

"Well what? C'mon, come have some champagne with us."

"Well, I've never walked in real high heels before." she said in embarrassment, holding her hands and looking at the floor.

"Oops. Looks like I've neglected your education." Cindy laughed. She picked up Amanda's champagne and carried it to her. "Okay," she said as she handed the glass over and stood beside her, "It's kind of like walking with your skate guards on, only not as much so. Hold your glass like this, and walk like this. That's it, like walking on the ball of your foot. Keep your toes pointed, and don't put much weight on the heel. That's it. You're a natural, no problem."

"Okay." Amanda said as she practiced. "It still feels really awkward, but as long as you're around so I can copy your movements I think I'll be able to keep from falling off of them."

"Well, while you practice I'll go get changed." Corey said, and chugged the last of his beer.

"Oh no you don't! Hold on a second there!" Cindy said, and dug a garment bag out of the package pile.

"Here. Wear this. And... this. And these and... these, and this." Cindy said as she handed him packages. "I wish I'd thought to put them all together in an outfit like you did, but you'll look great in them."

"Okay." he chuckled, and let himself into the cockpit.

"Good thing I didn't buy him anything formal. We'd end up arguing about who's gift he was gonna wear." Amanda mused as she walked back and forth watching her feet.

"Nah. I'd flip you for it." Cindy chuckled.

"You would." Amanda said cattily.

"How do you mean?" Maggie asked, detecting a double meaning but not quite catching it.

"Cindy knows this martial arts stuff." Amanda explained as she walked. "Once we were arguing about what to watch on TV, and she said: 'I'll flip you for it'. I said sure, like a dummy, and she threw me across the room onto the couch."

They laughed a bit at that.

"What arts did you study?" Maggie asked.

"Brazilian jiu-jitsu." Cindy answered. "It's mostly: get the guy down, bend his parts the wrong way, and choke him to death, but there's some kicks and punching stuff too."

"The Gracie school?" Markus asked.

"Yup. I learned about it watching Royce Gracie on 'Ultimate Fighting Champions' with an ex-boyfriend." She pronounced the name 'Hoyse Gracie', in the Brazilian way.

"Didn't we all?" Markus laughed.

"Say, you wouldn't happen to want to do some sparring some time, would you?" Maggie asked.

"Sure." Cindy and Markus both answered, and chuckled.

"That is, as long as you're a good loser, and a good winner, and you don't get carried away." Cindy added.

"Well, I do get pretty into it sometimes." Maggie admitted. "But as long as there are three of us, one can always be referee."

"Good idea." Markus said. "Most of my moves are strikes, so we'll need to judge points. I do a few throws though. We'll need some mats, maybe some pads. A video camera would be handy too."

"Good plan." Maggie agreed. "So, how good are you?" she asked Cindy.

"Hard to say. My trainer trains with Royce's brother in California. He says he doesn't believe in belts or grades, 'cuz they make you over-confident. I've been at it three years, three times a week, and I bend his parts as often as he bends mine. How 'bout you guys? I know you get lots of hand to hand in the military, but do you study from other sources as well?"

"Nah." Maggie said. "Army combat training takes a little from all the disciplines anyway."

"I'm into kick-boxing," Markus explained. "Both North American and Muey Thai. Unbeaten on my base the last three years I was in the Marines."

"Muey Thai?" Cindy asked.

"The national sport of Thailand. Lots of knees, elbow strikes, kicks with the shin bone. What most North Americans would consider fighting dirty." he answered.

"Cool." Cindy stated. "You're just the kind of guy I was trained to fight against. It should be interesting. Outside of class, my only experience is rousting drunks out of the bar. The jiu-jitsu techniques are perfect for that. I'd just grab 'em by the pinky finger and bend it till it was almost breaking. Even the tough guys walk out gentle as lambs then. The damn Italian I worked for was so cheap, after he's seen me do it a few times he stopped booking a bouncer to cover my shift." Her face clouded as she became lost in thought, remembering.

"But that's all over now." Amanda said softly as she hugged her sister from behind the chair.

Cindy brightened. "Yes, It's all over now." She raised her glass. "Here's to living the life of our dreams."

"I'll drink to that!" Markus said, and they toasted.

"You gonna like working for Corey." Markus told Maggie. "He really is a great guy."

"I can tell." she agreed. "To paraphrase Cindy here, If I wasn't already in love with you, I'd be very attracted to him."

"I'm just looking forward to watching you guys beating each other up." Amanda laughed.

"Who's beating who up?" Corey asked as he emerged from the cockpit."

"Corey my man! Looking sharp!" Markus stated emphatically.

"Hey, aren't I though?" Corey said. He grinned, holding his coat open and turning side to side like a model. His voice imitated the M.C. at a fashion show. "Today Mr. Michael's is wearing a black, double breasted Armani three piece suit, the finest Italian black leather dress shoes, a perfectly tailored white silk shirt, and black silk socks," he hitched his waist band a bit, "With matching black silk boxer shorts that are extremely comfortable!"

"You like it?" Cindy asked.

"I love it! I'm going to wear it at the concert in Vancouver! Thanks!" he replied.

"No problem!" Cindy laughed, hugging him.

"I picked the shorts!" Amanda piped up, as she hugged them both.

"I should've known! Corey laughed.

"God do you ever look great!" Amanda told him.

"Thanks. I have to, to keep up with you two!" he laughed. "So, who's beating who up?"

"We've discovered that Maggie and Cindy share my enthusiasm for combat sports." Markus explained. "So we're going to get some mats and stuff together and do some sparring some time."

A worried look crossed Corey's face as he looked from Markus to Cindy. He opened his mouth to say something, thought better of it, closed it again.

"Don't worry!" Cindy laughed. "I won't hurt them too bad!"

That got a laugh out of him.

"You know I wouldn't risk them, Corey." Markus stated quietly.

"Yah I know." Corey said. "I'm not really very comfortable with the idea, but I'd be stupid to be a mother hen about it, right?"

"Right. It's natural for you to worry about me though, so thanks for not objecting. I love how you respect my judgment like that." Cindy told him.

"It's just that I happen to know for sure that Markus here is one of the deadliest people in the world." Corey explained. "I've seen him work, and it still gives me the willies every time I think about it."

"I bet Cindy beats him at least a third of the time." Amanda said. "I've seen her work. She's pretty scary."

"Are you serious?" Corey said in amazement.

"Yup. I've seen her step into fights between big bad biker guys and hustle them out of the bar like they were little kids."

"Wow!" Corey said, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Besides," Markus added, "That was work. We'll only be playing."

"Hey, I'm not exactly chopped liver too you know!" Maggie threw in. "I think I'll surprise you both!"

"Probably." Cindy admitted. "I've never gone against another woman before. It'll be different."

"Me either. Gone against a woman that is." Markus said. "And we'll play for points. That's where if you do a move that could damage or kill, you pull the move, call it, and go to the referee or the video tape for a judgment if the other person doesn't think you would have got 'em with it."

"Oh." Corey said, obviously relieved. "Well, that's okay I guess."

"I'm glad I don't have to worry about that too much." Cindy said. "If I get a hold on you, you'll submit long before I have to break your parts."

"Break their parts?" Corey said, flabbergasted. "What have you taken, anyway?"

"Three years of Brazilian jiu-jitsu."

"Wild." Corey grinned. "Gracie, right?"

"Right. You watch U.F.C. too?"

"You bet. It's the only real combat sport you can watch. So, I'm for dinner. Are we ready?"

"Ready!" Amanda said.

"Just one more thing." Cindy said. "Some smell nice stuff."

"Oh yah!" Amanda said, as she and Cindy dug through their piles of gifts. "Look what we got you!"

They each handed him a huge bottle of cologne. They were the display bottles from the window of the department store, and must have contained half a gallon each. Cindy's was Polo, Amanda's Drakkar Noir.

"Good God!" Corey laughed, setting them on the table. "These will still be half full when I die, even if I live to be eighty-five! There's got to be a few thousand dollars worth of cologne here!"

"Yup." Amanda agreed, rummaging through her pile again. "They're too big to pour out of, so I got you these to use as dip sticks." She handed him a long thin jewel case, which he opened to reveal a pair of solid jade chopsticks. "How 'bout you wear mine tonight, since you're wearing Cindy's outfit?"

"Sure." He unscrewed the lid of the Drakkar bottle, dipped a chopstick in an inch, wiped it on his palm, and spread it on his neck and face. "Thanks, these are two of my favorites. Christ!" he exclaimed as he screwed the lid back on, "You imagine if I knocked this bottle over?! It'd be like chemical warfare in here!"

"So you'd better come up with some pretty secure in-flight storage for them!" Maggie laughed.

Cindy ducked into the living room for hers and Amanda's. Amanda wore Obsession again, and Cindy wore Poison.

"God, let's get out of here!" Maggie teased. "It's starting to smell like a whore house!"

"We're gone!" Corey said, and led the way out to the truck.

"I've got my cell if you need me." Markus told Corey in the lobby of the hotel.

"Me too." Corey said, and they shook hands arm wrestling style. "You guys have fun, and sleep as late as you want. You're both off-duty 'till four, and we want to be in the air tomorrow by five. I'll probably spend the day in the plane with the girls, getting settled in."

"Thanks." Markus said. "And you guys have fun too."

"We will, don't worry!" Amanda laughed, then exchanged a quick hug with Maggie. "Thanks again for the flight today." she said.

"My pleasure." Maggie replied, then gave Cindy a firm, heart-felt hug. "Thanks again for helping me with Markus. I wouldn't have got up the guts for weeks otherwise."

"Hey, no problem." Cindy said. "Bye Markus. See you tomorrow."

"Later Cindy. And thanks. I'm glad I don't have to wait the weeks." he grinned.

"Bye Markus! Give 'er one for me!" Amanda said. To her surprise, Markus blushed as he and Maggie got on the elevator.

"Well, first things first." Corey said, turning to the front desk. "Let's get us a room, then get something to eat."

He booked the finest suite in the hotel, ignoring the receptionist's surprised look when he specified 'for three'. Every eye turned to them as they walked through the hotel, the huge, darkly handsome man with two incredibly beautiful, blond petite young women.

"So you girls know what you want?" he asked when they were seated in the restaurant.

"Steak and lobster!" Amanda answered immediately.

"Sounds good." Cindy agreed.

"Alright." Corey turned to the waiter. "Filet mignon and lobster tails for each of us, medium rare, and make mine a double order of everything. And a bottle of your best champagne."

After the waiter had poured the champagne and gone, Corey grinned widely at them for a long moment.

"What?" Cindy finally asked.

Still grinning he reached into his breast pocket and removed three small jewel boxes, one slightly larger than the others, and set them in the middle of the table. The two smaller ones were monogrammed C and A.

"Oh God Corey, are they... ? I'm afraid to look!" Amanda said.

"Go ahead. Open 'em." he urged.

Cindy opened hers, set it open in front of her, and covered her mouth with her hand.

"My God. They are." she breathed. "Engagement rings!"

Amanda opened hers, staring at the incredible three carat diamond ring. She was stunned speechless.

Finally Corey took Cindy's ring from it's box, gently held her left hand, and slid it onto her ring finger, then did the same for Amanda. There was a little swirl of gold on each side of the diamond, the swirls going clockwise on Amanda's ring, counter-clockwise on Cindy's. Then he opened the larger box and put the ring there on his own left ring finger. His diamond was the same size, with the band much thicker, the swirls smaller, with one swirl going each way.

"And this," he said, holding up his ring finger, "Is just so there's no doubt in anyone's mind."

Cindy stood up and walked around to hug him, laying her head on his shoulder, and began quietly crying from happiness. Amanda got up and did the same on his other shoulder. He put an arm around each of them and squeezed them close. He lightly kissed the side of Cindy's face, then Amanda's.

"I love you." he told them softly. "I love you, and I always will."

They hugged and kissed until the waiter came with the food, and they neither noticed nor cared that most of the few other patrons in the restaurant were staring at them and smiling.

"I love you." Cindy whispered in his ear as the waiter began serving. Amanda gently turned his face toward herself as Cindy sat down.

"I love you, Corey." she said sincerely, and kissed him warmly. She sat down as well, and they both wiped their tears away with their napkins.

They began eating, and commented on how good it was.

After a while Amanda took an ear-ring off and held it beside the ring on her finger.

"When I first saw the ear-rings and the necklace I thought they were the most beautiful diamonds I'd ever seen." she said. "But the one in my ring seems brighter. Like it glitters more."

"The diamonds in your ear-rings and necklaces are damn good quality," Corey explained, "But the ones in the rings are the very best. I was surprised to find them in Spokane."

"Oh. That explains it." Amanda said happily as she put the ear-ring back on.

"So. I hope you girls managed to spend your fifteen thousand each." Corey teased. "I'd hate to have to spank you."

"I spent more than that on stuff for the living room alone. About twenty five thousand." Cindy laughed. "Plus about nineteen thousand on other stuff, including my computer. How about you, Amanda?"

"Well, let me see." Amanda said, and thought for a moment. "I guess I spent about six thousand on my computer and gifts for you guys, plus a couple hundred on myself."

"Uh-oh. You could be in trouble!" Cindy laughed.

"Plus," Amanda said dramatically, "I spent around sixty five thousand for the bedroom stuff. Half of that for the bed alone."

"Holy shit!" Corey laughed. "You bought a thirty thousand dollar bed? That I've gotta see!"

"It should be here around four this morning." Amanda said. "They said it should all be installed by noon tomorrow. The work crew from Airframe Restorations isn't gonna like getting up that early to help the furniture guys install it, but I had Markus call down to California to authorize triple time for them, so they shouldn't mind too much. The wages for installing it are a big chunk of why it costs so much, not so much the Airframe Restoration guys as the guys from the shop that's building the furniture. Like the guy on the phone said, they're not craftsmen, they're artists, and none of them have ever worked under a deadline in their lives. Plus, they're flying it here from Oregon. But I said price was no object, and he said: Oh yah? How 'bout sixty five thousand dollars?! I said: Sold! You should have heard him, it sounded like he was gonna have a seizure! And then when I said it had to be installed in an airplane, I thought he was coronary city for sure!" she chuckled.

"Cripes!" Cindy giggled. "And I thought I was nuts for spending seven thousand to buy Corey a custom built chair!"

"A seven thousand dollar chair? That's gotta be cool!" Corey enthused.

"So, how much did you spend today, Corey?" Amanda asked sweetly.

Corey took a sip of his champagne and thought about it. "I think I'd really rather not say. Now I'm sorry I asked you how much you'd spent. I think it's a bit crass to talk about how much gifts cost."

"Yah, but I don't care about that, and you did ask us, and we told you. So c'mon, 'fess up." Amanda prompted.

Corey began to look worried, like a little kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

"I'm... well, I'm afraid you'll get mad at me again."

"Oh man. That much?" Amanda said in wonder. "Look, you've really got my curiosity up now. I promise I won't be upset with you. You promise too Cindy?"

"Yes. I'm starting to get pretty curious myself." Cindy said.

Corey took a big bite of steak and shook his head.

"C'mon! Look, you've gotta realize that it's totally different when it's a gift, and not just a big chunk of cash. At least give us a clue!" Amanda pleaded.

Corey finished chewing and swallowed. "Okay." he finally said. "A clue. You spent a bit less than forty five thousand." he said to Cindy, then looked to Amanda. "You spent a little more than seventy. I..." he closed his mouth and shook his head, slowly reached out and touched Amanda's ring, then went back to eating.

"What?" Amanda said in exasperation, then turned to Cindy. "What's he saying?"

"I think he's saying," Cindy said, going a shade paler, "That your ring is worth more than what we spent together." She put her glass down and turned her fork around so the tines were facing down. "Alright big guy," she said sweetly, "Here's how it is. You're gonna spill your guts, or I'm gonna stab you in the leg with this fork."

Her statement caught Corey by surprise so much he laughed champagne out his nose. The girls giggled and waited patiently while he got himself under control and wiped himself off with his napkin. He looked around, but none of the few other customers in the restaurant were within hearing distance.

"Alright," he said. "Since you put it that way. But remember, you promised! Okay, counting the ones you're wearing, I bought you five dresses each. They're all designer originals, and they were a couple thousand apiece. The shoes and other what-nots would add another thousand or so for each of you. Each of your necklace and ear-ring sets are worth a bit more than seventy five thousand dollars. The diamonds in these rings," he twisted his on his finger a bit and admired it, "Are each between three point one five and three point two carats. They are absolutely flawless, and they're cut perfectly, even when viewed under the most powerful microscope. Their color is the second most desirable out of several hundred possible shades." He paused and looked at them, but they obviously didn't understand what all that implied. "If their color was the most valued shade, they'd be worth ten times what they are. As it is, each of these three diamonds is worth in excess of eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The gold in the rings is insignificant by comparison, and alloyed as much for strength and wear resistance as for beauty. And everything I bought is completely insured."

The girls stared at their rings in shocked amazement. Finally Amanda took her necklace off and held it beside her ring. She compared the two for a long time.

"This necklace has more than forty diamonds." she finally said. "The biggest seven are bigger than the one in the ring. And you're saying that the ring is worth more than ten times as much as the necklace? How's that possible?"

"It's a matter of rarity." he explained. "When you're mining diamonds, you'll find hundreds with tiny flaws and common colors before you find one that's flawless and perfectly transparent. The transparent ones add no color to the light they reflect, but they refract it into every color in the rainbow. Even in this dim incandescent light, you noticed the difference. When you see them under bright sunlight, it'll be obvious why the ring's worth ten times as much. It'll blow your mind. Actually, they say a man should spend two month's salary on an engagement ring, and I spent about that on all three of them, so in a way I cheaped out. But they were the best there were in Spokane, and I didn't want to wait 'till we got to Vancouver."