[ WP ] You and your wife wear rings that let you feel each other 's heartbeat . Your wife dies and is buried with the ring on , and you always wear the ring in memorial to her . One day the ring turns on again ...

I looked outside the window of the warm living room again, watching as light rain fell from slate grey skies. My finger pulsed quickly with the heartbeat of the woman -- Linda -- sitting across from me. A woman I had not met until today. 
 
 I glanced at the gold and black ring, remembering seeing it online years ago and buying it for my wife and I. A way to always be reminded of each other. A way to always feel the other's fast beating heart when we stared into each other's eyes. A way to feel each other's heart when we were a thousand miles away. 
 
 But one day, ten years ago, the pulsing stopped. 
 
 She had worn it throughout the treatment. I kept it on as well, even as her spikes and dips agonized me. Even as her heart slowed and my eyes filled with tears and the pulse I had become so used to disappeared. 
 
 She had willed her ring to her sister, Ally. That tore me up. I wanted to keep that symbol of our love with me, near and dear to my heart. I had even asked Ally about it. But she refused, telling me it's what my wife had wanted. That I should respect my wife's last wishes. 
 
 It did n't matter to me. I kept after her, trying to get the ring back. Trying to hold onto something from the past. And Ally kept refusing me, until she would n't talk to me anymore. Until I stopped even getting a Christmas card from her and Kyle. 
 
 So all I had left was my ring. My ring that had n't pulsed in a decade. Until -- 
 
 `` So, how did you get that ring?'' I asked. 
 
 She took a tentative sip of the steaming tea she had set for the two of us. Her green eyes leveled with mine. `` My aunt gave it to me. And she got it from a friend, who got it from someone in her book club. And so the story goes.'' 
 
 `` And the box was sealed until you got it?'' I was a bit incredulous that a sealed box had made its way around Seattle for the last ten years and no one had bothered to even look inside. 
 
 `` Yeah,'' she nodded. `` My Aunt said she never thought it was meant to be opened. She just thought it was a nicely carved trinket.'' 
 
 Linda picked up the lacquered rosewood box. `` And to be honest, I forgot about it for the past few years until I was cleaning out the office.'' She went back to her tea and her pulse started to relax. 
 
 I nodded but I did n't feel like saying anything. My stomach felt like a pit, knowing that the box that had contained something so special had been passed around like a kitschy souvenir from Pike. How could that happen? How could Ally have let that happen? 
 
 I was glad she did n't talk to me anymore. I did n't know how I could have faced her after learning she let go of her own sister's ring. 
 
 Linda must have noticed the anger in my heart because I started to feel a skittish beating in my finger. 
 
 `` And when I did open it, there were the two letters.'' She pointed at the paper and envelope on the table. `` One for, well... me, now. And one for whoever I found. At least, that's what the letter said. I did n't really expect much when I put the ring on. So I was pretty surprised when I felt someone's heartbeat.'' 
 
 `` I know.'' I said, and raised my left hand. I had known. When my ring started pulsing again, it was going fast. And I knew that she probably felt the same response from me. 
 
 She blushed slightly. `` I still have n't gotten used to it. Still have n't been able to sleep with it on. It's... distracting to think about the person on the other end. You, I guess.'' 
 
 I had felt that too. The pulse stopping abruptly every night and picking back up in the morning. Getting a glimpse into some random person's daily routine. That had been strange. Strange enough to make me try and find the person who had the ring rather than be tied to some stranger's pulse for the rest of my life. 
 
 I must have looked more calm, because her heart rate became more steady. 
 
 `` Would you like to read it? The letter I mean.'' She offered the sealed envelope. 
 
 I hesitated, but took it. I appreciated that Linda had n't opened this letter up out of curiosity. I knew I probably would n't have been able to resist. 
 
 I unfolded the sheet and my pulse started to rise. 
 
 `` What is it?'' Linda asked, concern edging her voice. 
 
 `` It's a letter from my wife,'' I whispered. 
 
 `` Oh,'' Linda said. She looked down at the ring. `` Oh! I'm so, so sorry.'' She started to take off the ring but I waved at her to stop. 
 
 `` No, no. It's fine, leave it on.'' 
 
 I wiped the tears out of my eyes and started to read -- 
 
 *Dear Will, * 
 
 *My Love. My bright and shining sun. My big, hunky teddy bear. I love you so much. You really are the light of my life and I'm glad I got to spend my life with you. * 
 
 *I hope you'll forgive me for not leaving the ring to you. I know how much you loved the idea and how excited you were when you showed me how they work and how much your eyes shone when you looked down and you could feel my heartbeat on your fingers. * 
 
 *But I thought that I could give you a better gift. * 
 
 *If you're reading this, it means the person who found this box is wearing my ring. And Will, I want them to wear the ring. I want them to wear the ring for the rest of their lives because I want you to feel their heartbeat. The way you felt mine. * 
 
 *I want you to be reminded of how it felt to know that you could experience my life and my emotions with me, even if we were n't together. I want you to feel like I'm with you, all the time. Even if I'm far away right now. * 
 
 *But most of all, I want you to remember that there's always someone out there who loves you. * 
 
 *Because I love you. Dearly, completely, entirely. * 
 
 *So I hope you like this gift. And I ca n't wait until we get to see each other again. * 
 
 *With all my eternal Love, * 
 
 *Christine* 
 
 *PS: Who knows? Maybe you'll meet a lucky lady who will make you happy. ( Just not as happy as I made you, okay? ) xoxo* 
 
 Tears rolled down my cheeks and I sniffed to reign in my running nose. Linda passed me some tissues and I wiped my face. 
 
 `` What did she say?'' Linda asked. 
 
 I looked at her, my eyes starting to blur again. `` She loved me.'' I sniffed. `` That's what it says.'' 
 
 I continued spot the corners of my eyes, trying to return Linda's gaze. And all the while I could feel her pulse beating steadily as she looked me in the eyes. 
 
 ___ 
 
 *Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! If you would like to read more of my work, check out /r/chrisbryant. *
