Powerplay by Cher Carson

Returning his final gift would tell him she wasn’t having any reservations about her decision, and she was. In fact, her doubts were becoming harder to ignore with every day that passed.
    “Aren’t you curious?” Tracey asked, picking up the small box.
    Jen set the clipboard on the couch beside her and drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. “Sure, I’m curious.”
    “Then let’s open it,” Callie said, reaching for a pair of scissors on the table. “What can it hurt?”
    Jen glanced at the TV screen. What could it hurt? She’d already learned to live with the dull ache in her heart; nothing he could do or say at this point could make it any worse, could it? “Okay, open it.”
    Callie reached out to take the box from Tracey. “You’re sure, right?” she said, the scissors poised over the box.
    She caught a glimpse of Mark, seated on the bench, his head down. “I’m sure.”
    “Okay,” Callie said, taking a deep breath. “Just remember, you asked for it.”
    Jen watched her open the box carefully before withdrawing a black velvet jewelry box nestled amongst the packing material.
    The three women looked at each other before Callie held up a note. “Do you want to read it, or shall I?”
    “You read it,” she said quietly. She didn’t think she could bring herself to read Mark’s words, not now, when she still felt so raw.
    Callie cleared her throat and slipped the linen card out of the envelope.
    Jen closed her eyes and heard Mark’s voice reciting the carefully chosen words.
    “There are so many things I wish I’d done differently when we were together. I should have told you how I felt about you when I had the chance. You need to know that I’ve never met anyone who makes me feel the way you do. I love you. I know I’m two years too late, but I wanted you to know how I felt. This is the ring I’d intended to give you on your thirtieth birthday. Please keep it as a reminder of how close we came to having it all. Love, Mark.”
    By the time Callie finished reading his words, her eyes were moist with un-shed tears and she was sniffling. “I should have told you,” she said, handing Jen the box and note. “I should have told you he was at the party, that he intended to propose to you that night.”
    Jen stared at her friend incredulously. “Wait a minute. You knew he intended to propose, and you didn’t tell me? You let me get involved with Kevin knowing it was Mark I wanted?”
    Callie sighed. “I was confused; I didn’t know what to do. I knew Mark had a few drinks that night, honey. I thought he was just blowing smoke. You kept telling us he was a player, he couldn’t be trusted. Then Kevin came along and, for a while, he seemed like one of the good guys. I thought he was someone you could count on. So I kept my mouth shut. I did it because I love you. I wanted you to be happy. Don’t hate me,” she said, sobbing.
    Jen claimed the seat beside her friend on the couch, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. “I could never hate you. I know you were just trying to do what you thought was best for me. It was my fault…”  
    Tracey sighed. “So, what’re you going to do now?” 
    Jen picked up the box and opened it to reveal a huge pear-shaped diamond solitaire nestled in a black velvet cushion. She pressed her fingertips to her trembling lips. “I wish I knew.”
    The announcer’s animated voice suddenly filled the room and all three women turned to the screen.
    “This rivalry goes way back. They’ve gone toe-to-toe many times, but they’re so evenly matched, in terms of strength and stamina, that it’s always a hard one to call.”
    Both Mark and his opponent threw down their gloves, circling each other, as they shouted, trying to coerce the other into throwing the first punch to instigate the fight.
    Players and refs kept their distance, waiting for the two big men to finish the battle they’d started.
    “Oh God,” Jenna said, sinking to the