Page 57 of Money Shot

“Open it,” I said as I motioned toward Vince.

He tilted his head toward the large box in front of me, “Open yours.”

“I’ll go last,” I said.

He removed the wrapping paper, took his knife from his pocket, and made a huge production as he cut the tape from the box. After removing the outer cardboard covering, he stared down at the hard plastic case.

After studying the case for a moment, he opened it.

“I knew you didn’t want something fancy, but I really wanted it to be dependable. The jeweler said it was a good one,” I said.

Sitting and gazing at the box, he simply nodded his head and continued to stare into his lap.

He removed the black Tag Heuer Formula watch from the box, studied it for some time, and unbuckled the watch from his arm without speaking. The process seemed more like a ritual than simply replacing a watch. He hadn’t so much as made eye contact with me since opening the box.

Anita sat down beside me on the couch and began to take pictures.

“His father gave him that watch when he was a kid,” she whispered. “It’s a cheap watch, and it hasn’t worked right for years.”

I turned to face her and chewed my lower lip. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“Let him be,” she interrupted as she nodded her head toward Vince.

Slowly and methodically, he removed his watch, strapped the new one on his arm, and placed his old watch in the presentation box. After studying the watch for a moment, he turned toward where we were sitting.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“9:10, Dear. And the date is the 25th,” Anita said.

He nodded his head, glanced down at the watch, and made the adjustments. I was humbled that he replaced his father’s watch with the one I had purchased for him. From what the jeweler said it would keep time better than any other watch I could buy.

After studying the watch for a long moment, he shifted his eyes toward where we were sitting. Without speaking, he raised his clenched fist in the air and extended his thumb, giving me the “thumbs up” sign.

I returned the gesture.

He reached into his lap, pulled out his knife and shook it in the air to get my attention. As I noticed what he held, he slid it across the carpet toward me. As it came to a stop at my feet, he motioned toward the big box. It was almost as big as the ottoman sitting in front of the couch.

Curious as to what may be inside the box, I flipped the knife open, set it at my side, and tore into the wrapping paper with my hands. After exposing the large box, I cut the tape from the seam and opened the flaps. A smaller box sat inside. I removed it, slid the large box to the side, and cut the tape on the smaller box.

I opened the box and gazed inside.

Another smaller box was inside the box between my feet. I turned toward Vince and cocked an eyebrow. “Really?”

He grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

“Scoot back, Honey,” Anita said. “I need a picture.”

I turned toward her, smiled, and pointed to the boxes. A few pictures later, and I was back to the box opening routine. Six boxes later, and I held a small box in my hands. I glared at Vince and shook the box.

“Was all of that necessary?” I asked.

“Probably not, but it was fun,” he said.

I opened the cardboard box. Inside, a slightly smaller box with a name I recognized from the jeweler I had visited.

Rolex.

I opened the box and removed the gold watch. Much smaller than the one I had purchased Vince, it was gold and had small diamonds that circled around the face. Back to wiping tears from my face and fully realizing just how much my father’s saying of the unexpected result of the natural development of life was applicable to us, I turned toward Anita and held up the watch.