After Olivia

30

A search for a purple velour satchel was finally complete. One piece of the pouch's contents dangled from Sherry's fingers as she pulled the silver box chain necklace from inside. Another dip into the satchel produced a matching bracelet. A smile creased her lips as she inspected the jewelry for a moment. Sweet memories came flooding back, overpowering those that had soured much of her life. A cloth from the pouch wiped the surface to restore the shine of the items that hadn't been touched in several years.

The box the items had been hidden in was pushed back under her bed before she got back to her feet and walked towards her bedroom door. The sound of the back door of the house closing with a thud was her cue to continue down the stairs.

Matilda stood in the dining room picking at her red dress, while glaring at her reflection in a mirrored wall. The cheery smile that matched the bright colour of the fabric had faded. One person's opinion crept in, leaving her empty and ready to cancel the evening's plans.

Her gaze settled into the carpet in front of her feet, only lifting as her mother approached. She wasn't in the mood for whatever her mother was preparing to say or do, and she quickly considered her options for an exit.

"Is grandma gone?" Sherry asked as she craned her neck, attempting to look out a kitchen window towards the garage. She continued forward, into the dining room.

"Yeah," Matilda sighed as she started to walk away.

"Good. Wow, hold up." Sherry stepped to the side to block Matilda's departure. "Other than Alexis, this is all I have left of what her father gave me. Your grandma doesn't know I still have them, so when you get home, take them off before you come in."

Matilda's eyes locked onto the necklace hanging between her mother's hands. It was a simple yet elegant, rounded link chain. The silver sparkled under the light of the dining room chandelier.

Sherry moved to drape the chain over Matilda's chest then noticed the choker style collar of the dress. "Okay, I guess we'll skip the necklace and just go with the bracelet. Give me your arm."

Matilda lifted her left arm and watched as her mother wrapped the chain around her wrist and latched the ends together. "And, considering where he resides, now, if the cops show up, dump it in someone's purse and walk away."

"What? It's stolen?" Matilda asked as her fingers pawed at the bracelet.

"Nah, just messing with you. I saw him pay for it. Cash. Believe it or not, he didn't get into trouble until long after I knew him. Kind of ironic, actually, he was close to thirty and dating a thirteen-year-old and didn't get into trouble. Go figure!"

"Why did you keep them?"

"I don't know. I guess I was still in love. I believed he would come back to me, like he promised. I was a stupid and pregnant fourteen-year-old girl. Grandma took all the other stuff away and donated it. I hid these pretty good, so she never found them," Sherry replied as she studied the bracelet against Matilda's skin. "I should ask Alexis if she wants them."

"I doubt she wants anything from him."

"Are you comfortable wearing it. You don't have to. I'm just offering 'cause—" Sherry paused, not entirely sure of her reasoning, given the jewelry's history.

Matilda looked at the bracelet and drew her lips into a smile. "It is beautiful. Are you sure you want me wearing it?"

"Oh, yeah, of course. Back then it meant something, but I'm grown up now. It's just a really nice, fancy bracelet, now." Sherry's expression was flat and lifeless. "This party you're going to is really fancy so it's perfect. What was your grandma saying about the dress?"