Glimpses

The Necklace

Shancai sat on the bed of her master suite holding a small blue box in her hand. She had been Mrs Daoming Si for close to 20 years now, but every time she looked at this box, she felt 19 years old again, giddy as a teenager, just like her daughter.

She had collected many more jewellery pieces over the years, mostly gifts from her husband, but none of those jewels held more significance to her than this one. She opened the box and looked at it, a dazzling meteor necklace. She had never worn it since that day she had retrieved it from the university pond, instead choosing to keep it safe in its box, where it could hopefully never be lost.

The memories that came with the necklace were bittersweet to Shancai. She smiled to herself, thinking of the day when Si had given her the necklace. She had protested valiantly when he tried to put it around her neck but his breath had felt so warm, and his hands so soft that she had felt weak in the knees. Even until now, just thinking about it made her warm and tingly all over. And when he had uttered those words with his arms wrapped tightly around her from behind, "Because you're the only one I'm willing to trade all the meteors in the sky for," she remembered how she had lost all resistance towards him. He had then given her their first real kiss, with the meteor necklace around her neck, and meteors raining in the night sky above them.

She remembered also that terrible day when she had thought that she would never see him again, when he had flung the necklace far into the pond. She had searched frantically for it, tears clouding her vision. She had no concern for the bitterly cold water which stung every inch of her limbs, as the cold fear around her heart for never being able to find it had surpassed the physical cold. When Huaze Lei finally fished it out of the water, she had wept with relief and clutched it tightly to her chest afterwards, relinquishing her pain in heaving sobs.

She smiled wryly at the recollection. This necklace was definitely her most precious possession, even more than the most expensive jewels which she owned. It was once lost, but then was found, much like the relationship she had had with Daoming Si.

It was a beautiful necklace, a meteor-shaped pendant encrusted with diamonds, on a delicate white gold chain. And today, she was ready to part with it and to pass it on, its story to live on from generation to generation.

Shancai arose from her reverie and went to the main dining hall of the Daoming mansion, where the festivities were in full swing. Today was their daughter's 15th birthday. She had been on a exchange student programme earlier in the year to South America (the grief she had endured before her father had finally let her go!) and for her 15th birthday, she wanted a quiceañera, as she had attended one during her stay there. She had been fascinated by the tradition, and after much cajoling, she had convinced her parents to let her have one too.

The room was beautifully decorated, and it was full of teenagers who were her daughter's friends, as well as family and friends of the Daomings. Unlike Si's birthdays when he was younger, he refused to have any business associates at their family gatherings, so this was purely a time of celebration, strictly not work-related. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, Shancai thought to herself, chuckling as she took in the sight of her younger son wrestling with Ximen and Xiaoyou's little boy in the corner of the room.

As was the custom, Uncle Meizuo, who was acting as emcee for the evening, announced the arrival of the young debutante. All eyes turned to see the young woman appear at the top of the stairs. She wore a simple yet elegant yellow gown which was modest and yet showed off her figure in the most flattering way. It swept her feet as she gracefully walked down the steps towards her guests.

Daoming Si took a look at his daughter, and suddenly his eyes misted over. So many thoughts suddenly filled his head. Where was the little baby which he had cradled in his arms not too long ago? The baby who smiled at him with her big brown eyes just like her mother's? The toddler that ran to him for piggy backs and cuddles? The little girl that had asked him for help with her math homework? Unconsciously, his eyes were wet with his tears and he quickly brought up his hand to brush them away. Shancai, standing next to him, gave his other hand a tight squeeze. "Our daughter is growing up, she's a young lady now," she whispered to her husband. He could only nod his head wordlessly, thinking how beautiful his only daughter looked that evening. On his other side, Lei nudged him, "Look at you, an emotional wreck. You'll be a complete mess on her wedding day," he smirked. "Shut up, Lei," Si nudged him back. He didn't want to think about that now, not today.

The party went on smoothly and everyone was having a wonderful time. Si kept a sharp eye on all the young men, telling his wife, "Let me know if any of them try to be funny. Our daughter is too beautiful tonight and I know how boys think!" "Daoming Si!" she smacked him lightly on his arm. "Please don't do anything to embarrass your daughter! We've raised her well, she will know how to behave!"
"It's not her that I don't trust," Si pouted at his wife, "it's those boys!" giving one boy an unfortunate glare as he walked pass. Shancai could only sigh in despair as she rolled her eyes at him.

Halfway through the party, Shancai drew her daughter aside, to the balcony of their house, next to the reflection pool. The young lady was curious as to why her mother had brought her there. Standing next to the pool, she brought out the small blue box and handed it to her bewildered daughter.

"This is our birthday gift for you, from me and papa. Your papa gave me this very necklace at this very spot where you are standing now. I have kept it for all these years, and now we want you to have it." Her daughter silently opened the box and looked inside it. She gave a gasp. "Mama, it's beautiful!" Papa gave it to you, are you really sure you want me to have it?"

"Yes we do," came another voice stepping out on the balcony. "I was looking for my two favourite girls, " he said with a smile, giving each of them a kiss on the forehead. Shancai looked at her handsome husband and felt herself getting warm again. "How is it that after all these years, he can still make me blush?" she thought to herself. She shook her head, trying to snap out of her thoughts, much to her husband's amusement.

He turned to their daughter, "I put this around your mother's neck right here at this spot, and now I want to do the same for you. Will you let me have the honour?" The young lady nodded silently, happy tears welling up in her eyes. Si took the necklace from her and clasped it around her neck, before embracing her in his arms. Shancai could feel her own happy tears starting to fall, looking at the father and daughter embrace. Si opened his arms to her too, and the three of them hugged, as the meteors once again rained in the sky above them.