patterns
drew my eye, and I gently lifted the lid. Inside were tiny, velvet-covered
compartments—each one waiting for a piece of jewelry to be nestled inside of
it. When I lifted up the first layer, I found a note in Brian’s handwriting
with a date— November 10, 2012 .
The day before
he died.
To the light of my life,
Thanks for taking this
diamond in the rough and making him gleam. I love you with all that I am.
I took a deep
breath, put the velvet compartment back in its place, closed the lid, and ran
my hand over the smooth, gorgeous wood. It would be the last gift I ever got
from my husband. I held it to my chest and grabbed the packing tape from the
desk. I took everything upstairs with me and walked into our bedroom.
Our bedroom, because if I was being honest,
the room would forever be ours. Right there, right then, walking into the
bedroom, I couldn’t believe I ever thought it was just my room. Time
would pass, and I might get rid of some of his things, but Brian was there. I
could feel him, and since I was alone in the house, I spoke aloud.
“I miss you. I
miss you so much, but I want you to know that I’m holding it together.
Some days are easier than others.” I started going through my jewelry while I
talked to Brian, “But each day gets a little easier than the one before it.”
I took out the
turquoise necklace that Brian and Sam picked out for me last year. “Remember
this necklace? I said it was too big for me, and you just told me to be quiet
and put it around my neck. I loved it. Oh, and these are the earrings that you
and Jimmy bought me... What? Three years ago? ’Tiny waterfalls’ is what the
girls said.”
I started
putting away my rings, sliding them into the tiny slots. “Sam’s home. I don’t
think Duke felt right to him with you gone. I hope you understand. I thought
about it, and I think the kids were right. I needed to let Sam follow his heart
on this one. I thought he would go to Old Dominion, down the road, but he
decided to go to community college. I won’t lie—it’s nice having him here. He’s
a big help. Oh! He took Carey to get his license a few weeks ago. I can’t
believe he’s 16. And Jimmy... Oh, Brian! Jimmy has a girlfriend. You met her
when you went to Busch Gardens with Jimmy’s class. Claudia. Such a sweet girl.
And the girls made honor roll... again!”
I picked up the
first piece of jewelry Brian had bought me. Again it was one he and Sam had
picked out. Back then Sam was the only little one we had. It was a pretty
bracelet with rough-cut turquoise stones linked together. I used to wear it to
work everyday. I rubbed each stone and was surprised to find that I was smiling.
“I remember when the two of you gave this to me. I told you that you didn’t
need to get me anything. Remember? We were saving up to buy a dining room table
for the townhouse.”
Our first home
was a run-down townhouse. We had scrimped and saved for the down payment, and
when we moved in, we didn’t have much furniture. For about six months we ate on
the floor. Sam loved it, but I wanted a table. But Sam had thrown a fit, or so
Brian said. It was the first Mother’s Day that he had a mother, and he wanted a
gift to show me how much he loved me. So Brian took him to the mall, thinking
he would pick out something small such as a book I wanted. But Sam zoned in on
the bracelet and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I used to give him quarters
for helping me around the house, and unbeknownst to Brian, Sam had put all his
quarters in a little bag. He also had five dollars that Mark had given him, and
he pulled it out when the pretty, young clerk came over to ask him if he needed
any help.
Brian told me
that Sam had $9.75 on him, and he was so earnest and sweet that the young lady
called the owner over. The bracelet was about five times what Sam had, but the
old man was so touched by Sam’s story that he sold him the bracelet for $9.75.
Brian was so grateful that he returned to that
drew my eye, and I gently lifted the lid. Inside were tiny, velvet-covered
compartments—each one waiting for a piece of jewelry to be nestled inside of
it. When I lifted up the first layer, I found a note in Brian’s handwriting
with a date— November 10, 2012 .
The day before
he died.
To the light of my life,
Thanks for taking this
diamond in the rough and making him gleam. I love you with all that I am.
I took a deep
breath, put the velvet compartment back in its place, closed the lid, and ran
my hand over the smooth, gorgeous wood. It would be the last gift I ever got
from my husband. I held it to my chest and grabbed the packing tape from the
desk. I took everything upstairs with me and walked into our bedroom.
Our bedroom, because if I was being honest,
the room would forever be ours. Right there, right then, walking into the
bedroom, I couldn’t believe I ever thought it was just my room. Time
would pass, and I might get rid of some of his things, but Brian was there. I
could feel him, and since I was alone in the house, I spoke aloud.
“I miss you. I
miss you so much, but I want you to know that I’m holding it together.
Some days are easier than others.” I started going through my jewelry while I
talked to Brian, “But each day gets a little easier than the one before it.”
I took out the
turquoise necklace that Brian and Sam picked out for me last year. “Remember
this necklace? I said it was too big for me, and you just told me to be quiet
and put it around my neck. I loved it. Oh, and these are the earrings that you
and Jimmy bought me... What? Three years ago? ’Tiny waterfalls’ is what the
girls said.”
I started
putting away my rings, sliding them into the tiny slots. “Sam’s home. I don’t
think Duke felt right to him with you gone. I hope you understand. I thought
about it, and I think the kids were right. I needed to let Sam follow his heart
on this one. I thought he would go to Old Dominion, down the road, but he
decided to go to community college. I won’t lie—it’s nice having him here. He’s
a big help. Oh! He took Carey to get his license a few weeks ago. I can’t
believe he’s 16. And Jimmy... Oh, Brian! Jimmy has a girlfriend. You met her
when you went to Busch Gardens with Jimmy’s class. Claudia. Such a sweet girl.
And the girls made honor roll... again!”
I picked up the
first piece of jewelry Brian had bought me. Again it was one he and Sam had
picked out. Back then Sam was the only little one we had. It was a pretty
bracelet with rough-cut turquoise stones linked together. I used to wear it to
work everyday. I rubbed each stone and was surprised to find that I was smiling.
“I remember when the two of you gave this to me. I told you that you didn’t
need to get me anything. Remember? We were saving up to buy a dining room table
for the townhouse.”
Our first home
was a run-down townhouse. We had scrimped and saved for the down payment, and
when we moved in, we didn’t have much furniture. For about six months we ate on
the floor. Sam loved it, but I wanted a table. But Sam had thrown a fit, or so
Brian said. It was the first Mother’s Day that he had a mother, and he wanted a
gift to show me how much he loved me. So Brian took him to the mall, thinking
he would pick out something small such as a book I wanted. But Sam zoned in on
the bracelet and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I used to give him quarters
for helping me around the house, and unbeknownst to Brian, Sam had put all his
quarters in a little bag. He also had five dollars that Mark had given him, and
he pulled it out when the pretty, young clerk came over to ask him if he needed
any help.
Brian told me
that Sam had $9.75 on him, and he was so earnest and sweet that the young lady
called the owner over. The bracelet was about five times what Sam had, but the
old man was so touched by Sam’s story that he sold him the bracelet for $9.75.
Brian was so grateful that he returned to that
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