The Locket

The glowing sun began to set gracefully in the sky as Mariah arrived home. She didn’t notice the beauty of the sunset anymore. The beautiful hues of crimson and ochre sent shadows dancing across the front door of the house.
She meandered slowly up the walkway. Her thoughts were not on sunsets, sunrises, or anything as romantic as that at least not anymore.
It had been six months since the divorce and she still felt the agonizing emptiness inside her heart.
Returning to this empty house everyday didn’t help much. She turned the key in the latch and entered the shadowy hallway. She tossed her purse and sweater on the hallstand as she let out a sigh.
The house smelled of lemon oil and fresh flowers. She knew by this scent that the cleaning lady had been here again.
Her Mother had dutifully become the cleaning lady. She would come early in the day, clean Mariah’s home, and place fresh flowers on the table. Sometimes she would make a simple dinner and leave it along with a note on how to warm it up. This annoyed Mariah; it made her feel as if her mother was intruding. Even so, her mother was always gone before Mariah returned from work. The flowers, the notes, the dinner, it all made Mariah feel like a little girl again unable to do things on her own.

“How I wish she would stop coming,” Mariah spoke aloud to no one but herself. “I have to learn to live alone again and Mom coming here just brings back old lingering memories.” “I know she means well but I need to have something to do when I get home besides listen to the hauntings in my mind.”
She slipped off her shoes, tossed them into the closet and sat on the wing backed chair as she rubbed her aching feet. She felt Annie, her cat, rubbing up against her legs.
Annie meowed softly.
“Hello old girl,” Mariah said as she bent down to stroke her soft fur.
“My dear friend, what would I do without you?”
Everyday seemed to be the same; she got up, showered, ate her breakfast while reading the paper and then headed for to work. The hours sped by as she poured herself into her job.When five o’clock rolled by she knew her heart would soon be filled with that old familiar ache as she headed for home.
The cat faithfully greeted her at the door begging for a bit of attention. Annie was the only thing Mariah had to lavish any attention on anymore.
The house still seemed hollow and empty like her heart. Some evenings she would eat a frozen dinner and other times eat what her mom had left. TV bored Mariah so she would bury her thoughts and evening solaces in a book. Tonight would be no different.
The nights were the hardest; she could hear every creak in the old house. The Grandfather clock faithfully ticked away in the corner reminding her how slowly time seemed to go. It would ring out a melody at six, seven, and eight, every hour. Every agonizing chime only reminded her that she was alone and Barry was living happily with someone else.
Jess had been her best friend since high school. They had been on the student council together, graduated together, and stayed up all night for the very first time together. There were so many first in their lives Mariah lost count. Jess was beautiful and popular. Everyone loved Jess. She was the all round girl. She came in first at every competition and sports event. She was always first. Well she was first at everything except getting married. Jess stayed single. Of course, Jess was the maid of honour at Mariah’s wedding. The most beautiful day in Mariah’s life, the day she married Barry. It seemed like the only day in her life that she looked more beautiful than Jess did. The thoughts of their friendship through the years only brought pain and morose these days. How desperately she wanted to close the book on that friendship and block out every memory. Jess always got what she wanted and this time it was Mariah’s husband.
Finally the sun set behind the darkening sky; and Mariah stacked the dishes in the sink and made her way up stairs.
Tonight would be no different. First she would brush her hair until it gleamed and then her teeth, and soak in a tub overflowing with bubbles, finally snuggling down under the cool clean sheets.
Maybe read for a while and finally being too tired to stay awake she would eventually fall into a troubled sleep. At the breaking of light, she would wake up to the alarm buzzing and the loneliness and pain of being without Barry gnawing at her heart once again.
“One hundred”, she counted aloud, her hair gleamed like spun gold as she finished brushing it.
She replaced her brush on the dressing table and opened the velvet box. Looking at her wedding ring was a bad habit she had developed after the divorce. She needed to get rid of it.
She continued to look through her jewellery. There really was not much, an old charm bracelet, a school ring, some costume jewellery and a locket.
Mariah picked up the locket and dangled the chain in front of the light. The effervescent colors danced before her eyes. She had kept this one thing all these years. The locket an old friend at school had given her on graduation day. It really did not mean anything to her except a long lost friendship.
Chase Bronson had been her date that night and he had given her this locket. A reminder he told her of our friendship. Inside it was inscribed ‘forever friends.” She had kept it all these years but never really thought too much about Chase or that evening. Her life had been so complete, so full. At least she thought it had. She dropped the locket back into the box and grabbed her book.
Just as she pulled back the covers, the phone rang. Mariah stared at it undecided as to whether she should answer it.
“Who could this be?” she mused as she reached for the phone, thinking it was her mom.
Reluctantly she decided to answer the call.
“Hello, Mariah speaking.”
“Mariah is that you?” a gentle masculine voice said. “It’s me, Chase, your old high school chum, remember me?”
“Chase, Chase Bronson?” Mariah stumbled over her words.
“Yep, it’s really me; I’m in town for a few days and wondered if we could get together for coffee at the old bakery?” He said.
Mariah’s, mind was in a whirlwind, she had just been thinking about him. Wondering what had happened to him, where he was living, what he was doing. Her thought’s travelled back to high school days and Chase. He was a good listener and she always thought he had a crush on her but to her Chase was just a good friend. He had moved clear across the country after high school and she had only heard rumours of his success.
She couldn’t deny that he had crossed her mind now and again especially lately. However, for him to call and right now, how amazing is that?
What could it hurt Mariah wondered, it would be a change in my boring dull life and maybe we could have some laughs and talk about some of the silly things we did in high school?
“Mariah are you still there?” Chase queried.
“Oh, Chase, I’m so sorry, yes of course I’m still here, she said. “It would be great to see you again,”
“Terrific,” he almost shouted, “Are you free tomorrow say about two o’clock.”
“I’ll be there,” Mariah indicated with just a slight sound of expectancy.
“See you tomorrow then.”
“Yes, tomorrow, bye for now Chase.”
Mariah hung up and lay staring in awe at the phone. She willed herself back to reality. She decided she would wear the locket tomorrow. She wondered if Chase would remember that he gave it to her.
Climbing back into bed, she snuggled down under the comforter and let her mind travel to another place and time.
Kindling an old friendship could be just what she needed. Maybe this could be the start of something new and something good. Heaven knew it was about time things started to turn around in her life.
For a change, Mariah felt that life might be bearable after all. She didn’t have great expectations but to just have an old friend to talk to might help to take her mind off her mundane life.
She was looking forward to tomorrow and with thoughts of joy instead of sadness, Mariah felt fast asleep.