“I see I'm not needed for anything but my brute strength, but I'm okay with that.” Eamon flashed his lady-killer smile and stepped into the closet, which was already open. “What color is the box?”
“Red. Or blue. Maybe it's blue.”
He poked his head out of the doorway. “Which one do you want?”
“Blue.”
Eamon retrieved the box and presented it to her.
She lifted the lid and surprise crossed her face. She quickly replaced the top. “Oops. Wrong one.” She giggled and handed it back to Eamon. “No peeking.”
Good Lord. There was no telling what was in that box and I certainly didn't want to know. Some secrets really are better kept buried. Eamon was back quickly with the red box.
She glanced inside. “This is the one.” Unceremoniously, she plopped the whole thing in my lap. It was like she was handing me a bag of groceries. “There you go.”
I stared down at the box, not comprehending what she was saying. “Do you want me to go through here and find it?”
She shook her head. “Take the whole thing. If I start getting sentimental about what's in that box, I'll fall apart and that's the last thing I want to do today. I've got a bridge tournament this afternoon and I want to stay sharp.”
“Are you sure?”
She placed her hand on the side of my face. “A bitter woman took that jewelry. I don't want to be her anymore.”
Eamon stepped forward. “If you don't mind me asking, why the change of heart?”
She gazed up at him and I swear I saw a glimmer of what I felt in my chest every time I looked at him. “I lost my daughter, but a big part of her is still here. I hadn’t fully realized that until she walked into the room. I have to treat that part with love or I'll lose everything I have left.”
“Thank you so much.” I hugged the box to my chest. “I know it’ll mean a lot to Amy.”
“I feel sort of bad about RSVP-ing ‘no’ to her wedding, but I don’t like to travel anyway.”
I was glad she’d brought it up. I still wasn’t sure Amy had actually sent her an invitation. “I’ll be sure to have her call you after the wedding. She can tell you all about it.” I might have to beg Amy, but I’d get her to do it.
“Or have her come with you when you visit. I’d like to apologize to her in person.”
The notion of Amy and I ever making a trip together again was almost too hopeful a thought. “I’ll suggest it.”
With nothing left to say, Eamon and I bid our goodbyes, promising to return in the spring, when the snow was gone. We ran into Beverly in the hall.
“How'd it go?” she asked.
I held up the box, victorious. “Somewhere in here is the necklace, presumably. If nothing else, it's a box of my mother's jewelry and there should be something for my sister to wear on her wedding day.”
“Well done. I'd say your sister is a lucky girl to have you in her life.”
I laughed, trying to ignore the irony of that statement. “Let's just say I had a few things to make up for.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
On the wayback from Connecticut, with the train car rocking from side to side on the track, I dug through the jewelry. The other passengers probably thought I was nuts as I pulled out tangled gold chains and plastic bags of earrings. Grandma Price had not taken particularly good care of my mother's things. In fact, it was almost like she'd stuffed everything in the box the day after my mother died and never looked at it again.
Unfortunately, most of the pieces in the box meant nothing to me. I couldn't even remember seeing my mother wear half of them. If only I'd been paying better attention. Then again, I hadn't known that I would need to hold on to every second with my mom. I'd had no idea our time together would be so short.
“Are the pearls in there?” Eamon asked.
“Pretty sure they’re at the bottom. I haven't looked yet.” The ivory velvet jeweler's box was in sight, waiting for me to open it.
“Why not?”
