Six Years Paying For A Ghost

Coope

ning, Kellan was stil

adn't wanted to drive back and forth,

d him pace the living room, phone pressed

you a chocolate croissan

her cough syrup

Daddy's taking her to

ey. One more day a

breath, and slid

was already at the dining

own on the marble count

said, smoothing his ha

even," I said. "The jeweler n

ack and rubbed his neck - he always

pletely forgot

rst thing. I have to drive out to

k I can make

ser and reache

if reaching for a napkin, and

ntly. "We can push it to next month. I p

one by. What are

no inflection at al

ene, he smiled, took his briefca

shut I heard him dial

e came through the doo

on a plain wool coat, and drove

treet. Three pieces in the

Two plain bands lay side by side on a

ng them engraved. Kellan laughed and said I was too particular

t with you today?"

e. I'm here to r

opped. "The rings are finished. The deposit was si

sit," I said.

f days. He had been in the trade twenty-six years, he said, and he had

shook my head. "De

r. I signed, picked up my ring, and tried it on m

ital, Kellan took it off my hand and set it on the nightstand and said we were in mourning, the

de band across the c

. Keep the gold. Th

't ask, put the men's band awa

he street. I hadn't brought an umbrella, so I walked the thir

re, water running down the windshield in lines. I put my hands

I drove a little way, p

"Bryson has a girlfriend. Nice girl. Her parents

rig

gs. The girl likes old things. Bring

e and didn't an

be right back, and while she was gone my grandmother lifted her own hand and unscrewed the earrings one at a time and put them in my palm.

d no. Salary, bonuses, year-end payouts. Effie had even run u

h fast. "Bryson's getting married. You're his sister. Bring out a pair of ea

ot hag

. Don't make me look bad

ndow and asked her, "Effie. What was

t quiet for

you ask

t to find a picture of s

"Dark blue dress. White shoes. W

thi

igging up the past. When she was finished I said, "I look

at suppose

ou to know what you're

yson will make more than that.

put in my hand by my grandmother the day sh

Effie spoke again her voice had dropped. "

m f

alk the way

n't

e just said it again.

rig

tisfied sound

d the bottom drawer, and took the velv

. Indoors the stones looked almost black; only when you

myself in the mirror for a few seconds, then to

of fakes I had bought two years ago. Sixty dollars. Lab-gr

n the velvet box

pen to October. Friday was cir

ed with an alert fr

ed: $410,000.00 c

lowance receiv

chose a window seat, and

d the laptop, picked up my coat,