Chapter 4: Pearls

I set my coffee down very carefully.

Colleen stirred hers and did not turn her head.

"Those are my mother's earrings," I said.

"Hmm?"

"The pearls. In your ears."

She touched one lobe.

"Oh, these? Carlton said I could borrow them. They were just sitting in a drawer."

"They were in my drawer."

"You know how it is, honey. A house gets crowded."

She carried her mug out of the kitchen, through the hall and out the front door.

It was Saturday, and Cody's team had a tournament across town.

The carpool minivan was back in the driveway.

Two other mothers stood beside it in matching team fleeces with their travel mugs, and Cody was loading his duffel into the back.

Colleen stopped beside the van and laughed at something one of them said.

I walked out onto the porch and down the steps.

I was not loud.

"Colleen," I said. "I need those earrings back now, please."

All three women turned.

Colleen's smile stayed where it was.

"Jo, this is hardly the time. We're about to leave for the tournament."

"It takes ten seconds to take out two earrings."

"They were a gift," she said, loud enough for the minivan. "From Carlton, for letting us move in. He said I deserved something nice."

One of the mothers, a short woman with a ponytail, frowned.

"Colleen, you told us Carlton bought those for your anniversary."

"Which anniversary?" the other mother asked. "You two have been divorced for four years."

Colleen's mouth opened.

I kept my eyes on her ears.

"My mother put those in my hand the morning I got married," I said. "I'll wait."

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