Sorry, WordPress accidentally posted this early….but to make it up to you, two new posts mañana!

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Have you followed the Shimmer?

Three Days Later

Her emerald ring, a high school graduation gift from her Uncle Paul, rattled on her fingers as her knuckles bounced off the thick wooden door. Taking a step back, Magnolia shook back her golden curls, a smile ready on her lips. Glancing around, she carefully raised the jewel pressed against her palm, peering through it.

Silver fireworks burst around the frame of the door, beams of white blasting her face as the door swung open.

A withered face peered up at her, faded blue eyes bright with suspicion. “Yes?”

“Mrs. Frankel.” Magnolia extended her hand, cupping the older woman’s frail bones in hers. The gem slid into her pocketbook, the silver burst extinguished as soon as it had begun. “I’m afraid I have a very strange request.”

“You’re here for Amaryllis.” The woman narrowed her eyes. “For the Midsummer’s Night Party.” Magnolia stepped back, nearly tottering off the step in her kitten heels. “How did you know?”

“You shimmer.” The older woman shrugged. She reached to the side of the door and picked up a black velvet bag. Glancing around, she shoved it towards Magnolia. “Where are you going after this?” she whispered, her hand trembling as she dropped the bag in Magnolia’s waiting hand.

“Well, I’ve got a few more stops”—

“Your uncle owns the jewelry store, right?”

“Yes.” Magnolia forced down the shudder crawling up her shoulders. “How do you know all this?”

“We all know.” A shadow cloaked the old woman’s eyes, gathering her wrinkles like a quilt of worry. “We knew the minute she was back. We could feel it.” She gulped, her trembling fingertips on Magnolia’s wrist. “Where are you keeping our jewels?”

“You’ll get them back. We’re just borrowing them for the party”—

“I know that, dear.” The old woman snorted. “What good are jewels going to get me, now? With this face, only a prune would marry me.”

“I’m sure—“

“The reason I held on to them, dear, was not nostalgia or a foolish notion I could attract suitors.” The old woman’s fingers crasped her skin, digging into her bone. “The reason dear, was because of her. Because of Amaryllis.” For the first time, the woman smiled. “She gave me the jewels on Christmas Eve. I was so pregnant, and so alone. I was a military widow you see—back after the war. There was little food with all the rationing, let alone money for gifts. I was living on base on the kindness of friends, but without my husband—well, I was simply stuck. I was in a strange town, living with strangers, a widow with no job with a baby on the way.”

Her fingers ground against Magnolia’s wrist. “But you see dear, most people would have offered me a job. And many did. They offered me food, a job, housing, dinner invitations. But when I stumbled into Amaryllis’ shop, crying my eyes out at all these gorgeous gowns and handbags and trinkets I would never own, she simply handed me this box and said “Merry Christmas.”

The deep lines etched in her paper-thin face folded, crinkling her lips into a sour pucker. “Of course, I tried to give it back. I was so young, so prideful. But she said, “Everyone deserves a little shimmer on Christmas.”

Sliding her hand off Magnolia’s arm, the old woman sighed. “I should have sold it for cash, but I didn’t. I put it on and wore it every day, even when I delievered my son. And every day I wore that necklace, wonderful things happened to me. I got a job, met the love of my life who’s currently snoring on my couch, and had three more children. “

Magnolia swallowed the boulder in her throat. “I promise you we’ll return it.”

“Oh, I’ll be there dear. My grandson will take me.” The old woman’s eyes narrowed. “She won’t be able to run our town. We’ll make sure of that.” Leaning against the doorhandle, she waved her arm down the side of the street. “They’re waiting for you dear. Do hurry, now. Those five houses, there. But please, don’t leave the jewels out of your uncle’s shop. Don’t let them out of your sight. Don’t let them out of your hands. For as soon as you do…” She shook her head. “She’ll destroy everything.”

And though the sun beat down on her back, sweat pooling at the hem of her slip, Magnolia shivered.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  We have the world’s best apple pie tomorrow!

And did you know the Gift is on Kindle and Amazon?

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