Page 8 - EGO Magazine January 2020

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The Amber Necklace

A Short Story By

Jeremy Baynton (pt. 2)

chill, damp Christmas they had done the whole traditional forwards. ´Look at it glitter. Delicate too,
morning arrived and he family Christmas. A tree up to the not chunky.’
got up first and made ceiling, stockings, brandy and carrot out ‘I’ll go and get your glasses.’
some tea, switching on for Father Christmas, log fire, special ‘Thanks, yes.’
the few decorative lights breakfast after opening all the presents. Once she had put them on, she held
A they’d put up to get the Christmas dinner didn’t usually happen the piece up and had a really good look,
festive spirit going. They hadn’t bothered until three or four in the afternoon with studying the links and then the unusual
with a tree. There didn’t seem much all that. Different times now. clasp. She leaned across and gave him
point as they were heading off to their They sat back on the sofa and opened a kiss.
daughter’s the day after Boxing Day. A the cards from the kids and each other, ‘That really is nice. I don’t know when
few decorations a wreath and some lights followed by their new slippers. They I’ll wear it, we don’t go out much these
were enough. looked at each other and smiled. days.’
He went back to the bedroom with ‘I got you something else as well.’ ‘Well, wear it now. Just don’t end up
two mugs of tea, pausing in the doorway. ‘Well, bad luck, I stuck to what we dangling it in the gravy. You can do the
It got him every time. His wife had agreed.’ clasp yourself. It’s a really clever design.
always been thin, and if she lay on her ´I wasn’t expecting anything. It’s just The old boy showed me in the shop.’
back in bed, it created the illusion that that I saw this in a shop window and ‘And it is two snakes. I can see that
there was just a head there on the pillow. instantly knew you’d like it.’ Taking the now I’ve got my specs on. They really are ntv / Shutterstock.com
No apparent lump in the quilt and the box, now carefully wrapped, from under beautiful.’
coverlet at the bottom covered up where a cushion on the sofa, he handed it to ‘Wasn’t stupid money either.’
her feet were. She looked back at him. her. ‘Ha, might have known! But no, it’s a
‘Merry Christmas.’ ‘Acting on an impulse, that’s not like really lovely surprise.’ uneventful day. cooking. A couple of small plates left
‘Yep, albeit a quiet one.’ you.’ The day passed quietly, watching ‘So glad you liked the necklace,’ he in the washing up bowl. The radiator
The cat jumped up on the bed with ‘No I know. But...I just knew you’d a Christmas film on the TV. before said leaning across and kissing her clicking as the central heating started up. He made her tea and went to the
a chirrup. ‘Yes and Merry Christmas like it.’ phoning the kids at home and abroad. goodnight. He made himself tea and tidied up, bedroom. Opening the door gently, he
to you as well’. The cat purred loudly ‘No pressure then.’ Grandson babbling away in the ‘It’s beautiful thanks. I don’t want to such as it was. Fed the cat, let her out. stood there. She was on her back, that
and started to circle to make herself ‘She unwrapped the box and admired background, not talking properly yet, take it off yet.’ All the mundane stuff that make up a trick again. Going round to her side of
comfortable. it. ‘I certainly like the box anyway. Two but getting there. They jointly cooked up He turned over, leaving her to her life. He just pottered about, checking e the bed, he put the mug down on the
‘Let’s do our massive pile of presents snakes, or are they sea serpents, I can’t lunch, no big turkey just breast fillets for book. mails, reading the paper. Surprised that bedside table and leant over to kiss her
after breakfast, I’m quite peckish and I’m tell without my glasses.’ her and a small nut roast for him with Waking up at seven, he sneaked out he wasn’t getting the call ‘Any tea on the cheek. Her skin was cold, he jerked back,
sure I can contain my excitement that ‘Snakes I think. Open it.’ all the vegetables and a particularly nice of bed, fully expecting her to wake with go?’ from the bedroom yet. his heart thumping. With the movement
long’. ‘Alright. Just admiring.’ She opened bottle of Rioja to wash it down. the movement. She didn’t, so he crept The clock ticked on and he carried her head rolled towards him and onto the
She smiled ‘Okay then, let’s do that.’ the box and just at that moment, the fire After a walk up the hill to aid the form the room carefully, noiselessly, on bumbling around. Looking up, he carpeted floor at his feet with a dull thud.
After breakfast, they lit the fire. It crackled. It was almost like the scene digestion, they settled in for more closing the door. It was still chilly and realised it was nearly eleven. His insides fell apart and a buzzing
wasn’t that cold, it was just that that’s he had in his head while he was in the Christmas television and snacks before damp outside with only the faintest hint This wasn’t like her. Maybe he should noise filled his head. He threw back the
what they did every Christmas. Every dentist’s chair. ending having an early night. it had of approaching daylight. The kitchen sneak in with a cuppa, see if the door duvet. The bed was empty.
year up to now, since they’d moved there ‘Now that is lovely.’ She said leaning been surprisingly tiring having such an was warm and still smelt of yesterday’s opening would gently rouse her. Yes. Empty except for an amber necklace.

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