WRITE A PIECE ABOUT SOMEONE LOSING SOMETHING THAT MEANT A LOT TO THEM

 VALUE LOST

Something felt off when I left my friend’s house but I couldn’t seem to figure out what it was. By the time I got home the feeling was even worse. I had my purse and the CDs I’d taken over so I didn’t think it was because I forgot anything.

 Shaking it off, I set my purse on the counter and headed straight to my bedroom. Whatever it was would work itself out eventually and I was beyond tired. As I stared at my made-up face in the mirror, I decided just to leave it until morning and only change into my pajamas. As I lifted my favorite silk blouse over my head I briefly panicked that it would catch on my necklace, the one my late husband had given me the anniversary before he died. I was usually extremely careful of all of my expensive blouses but this time I wasn’t and it didn’t catch. The shirt fell to the floor and my hands raced to my neck at the same moment my eyes settled on my collarbone in the mirror. It was gone. A Heart surrounded in sapphire’s and diamonds on a golden chain was not on my neck or mixed in my clothing.

 Stumbling into my bedroom, I slid onto the bed. What the hell had happened to my necklace? John had only been gone for six months, how could I have lost it. My mind raced over the events of the night. After I got to Selina’s house we’d gone immediately into dinner and then we moved to the living room and sat on the couch listening to CDs and drinking wine. That’s it, well except for a couple of trips to the restroom. It had to still be at Selina’s house.

 With a sense of urgency like I’d never had before, I dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and headed back out to my car. Within five minutes I turned onto the street I needed. Police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks lined the road. I hated to think that someone in Selina’s neighborhood was… “No,” I moaned into thin air. My friend’s house was engulfed in flames. My necklace was now permanently gone.

 Parking my car three houses away, I raced over to where I saw Selina standing with a firefighter. “Hey sweetie, what happened?”

 “I…I’m not sure. I fell asleep and woke up to the alarms. Flames were coming out of the laundry room. I ran outside and called 911.” Tears were pouring down her face. “Why are you here?”

 “My necklace…it’s missing. I came to look for it.”

 Selina looked up with sad eyes. “The one from John?”

 “Yeah,” I whispered. “It’s okay, though. The important thing is that you are okay.”

 ****

 2 weeks later:

 Selina asked me to meet her for lunch. We hadn’t seen each other much since the fire. Her days were filled with insurance companies and everyday life. Mine was filled with mourning the loss of my anniversary necklace. “Hey, what’s up. How is the whole insurance thing going?”

 “Hey there! It’s going that’s for sure.” Selina had a genuine smile on her face.

 “Good. So what’s going on that couldn’t wait? I rescheduled an appointment for this.”

 “I know,” she said with a shit-eating grin on her face. “But I think this will be worth it.” She slid an envelope across the table toward me.

 “What’s this?”

 “Just open it, slowpoke.”

 With a sigh, I picked up the envelope and heard something jingle inside. Biting my bottom lip, I tore it open, and out fell my necklace. sparkly and in perfect shape. “What?”

 “The firefighters found it and I had it restored. I felt so bad…”

 I reached out and grabbed her hand. “It’s okay, I know. Thank you so much.”