I packed up my mother's belongings. My mother had been frugal her entire life, so she didn't leave much behind. I packed them up quickly. But I didn't know what to do with a pair of blackened silver bracelets.
My mother had told me that these bracelets were passed down from my grandmother and would be passed down to Lucy after she died. I didn't want to go against my mother's wishes. After much hesitation, I finally called Lucy.
I called her over a dozen times before she finally answered. "Honey, what's up? I'm waiting to take a family photo."
I chuckled to myself, "Nothing, go ahead!"
She hung up immediately, refusing to ask another question.
I looked at the blackened silver bracelets in my hand and carefully wrapped them. I would keep these silver bracelets. Lucy wasn't worthy of wearing them.
That night, Lucy posted a photo on her Instagram. With a simple caption, [A Happy Family!]
She was smiling brightly in the photo. I couldn't remember how long it had been since I'd seen her smile so happily. My eyes vacant for a moment, then I calmly clicked "like."
I saw Lucy again three days later. She asked me to pick her up at the high-speed rail station. I was puzzled; she'd clearly driven there, so why did she need me to pick her up?
Only when I arrived did I realize she hadn't come back alone.
Lucy explained to me, "Honey, Charlie, his godmother and some of Charlie's elders are coming to town for a visit, so I came back with them."
She was standing next to Charlie and his mother and behind her were seven or eight elderly men and women looking around. I just glanced at them, not saying anything.
Charlie extended his hand to me, smiling, "Please come and pick him up."
I frowned, but didn't extend my hand.
Lucy complained, "Honey, Charlie is thanking you."
Before I could say anything, Charlie's mother took Lucy's hand and said, "Lucy, he only has one car and there's not enough room for all of us."
"I can call a taxi." Lucy pulled out her phone.
Charlie's mother tried to stop her, "Let him call. We'll just take the car and Charlie will drive."
Lucy looked at me with embarrassment. I smiled nonchalantly and handed the car keys to Charlie, "It's okay. You and the others can go first."
Lucy felt relieved. "Honey, thank you!"