LITTLE TREASURES 5

 5. Developments.

Chloe turned the cigarette lighter over and over in her hand. Sparking up a butt now would be like setting fire to the person she had become, and allowing the person she used to be – the person she liked – to rise again from the ashes. That woman wouldn’t share another minute of her life with someone like Guy. That woman would stride into the house, hold out her hand, and demand the return of her keys. That woman had a set of brass balls. That woman would relish being alone. Chloe rummaged around in the box some more, desperate for a distraction, and she got one. 

‘Ow!’ 

She pulled out her hand, wiped her bloody finger on her leg, and carefully picked up the source of the injury: a Dachshund brooch. She’d seen a few replicas on Ebay, and been severely tempted to hit the Buy It Now button on several occasions, but she always let Guy talk her out of it. What did she want with costume jewellery? Why was she so fascinated with the past? Why did she want to waste money on a piece of kitsch that would never appreciate in value? But this little dog was a whole lot hotter than the discount wieners going begging online. He was looking a little sad right now, and his coat had lost a little of its lustre, but Chloe didn’t care. He was hers. She tuned out the sound of Guy’s voice calling for her and started to pin the dog to her shirt. 

‘There’s real development potential here. We’ve got enough room to put up a guest house!’ 

He noticed the brooch. 

‘God, how much junk did your family…’ 

His mouth snapped shut when he got a closer look at the latest piece of sentimental crap that had captured his fiancé’s imagination, and he grabbed it out of her hand. 

‘What?’ 

‘I think these are real diamonds,’ 

Guy snapped out of his trance and moved to put the brooch in his pocket, 

‘I’d better hold it for safe keeping ‘til I find a jeweller who can…’ 

Chloe shot up off the porch swing and let the testicularly-enhanced version of herself come out to play, just for a moment. ‘

I think you’ll find that’s MINE.’ 

She snatched the brooch back and pinned it on. Guy stared at the stranger in front of him until she surrendered the reins to the woman he knew. 

‘Thank you,’ she smiled. 

Guy went back into the house without another word, No doubt fearful of setting off a bomb that might destroy the life he felt he was entitled to before he’d finished building it. Chloe turned the brooch over and read the inscription on the back. 

To my baby June, Love from Mama.

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