The Ring

Sarah wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and stared into the closet crammed to the ceiling with boxes. Coming home was hard enough but packing up her grandfather’s life as if it never happened left an emptiness that she had no idea how to fill. 

She gingerly pushed one of the tightly stacked boxes but it didn’t budge. His house was always tidy and guest ready, the only items he displayed openly were pictures of her though her life, every achievement, every play or game he was always there rooting for her. He had one picture of her mother, his only child, stuck behind her college graduation picture collecting dust. She couldn’t deal with the memories of her mother right now. Her grandfather waited so many years for Barbara to return but deep down they both knew she never would and Sarah would never forgive her for hurting him.

“Do you want to go through the clothes?”

The thought of going through his personal items and what she might find made her feel numb. “No, just box them up.”

“You doing okay?”

Sarah turned and forced a smile for her roommate who insisted on coming to help. Now that her grandfather was gone she had no one and it wasn’t a feeling she could put into words. Carole would never know how much her being here meant.

“I’m okay.” I’ll take all the clothes to the community center where my Pop volunteered.”

“Guess this is where he hid everything. What’s that?”

“What’s what?” Carole reached behind a box and pulled down a glass jar. “Oh wow, I haven’t seen that in years.” She accepted the weighted jar and felt a wave of something bittersweet.

“Are they pennies?”

“He collected wheat pennies, he was convinced they would be worth something one day.” Sarah hugged it to her chest thinking back to sitting beside him talking about her day, digging through piles of change. She fought back the tears then placed it aside. She’d go to the bank and cash them in, give the money to the center where it would do some good.

“Look what I found in that jar. I hope you don’t mind, I was just curious.”

Sarah actually forgot Carole was sitting at the little table across the room. There were too many ghosts in the house and she wasn’t ready to face them in the quiet dark. She took the thick band of gold encrusted with emeralds, turned on the lamp beside the bed and put the ring underneath. “In the penny jar?”

“Yeah, do you recognize it.”

“I’ve never seen it before.”

“It’s beautiful, you should keep it.”

She put the ring on and ran her finger over the smooth gold.

“It fits perfectly. I think you’ll be sorry one day if you don’t keep something.”

Sarah slid the ring off and placed it on the dresser. How could she explain to Carole the memories she wanted to leave behind? Her grandfather was an amazing man and never once complained about raising her when her mother ran out but the last fight they had would forever be deeply etched in her mind.

“How can you just leave her Barbara? She’s your child.”

“My child? You mean the child you forced me to keep? That child?”

“Lower your voice, she’ll hear you.”

“Maybe it’s time she did. I tried to do it your way and I’ve hated every moment of being here playing your game. I’m done.”

She could still hear the sound of the door slamming and the quiet weeping from her grandfather. In her eyes he was a superhero that couldn’t be broken. Hearing him was harder to handle than the fact that her mother finally admitted the truth, she was a mistake. She was the kid with no father, now an orphan because in her eyes her mother died that day. 

“Hey, look there’s an inscription inside. Anita, My forever love, Thomas.”

She took the ring back and looked at the engraving, it looked new and untouched.

“Do you know who Anita is?”

“No, but Thomas is my grandfather.”

“It’s kind of romantic, don’t you think? Lost love, a secret ring…”

“Pop and romantic aren’t two words I’d put together.” She never knew her grandmother and Pop rarely mentioned her but her name wasn’t Anita. 

The center was housed in an old church. The doors were massive and when she pulled one open she was hit with the smell of incense and melted candle wax from long ago. There was a leak somewhere and the sound of the drips hitting the worn tiles created an eerie rhythm. She wondered if it was okay to leave the donations outside because she just wanted to go and close this chapter of her life. 

“Can I help you?”

Sarah straightened her spine defensively. “I… No, I’m good.” She turned and reached for the heavy door, she finally hit her limit and needed to run. 

“Sarah? Tommy’s granddaughter, right?”

The door slipped from her hand and slammed so hard she jumped and heard the ring hit the ground, it rolled then there was a clatter that made her heart sink. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She lowered to the floor and felt around under the long bench. He moved closer and sent a beam of light along the floor.

“What are we looking for?”

“A ring.”

He was pretty sure he knew where it went. He shifted the heavy wooded bench until the heating vent was visible, then stood over it and shined the light down. “I don’t see it, let me grab some tools and take it apart. I’m really sorry.”

Sometimes things were meant to be for reasons no one may ever know and maybe she wasn’t meant to find this Anita woman. If her grandfather wanted her to know what the ring was about he wouldn’t have hidden it. “No, that’s okay, it wasn’t anything special, just a trinket.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very sure. I have boxes with my grandfather’s clothes that I just wanted to drop off.”

“Let me help you. I’m Wyatt by the way, I run the center. I’m sorry about your grandfather, Tommy was a good guy, he’ll be missed around here.”

Sarah accepted the outstretched hand and smiled. He was tall and slim with soft amber eyes and hair that was too long but suited him. “I hope you can use them. He always talked about this place.”

“Oh we can, we have a VA program, they would help a lot of the men. Listen I can take it from here. Thanks and again I’m really sorry about Tommy and the ring.”

“Thanks and don’t worry about it. It was nice meeting you Wyatt.”

The house was so empty it felt cold and unfamiliar. Her footsteps echoed as she walked through the rooms to make sure everything that needed to be gone was before the realtor got here. The money would help out but she would trade it in a heartbeat to see Pop walk through the door in his dirty gardening overalls. Carole left the day before and she didn’t realize how lonely she was until she was alone. She didn’t have many friends, her childhood was fine, she couldn’t complain but she was always the weird girl without parents whose mother didn’t care enough to stick around. Therapy taught her that abandonment left scars and she knew logically her mother’s choices had nothing to do with her but she couldn’t help but wonder why anyone would care about her if her own mother didn’t.

There was a knock at the door and she took a deep breath pushing the sadness down. The realtor was early but it was just as well because she wanted to rip the band aid off and leave. She smoothed her blouse, pulled the elastic from her ponytail and shook out her hair. Pop would approve, he said one should always be ready for anything. When she opened the door though she wasn’t ready for the man standing there.

“Wyatt? Come in.”

“I’m sorry to bother you, I came here to give you this. I know you said to leave it but I felt bad. It’s actually a lot more than a trinket. Mind if I come in?”

“Please do. I don’t have anything to offer you but the furniture is still here if you’d like to sit.”

“No, I wasn’t going to stay long. I just wanted to return the ring. May I ask where you found it?”

“Actually in a jar of change.”

Wyatt nodded his head and took a good look at her in the light. Her eyes were a shade of grey that looked almost silver, dark hair fell in waves around her face. She was a beautiful woman but it was the sadness that stood out. She was watching him with a nervous look and he smiled. “Sorry, I have to ask, do you know who Anita is?”

“I have no idea.”

“My Aunt Anita used to live close by, she left years ago but moved back and lives in an assisted living facility. I never saw them together and they never mentioned each other to me but I wondered if it could be her.”

She twirled the ring around her finger and then handed it to him. “You can show it to her. I don’t want it.”

“Wyatt Jameson. What are you doing here?”

Awkwardly Wyatt embraced the woman that walked through the door like a whirlwind. “How are you Mrs. Garler?”

“Doing well thanks and you must be Sarah. So, you’re selling the old place. Is it okay if I look around and then we can talk?”

“Sure but I have a flight out in the morning.”

“It won’t take that long. Hang around or if you want to go enjoy the afternoon I’ll give you a call later.”

    They watched her walk away then stood awkwardly. Wyatt was the only person she knew here and she didn’t really know him. 

“I’m not sure if you have plans but it you need to kill some time maybe you want to go meet Aunt Anita? Or I can give you a ride somewhere.”

    What did she have to lose?

    What was wrong with her getting in a car with a man she didn’t know? She fell for his natural charm easily and that just proved there was something wrong with her. Now she was following him into the building where his aunt lived. 

“Hi Wyatt, your aunt is in the sun room. She’ll be glad to see you. It’s been a rough day.”

Someone tried to make the lobby pleasant with flowers and decorative welcome signs but it only made it appear sad and worn. His presence changed the atmosphere and both staff and residents made a point of coming over. He gave each person a moment of his time when most people would have rushed them along as an inconvenience. She was one of those people and once again she felt the guilt over how little time she gave her grandfather. 

They walked through yet another set of doors where a woman sat so still by a floor to ceiling window with a sliver of sunlight shining over her. Wyatt walked right up and stood behind her resting a hand on her shoulder but she didn’t move.

    “Beautiful day. Who’s around?”

    “I haven’t seen the cardinal today and the little fox looks like she’s ready to drop her pups.”

    “I brought someone I’d like you to meet.”

    Sarah inched up uncertainly with a smile plastered on her face. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting when the elderly woman turned but it wasn’t the clear blue eyes and inquisitive look.  She smiled and held out a hand, again surprised by the firm handshake. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

    “Step into the light. Wyatt never brought a young lady here so you must be special.”

    “Oh, no, it’s not like that.” When the woman’s face froze Sarah pulled her hand away and crossed her arms.

    “Sarah? Is it you?”

    She looked at Wyatt who seemed as surprised as she was. “Yes ma’am.”

    “Come here in the light.”

    When Wyatt moved closer and put a hand on her back she felt drawn to him. He gave her an encouraging nod and moved with her. She felt like the woman could see through her.

    “How you look like him. He’s gone, isn’t he?”

    “Yes, he passed away last week.” Tears suddenly ran down her wrinkled cheeks and Sarah knelt down in front of Anita and took her hand. “I’m sorry you found out this way.”

    “Oh dear girl, I’m an old woman, the years are behind me and I’m ready to go when my time comes. You though, how he worried over you.”

    The cool shaky hand came to rest on her cheek then brushed her hair aside. Without thought or question Sarah leaned into it for a moment then stood.  She pulled the ring from her pocket and held it out. “I think this belongs to you.”

She took the ring and examined it, saw the engraving and had to catch her breath. “You’re her aren’t you?”

    “I loved him so. We were to be married but things didn’t work out.”

    “It was because of me, wasn’t it?”

    “Sweet child, yes it was but not in the way you think.”

    “What do you mean?”

    “Maybe I’ve said too much. I never agreed with Thomas keeping the truth from you.”

    Sarah looked from the Anita to Wyatt but he shrugged and shook his head. “If there’s something I should know, please… Once I leave here there’s nothing left from the past.” The words must have hit home because the woman watched her with a look of sadness and uncertainty. “Please?”

    “He loved you so, you needed him and the complications surrounding our relationship were difficult. I was married before, a hasty mistake I made as a young woman. Thomas and I argued and I ran off with a soldier. He was deployed then disappeared and I waited because I made a commitment. Then my sister and her husband died in an accident leaving Wyatt alone so I came back. Thomas was waiting for me, he married your grandmother but said it was me he always loved. We thought we could be together finally, put our childish choices behind us. We planned to marry then my husband came back, he was injured and needed care. It would have been wrong of me to leave him. Thomas and I continued to see each other for awhile but we both knew it was wrong. Time sped by and I knew I couldn’t stay here and see him knowing I could never be with him.”

    “I don’t know what to say.” The older woman smiled and met her gaze, it looked like a weight was lifted.

    “There’s nothing to say. I’m so glad I got to meet you Sarah. I’m glad you met my Wyatt, I’m sorry you’ll both be alone soon enough. Thank you for the ring, I think I’ll keep it, keep Thomas close until I can be with him again. I’m tired. Wyatt can you get someone to take me to my room?”

    The realtor offered to let Sarah walk through the house one last time but she declined, she was just here to sign the sale papers. It belonged to someone else now and it was their turn to build a life and make memories. Her brief encounter with Anita reminded her of all the good times she spent here and she was healing from the hurt. It was a slow process but she was on the right path. 

    “Sarah?”

    Sarah stopped in front of the bank and turned. Her heart did a little jump seeing Wyatt strolling down the sidewalk toward her. Their time together was brief but she thought of him often. He stopped in front of her and she smiled taking in his handsome face, it was exactly as she remembered.

    “I’m glad I caught you.”

    He held up something and handed it to her. She stared at the ring in her hand confused.

    “Aunt Anita passed away. She wanted me to give this to you.”

    “Oh no, I’m sorry, I had no idea.”

    "I almost called but didn’t want to bother you.”

     She thought back to the simple story the woman told her. They complicated a situation that didn’t need to be complicated and lost each other. She looked at Wyatt, he could have mailed the ring or left it with the realtor. She spent her whole life hiding, trying not to make waves, hiding from ghosts that maybe didn’t even exist. “Wyatt, would you like to have dinner with me tonight? I know it’s short notice but I’m only in town for a couple of days and I, well, I thought of calling you too. Just to thank you. No that’s not true, I just… would you like to have dinner with me?” He looked stunned but she wouldn’t let herself be embarrassed, she took a chance and if he didn’t feel the same at least she’d know.

     Wyatt thought of her too but it was only when his aunt insisted he give her the ring back that he allowed himself to admit it. Maybe nothing would come of it but he’d never know by walking away. “I’d like that, I’d really like that.”

     Sarah nodded and slipped the ring on then stepped away. “I have to go in.”

     “I’ll pick you up at 7:00?” For the first time her smile was genuine and it lit up her face.

     “Perfect.” Sarah ran up the steps. She rubbed the smooth gold of the ring and glanced up. 

     “Thanks Pop.”