Morion Necklace. Yuliya Alpagut

      1. Carey, I’m home…

      – What a beautiful necklace! – said the old woman to the girl who was sitting opposite her with hoping to distract the girl from bad thoughts. But nothing smarter than what she just said, she could not think of.

      – Yes beautiful, – the girl agreed, fingering the bead behind the bead, – It belonged to Carolyn…

      Old woman sighed heavily.

      – Sorry honey. —she said. – I did not know.

      – Don’t worry granny. Everything is good. – sadly the girl answered her. – You know… The day after her funeral, I found it in my casket on the chest of drawers. Strange… These were her favorite necklaces. She never took it off. At least I have never seen her without these necklaces. Well… Maybe only a couple of times… I think all the time, how could it be in my box?

      – She probably took it off and put it there. And then she forgot it. That’s all. – suggested an old woman.

      – Maybe… Maybe… But I don’t remember her taking off her necklace in my house. And why did she do it?

      The girl looked at the interlocutor. The old woman just shrugged in response.

      – When I found it here, – continued the girl, – At first I was surprised, but then I thought the same thing. That she just took it off and forgot here. But when I began to remember that evening…

      The girl fell silent. Her eyes clouded with tears.

      – That evening … – she squeezed out and could say nothing more.

      Covering her face with her hands, the girl sobbing and whispered:

      – Oh, God… What a nightmare… What a horror… How could this happen?! I do not understand! But why? Why?

      The old woman got up from the chair, coming up to the girl and hugged her tightly. The girl buried her face in her dress and burst into tears.

      – Why? Why did she die? Why? And for what, for what sins, she suffered?

      – I do not know, dear… I do not know … – An old woman answered her and squeezed the girl in her arms as tightly as she could. She squeezed so tightly that it was difficult for the girl to breathe. But at the same time, the girl felt some relief. And after a minute, completely calmed down. Then the old woman pulled her granddaughter a little away and looked into her tear-stained blue eyes.

      – Carolyn in paradise, – she said, – She looks at you. And I’m sure she doesn’t like at all what you cry.

      – Yes… – breathed girl. – I even know what she would say to me…

      – And what? – asked an old woman.

      – She would call me a crybaby and ugly.

      – Ugly? – surprised old woman.

      – Yes, – nodded girl and smiled. – When I cried, Carolyn always said that I’m ugly.

      – Oh no, – said old woman, – No you are not ugly! You have such a beauty! Even when crying! But do not cry! – she said and threatened her granddaughter with her finger.

      The girl looked into the gray, clouded and very kind eyes of the old woman and smiled.

      – I love you, granny. Love very much. —she said.

      – And I love you, my dear girl. – an old woman answered her and once again hugged her granddaughter.

      – Thank you. – whispered girl.

      – You’re welcome, my dear, – the old woman answered her, lightly patting her on the back, – You’re welcome, my dear Miranda.

      The old woman released her granddaughter and gently held her soft wrinkled hand on the cheek of the girl. Miranda kissed her hand and asked:

      – Granny, do you want some tea?

      – Sit, – she said and headed towards the door, – I’ll be back soon.

      – Grandma, where are you going? – asked Miranda.

      – I’ll make hot tea for you and me! – an old woman answered her and opened the door.

      – Ah, Grandma! – getting up from the couch, the girl was outraged. – Here you are always like that! You sit down! Have a rest! I’ll do everything myself!

      – Rest? – surprised old woman. – From what?

      She crossed her arms over her chest, frowned and looked at her granddaughter.

      – Or what is this, in your opinion, I am so old that even tea is not able to brew?

      – Granny … – said Miranda, – What are you saying! I did not mean it at all!

      – Okay! Okay! – old woman waved her hand. – I know. And don’t worry about me. So who needs to relax here, it’s you! Sit down! I’ll do everything now.

      – Thank you, – smiled girl.

      As if accepting gratitude, the woman nodded her head and disappeared behind the door. Miranda was left alone in the room. She carefully sat on the edge of the couch and looked around. Everything around was the same as a week ago. Nothing changed. “And why should something have changed?” She thought. “After all, no one has been here all this time!”.

      Miranda did not want to believe that her beloved friend no longer exists. And looking around, she still hoped that at least something had changed in her familiar surroundings. “Carolyn was always moving or shifting something here.” – thought girl, – “The book does not lie in its place, or a vase… Something else…”.

      These, in general, imperceptible movements of essentially unnecessary things, always irritated Miranda a little. But now she hoped to find anything lying in the wrong place. She hoped, but in her heart she knew that this would not happen. She knew that Carolyn was gone. But she still hoped that everything that had happened to her friend was just a bad dream. “How I would like to wake up now and find out that you are alive! And it was just a nightmare!” – thought Miranda.

      – Carey! You were for me more than just a friend! You were like a sister to me! – the girl said out loud and looking at the chair in which Carolyn often sat when she came to visit her.

      – Honey, did you say something? – asked an old woman who had already entered the living room at that moment.

      Miranda looked at the old woman.

      – What granny? – she asked.

      – Did you say something to me? I did not hear well, – the old woman asked again.

      She put a tray of tea and cookies on a small coffee table next to the sofa and, waiting for an answer, looked at her granddaughter.

      – Oh no! No! Nothing! – smiled girl, – I was talking to myself!

      – With yourself? – the old woman was indignant, and having put her fists on her hips, – You do not need me?

      In response, Miranda smiled sweetly.

      – Oh, – old woman playfully threatened with a finger. – Okay my dear, – she said, – Let’s drink tea!

      Miranda took the cup and looked around again. A sofa, two armchairs, a coffee table, a chest of drawers, a floor lamp, shelves with books and all sorts of trinkets… Everything was as it was a week ago. Then, when she left this place in the hope of at least a little to relax and forget about what happened.