My Necklace
By: Leen Haitham
Tags: Short Story, Short Fiction, Necklace, Stories, Reading

Dusk was falling. The roads were not crowded nor deserted either. As I was pouring a drink for a costumer, I noticed an elegant middle-aged man walking past the store. He was dressed in a black suit with no accessories. He seemed very rich, but not overly appareled. He looked at me and smiled as if he knew me or something. I was wondering if he is going to enter, so I smiled back in welcome because I was told to smile to people outside so that I can Lure them.

He slowly walked into the store and sat down on a table.

"Excuse me", the man gently called.

"yes-sir", Julian my co-worker answered.

"Can you please call the young man; I want to talk to him".

I was cleaning one of the tables when Julian came from behind, pointed at him, and whispered, "I don’t want you to go crazy, but this man wants you to take his order.

“what! No why me?”

“I don’t know. I guess you have to go figure out yourself”, she laughed.

Julian knows I get nervous easily. I was so confused on why he would not just let her take his order.

As I was walking up to him, I squeezed my entire brain trying to figure out if I have ever seen him anywhere else, but nothing came to my mind.

"Hello sir, what can I get for you", I tried my best not to shake but I horribly failed.

Even though he kept his head low, I can see he is slightly smiling. After few seconds he took off his glasses, crossed his arms and looked at me and said, "Hi, can you please show me the menu".

The first thing I realized is how deep and smooth his voice is. I took out the menu and laid it on the table.

"so, what would you like sir", I asked.

"I honestly would like to ask you about this", he directly pointed to my neck.

I went silent. I was lost in the words of his sentence. I looked him in the eye, while my brain took its time processing what I just heard. He was still looking at me waiting for a response. I slowly lifted my fingers up to my neck until I reached the necklace I was wearing.

I held the necklace up and asked, "this?"

"yes, young man", he replied, "it is a very rare piece. I was wondering if I can buy it from you"

He proceeded to slowly pull out his wallet and set it on the table.

"Look, I am willing to pay whatever price you ask for"

I almost lost my mind! This man literally just offered his heavy loaded wallet just to give him the necklace. I raised my sight and looked around. I realized how only half of this money can get me out of what I am in right now. Only half of this money can make me pay all the bills and quit this exhausting job.

I held tight to my necklace, and as I was thinking about what else could make me happier, a thought just hit me like a truck. I remembered that it has been 7 years when I first wore this necklace. It has been 7 years since this necklace was the only thing I have left. It has been 7 years since I lost my wife by choosing not to pay and save money for myself. I do not want to lose what I only have left.

I released my hand and said, "uh-sir I don’t know I-”

I seriously did not know how to say a sentence my whole brain was a jungle of mixed emotions.

I looked at him, and I can see that he expects an answer right now. He obviously does not know he just put me into a mental crisis.

“I’ll give you more if you want...?”

Give me more! At this point I was only thinking if it is worth letting go the only thing I have left from my family. I went back seven years and remembered that I lost everyone trying to keep everything in my hands.

“uh-I... I am sorry I just don’t think whatever you will give would be-umm- equivalent to the value of this to me”

he smiled, put on his glasses again as if he is back to business and said, "it's okay, can I just get black coffee then", he orders

"yeah sure"