2

The next day, Mom brought the heirloom emerald bracelet to my office.

When I opened the box, I found a repair slip inside.

There was a fresh soldering mark where the clasp had been reattached.

"What happened?"

Mom looked away.

"Vivian tried it on and it got stuck. They had to cut it off."

This bracelet was from my grandmother.

Before she passed, she held my hand and said she wanted to see me wear it on my wedding day.

She never got the chance. The emerald bracelet became the last thing she ever left me.

"Who let her touch it?"

"I just wanted her to have a look. How was I supposed to know your wrist was so small?"

Mom pushed a brand-new emerald bracelet toward me.

"Julian bought it this morning. It's even heavier than the original. Out with the old, in with the new."

"Are these two really the same?"

"It's just a thing."

"Then why didn't you cut yours?"

Mom's expression hardened.

"Grace, you're getting married, that's all. Why are you getting more impossible by the day?"

My colleagues were staring.

I closed the box, not wanting to argue at the office.

But Mom held my arm.

"Vivian didn't pass her internship evaluation. Your company's Southport branch needs a leasing manager, doesn't it? Put in a word with your boss. Get her the position."

That was a position I'd worked six months to earn.

Last week, my director told me it was mine if I was willing to relocate to Southport.

I'd turned it down for the wedding, and because Julian didn't want a long-distance relationship.

Now they wanted to hand that opportunity to Vivian.

"She studied art. She's never done commercial leasing."

"Nobody's born knowing how. Just teach her."

"The position belongs to the company, not to me. If she wants it, she can submit her own resume."

"You just don't want to help!"

Mom raised her voice.

"Vivian isn't like you, landing a great job right out of school. Nothing goes right for her. Would it really cost you that much to give her a hand?"

"My career wasn't handed to me either."

Julian happened to arrive with lunch.

He opened the container with practiced ease and set the fork by my hand.

"Didn't you say your stomach was bothering you? Eat first."

Mom immediately told him everything.

Julian listened, then said, "Vivian really isn't suited for commercial leasing."

I thought he'd take my side for once.

Instead he said, "Derek Cole's gallery needs an operations person. I can introduce her."

Mom was satisfied at last.

"See? Julian always finds a way."

I looked at him.

"Last month, I wanted to freelance at Derek's gallery. You told me he had high standards, told me not to call in favors."

"You already have a full-time job. No need to overextend. Vivian has no income right now. It's a different situation."

"She has no income, so she gets to call in favors. I have a job, so I don't even deserve to try?"

His tone remained gentle, but impatience flickered behind his eyes.

"Those are two different things. I'm solving the problem."

Right. He was always solving problems.

Except every time, the problem being solved was how I felt.

That afternoon, Vivian sent me a message about her new job offer.

She said Julian had personally accompanied her to meet Derek and even treated the gallery staff to dinner.

In the photo, they were standing close together. Julian's tie was knotted crooked.

I recognized that knot.

Vivian had only ever known one way to tie a tie.

At five thirty, Julian texted.

"Dinner with clients tonight. Eat without me."

At six, I walked past the gallery.

I saw him crouching in front of Vivian, treating the raw skin her heels had rubbed open.

The ointment was the same one I always used.

He kept it in the car, he'd said, in case I needed it.

Vivian spotted me first. She placed her hand on Julian's shoulder.

"Don't get the wrong idea, sis. He was just worried I'd be late on my first day."

Julian stood up.

"Her feet were hurt. I couldn't just ignore it."

He put the ointment away, as though only now remembering I existed.

"Is your stomach still hurting?"

I shook my head.

It had been hurting all afternoon.

But in that moment, I didn't even have the energy to tell him.