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This writing was accepted for publication in the 108 page perfect-bound ISSN# / ISBN# issue/book... “Path of Least Resistance” Down in the Dirt (v131) (the September 2015 Issue) You can also order this 6"x9" issue as a paperback book:

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Wee Gems

Lisa Gray

    I shouldn’t have left her. I shouldn’t have left any of them. It was irresponsible. Then no onecould have stolen her away. My wee gem.
    I blame Ben.
    “She’ll be all right in the room. The door’s locked and we’ll just be downstairs in the hotel bar,” he insisted.
    That’s men for you. Assertive. Insistent. And I was stupid enough to be swayed by him. I’ll never forgive myself. Or him.
    “Your wee gem safely tucked away?”
    Did I detect a hint of jealousy in Ben’s sister’s voice?
    She knew I hadn’t wanted to leave her. Hadn’t wanted to join the nightly drinking sessions in the hotel bar. And I was angry at Ben. Angry he had told his sister we were coming on this holiday. And angrier when I’d found out she and her no-good husband had booked the same hotel. It wasn’t like I hadn’t tried to like them both. I looked across at Val. Her bright red lips were parted in a false smile, her hand twirled round the end of the champagne glass revealing a wrist bedecked with brassy bangles. Jewellery. She was always covered in it. But not the expensive sort. She’d never have that while she was with Steve. I looked down at my ringless hands.
    “Missing her already, are you?”
    Steve’s voice was teasing, tantalising. He took pleasure in baiting me. They both did.
    I’d never fitted in. And they knew it. It hadn’t seemed to matter at the beginning. I had Ben and my wee gems. My wee gems were there before Ben of course but he had gladly accepted them as his own and I had been glad. They were no longer the product of a broken home.
    I waited for Ben to come to my defence. Like I always did. But Ben didn’t seem to notice.
    “I’m getting this round,” was all he said, as he pushed back his chair and made his way to the hotel bar and disappeared in the throng.
    “I’ll go help him,” said Steve and I was glad for an end to the baiting.
    “Don’t forget mine’s an orange juice,” I said.
    Steve gave me a funny look and disappeared.
    To this day I’ve had my suspicions. But then I’ve suspected everyone. From the evening she went missing. I’d got up to check on her three or four times but each time Steve had said, “Sit down. Stop fussing. She’ll be all right. Relax and enjoy yourself.”
    He pushed another Buck’s Fizz in my direction.
    He must think I’m stupid, I thought. I’d known it wasn’t plain orange juice. The potted plant behind me knew as well. He’d been given three quarters of each glass to drink. I had made a pretence at sipping the other quarter, using every opportunity to get rid of the rest. The others hadn’t seemed to notice. They were on their fifth round and enjoying it when I eventually made my escape.
    Everything was there. Except my wee gem. They’d got in through the window, the police said. Forced open the shutters and taken her. They must have been watching us. Known we were downstairs in the bar and seized the opportunity.
    My wee gem was never found. I had my other wee gems for comfort of course. When I got home. I’d gather them round me and I’d feel better.
    “You’re excluding me,” Ben said.
    I felt bad. I knew how much she’d meant to Ben too.
    I knew how much she’d meant to Ben.
    It couldn’t be, I thought. It couldn’t be Ben. I knew he’d been jealous of my special relationship with her. But to go to those lengths. No. Grief was playing tricks with my mind.
    “You’ve got your job,” I said more callously than I intended.
    “It’s not the same,” he replied.
    I could imagine it wouldn’t be. Others would pale into insignificance beside her.
    “A lot of people have asked about her,” he said, “since I took her into the shop that day.”
    I’d forgotten about that. My suspicions came flooding back. He’d wanted her in the shop. I should have had my suspicions then. Was she the reason he’d wanted to be with me in the first place? Had he and that no-good brother-in-law arranged all this? Was that the reason they’d plied me with drinks? I knew Steve been in and out of prison. Had they arranged to sell her to a third party? There was an international market out there. I shuddered at the thought of what would become of her. I knew the shop wasn’t making money. Television shopping and the internet were to blame. I had personal experience of that.
    In fact I’d become something of an expert.
    I knew Steve had been furious when Ben wouldn’t give him a job after coming out of prison. Could Steve have taken her? There’d be plenty out there who’d want their hands on her. I tried not to think about it. Tied not to think about what they would do to her. Would she even look the same? Would I recognise her?
    I didn’t tell the police my suspicions. I didn’t need to. It was obvious they’d suspect Steve and his wife. What with his criminal record and the fact the police reckoned there had to be a woman in it somewhere. And by association, Ben. Because of his job. Of course they all denied it. But it all came out eventually. Ben was never strong. He said they had arranged to take her but that when he and Steve had gone for her under the pretence of getting drinks, she was gone.
    no onebelieved him of course.
    So Ben, Steve and his wife are all in prison. But they didn’t find her. It’s what they deserve. For plotting to take my wee gem.
    I’d heard them. But I didn’t tell the police.
    I’d gone down to the bar early that evening to tell them I wouldn’t be joining them after all. And I heard them. Behind the potted plants. Planning to take her. Take my wee gem!
    “It’s the only way,” I heard Steve say.
    Ben looked unsure. I waited for a reaction.
    “We can sell her to the highest bidder. It’ll be an end to all our troubles.”
    Steve’s voice was assertive. Insistent.
    “You’ll be able to sell the shop and retire. It’s not making any money. There’s no future in it. You know that. And I’ll be able to give up my life of crime and buy Kathy the kind of jewellery she’s always wanted. It’s the perfect solution.”
    Ben shifted uncomfortably.
    “But she’s my wee gem too,” he said, unhappily.
    “You’ll still have the others. You’re not going to miss one. And the loss of her will only bring you and Fiona more together.”
    I couldn’t believe my ears. I waited for Ben to reject the idea.
    Instead, incredibly, he slowly nodded his head.
    “You can easily talk her into joining us for drinks. And there’ll be plenty of opportunity to do it when we go to the bar,” Steve said smoothly.
    I hurried back to our hotel room. That’s when I changed my plans.
    I shouldn’t have left her. I shouldn’t have left any of them. My wee gems. It was irresponsible. Family should always come first. And they were my family. My only family. The product of a broken home.
    We’re home now. My wee gems and I. I’ll never leave them again. I look at them sprawled on the bed. They look happier now. There’s a new brightness about them. Of course they still miss their sister. But I know deep down she’s safe. And we’ll see her one day.
    I sank on to the bed, gathered my precious gems about me and pressed the remote on the television. It was my favourite channel. It had been since my divorce. I opened my hand-bag and removed the cheque I’d got for the sale of Ben’s jeweller’s shop. It was more than I’d anticipated. But I didn’t feel guilty. The high street jewellery business was in decline and Ben wasn’t going to need it where he was.
    Suddenly I gasped. There she was on the television. My wee gem. No, not my wee gem. But just like her.
    What was the presenter saying?
    “————————————no longer around. Hasn’t been for five years.”
    Like my own wee gem. Irreplaceable.
    I thought back to that day. Ben’s sister’s voice rang in my ear.
    “Your wee gem safely tucked away?”
    They had been. All except one. I should never have taken her on holiday. It was irresponsible. Then no onecould have stolen her away. My wee gem.
    But they were safe now. Except for one.
    “You miss her, don’t you,” I said to them.
    I got off the bed, picked up the metal pole and pulled the loft ladder down. She was still in the suitcase where I’d left her. I saw the neon blue of her eye twinkle as I opened it.
    My own wee gem. Paraiba.
    I’d only planned to hide her away. Collect the insurance money. For the rescue mission. But my plans had changed.
    I blame Ben. He’d always coveted her. Wanted her for his shop. Knew the sale of her would set his shop up for life. He’d always been jealous of the fact I had her. Of my gem expertise.
    Greed. Like that burglar brother of his and his jewellery-obsessed wife.
    I lifted my wee gem up on to the bed and placed her gently down beside her sisters. There was no jealousy between them. Only love. Her very presence brightened the others. One big happy family, I thought.
    I looked at the cheque on the bed.
    Money, I thought. Useless.
    Useless.
    Unless put to good use.
    I looked at the tourmaline winking wickedly on the television screen.
    Love. She had plenty to spare, I could see. But not if some greedy collector got hold of her.
    It wasn’t about money. Didn’t anyone know that? And if it was, those gems would pay them back. One way or another. Like they’d paid Ben, Steve and Val back.
    It was about love. And rescue.
    Like they’d rescued me when I had got divorced the first time. They’d been my comfort.
    “How would you all like a new sister?” I said, waving the cheque at them.
    They all flashed fierily at me. They weren’t fooled. They knew it wasn’t about money. It was about love. One only had to wear them and feel it.
    Wee gems! I thought. Why can’t we all be like them?

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