Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

her neck was breathtaking.
    She spun around a few times in front of the mirror and I’d never thought she’d looked more radiant. She stopped when her mom knocked at the door. Nervousness hit me from all different directions. Todd must have arrived.
    “They’re here, Samantha,” Sam’s mom said.
    “Don’t worry,” I said in response to Sam’s newly horrified expression. “I’ll go down and talk to him. Come when you’re ready.”
    Sam gulped hard and nodded.
    I bounded down the stairs in front of Sam’s mom and greeted a petrified Todd in the foyer, wearing a black suit, holding a corsage.
    “You look really nice,” I said with a smile to give him courage.
    He weakly smiled as he rocked back and forth on his heels.
    “Mrs. King,” he said with a nod.
    “Samantha will be down in a minute,” Sam’s mom said, amused.
    I had a feeling he’d already greeted her formally when she opened the door and was stuck for something else to say.
    The foyer felt crowded with everyone anxiously waiting for Sam to join us downstairs. I could sense her hesitation, but she finally appeared. We all watched in silence as she sauntered gracefully down the stairs.
    “You look so . . . beautiful,” Todd said when she touched down on the ground floor.
    “Thank you,” she said and blushed.
    Todd slid the corsage on Sam’s wrist just as there was a knock at the door. I left the three of them to see who was knocking, while Sam’s mom snapped away on her camera. I opened the door to Dena and Morgan holding hands, with huge smiles on their faces.
    “Hey guys,” I said feeling smug in my matchmaking abilities.
    “Hey, Jules,” Dena sang as they stepped inside the house.
    I winked at Morgan.
    Dena wore an exquisite white chiffon, knee-length gown with an empire bodice and a black ribbon sash that tied around her waist. The dress bounced in slow motion when she walked. Morgan also wore a black suit and I commented on how he cleaned up well.
    “Okay, you guys need to hurry up or you’re going to be late for dinner,” I barked while trying to shoo people out the door.
    Sam shot me a wistful glance, but obediently filed outside with everyone else. However, before the group could make it to the limo, Sam’s mom insisted on a group photo in front of the rose-covered terrace. Sam’s mom primped, preened and positioned everyone for the shots, and the group didn’t know who to look at as we both snapped a ton of pictures. Before long everyone got antsy. I watched Sam’s mom fuss over Sam and give Todd the lecture about when to bring her home. Sam appeared embarrassed, but I found the gesture very loving. I felt a pang of jealousy. I’d do anything to have a mother who would dote over me.
    Watching Sam and her mother, and feeling their unconditional love for one another, brought home the finality of my own mother’s life. I could feel tears threatening to break loose. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin their evening, but inside I unraveled. And as if they’d read my emotions, they got into the limo and left.
    Sam’s mom hugged me goodbye. I held it together until I got into my car, then I let the tears flow. I never realized how much I missed her, counting on the hope she’d return. Thinking of my mom made me want to be with Nicholas again. He was the only one who could understand my pain, could comfort me. Where was he? Would this constitute as an emergency?
    On my way home, I decided I needed ice cream—double fudge chocolate ice cream to be precise. I pulled into the Safeway grocery store parking lot. I didn’t even need to look in the mirror to know my eyes were red again, so I put on a pair of sunglasses before going inside. I didn’t care how silly I looked. I needed chocolate.
    I made a beeline to the frozen foods section, pulled out a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie and headed to the check out stand. As the checker rang up my purchase I averted my gaze, hoping she wouldn’t ask any questions. I was relieved when she gave me my change without giving me a second look.
    The sun had descended while I was inside. Without the light, the temperature had dropped and felt noticeably colder. I pocketed the sunglasses, wrapped my arms tightly around myself and headed towards my car. I just wanted to be home, in my jammies, eating my ice cream, watching a good mind-numbing movie.
    “Julia.”
    I turned around, unsure if someone called me. No one was there. I shook my head and continued on