Flash Fiction-- Gold

This story is about the couple I wrote about last week who wrote letters to each other during the war. A little bit of time has gone by…


Gold

“Frederick? Have you seen my earrings? You know the ones you bought me when we first got married?” Ruth walked quickly into the bedroom, tears streaming down her face. She stood in front of her dresser and began pulling out drawers, sifting through the contents, frantically searching for her beloved earrings.

Frederick finished tying his dress shoes and looked up at his wife. “Honey…”

“Don’t ‘honey’ me. I know I left them in here somewhere. They were right here on the top of my dresser this morning. Now all of a sudden, they’re nowhere to be found. I really love those earrings. I don’t want to go to the church without them.” Worry etched her face as she moved onto the dirty clothes hamper and began throwing clothes left and right in search of the earrings.

Frederick stood behind her. “Honey?”

She blew a deep breath out as she tossed a dress shirt to the floor and looked back at him. “I already said, don’t honey me. You can either help me look for them or leave me alone. We’ve got to be at the church in less than half an hour. Our family is probably already there. Roger and my sister have flown in from Los Angeles for the occasion. Freddie, Tammy and the kids have decorated the church with the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever seen. I don’t want to celebrate our Golden 50th Wedding Anniversary without wearing those earrings.” She stood in the midst of a pile of clothes on the floor and completely gave into tears.

Once more he said, “Honey?”

Ruth turned around to face him. He handed her the handkerchief that was in his suit pocket and she used it to dry her eyes. “You’ve said ‘Honey’ three times now. WHAT?”

He reached out to touch her cheek with his hand. “Honey, you’re already wearing them.”

Ruth closed her eyes and reached up to touch her ears. She slowly opened them. “I can’t believe I just spent the last half hour looking everywhere for them.”

He laughed and pulled her close. “I do.”

She looked up at him adoringly. “Are you sure you don’t want to run away while you still have the chance? You don’t have to marry me again you know.”

He kissed her lips and their foreheads touched. “There’s no one on earth I’d rather grow old with. I love you more than ever.”

She whispered. “Not as much as I love you.”