The Charms of a Bracelet

One: The Jigsaw

RUTH GROSVENOR: THE JIGSAW

"I've found it."

I can practically hear my friend, Eva, grin as she announces that she had found...it. Eva is my best friend, we've known each other since primary school. At first we both hated each other, and as it turned out for the same reason - we both had the same brand of amazing crayons. But to be fair everyone asked to borrow hers and not mine, so I felt a little left out.

"Found what?" I ask.

I don't know what she means by "it" - she's been searching for a lot of stuff recently. Band shirts and new CDs, giant gummy bears and old stories she used to write on this website. We read a few of them years ago - totally cringey and totally hilarious.

"The flat. The one we're going to move to."

I look up from my jigsaw to see her grinning across the room, I furrow my brow, "What?"

"Beautiful flat. Two bedroom. Medium kitchen/living space. Needs decorating. Near town centre with a bus stop near by - see? Perfect." She reads.

I put down the piece of puzzle I'd been trying to find a place for the last twenty minutes and go to her.

"Where is it?"

I can feel myself getting excited, finally we can move out of our parent's houses. Start a new life. I could go to university or get a better job than early morning shifts at a run down coffee shop...okay, maybe I'm dreaming too big here.

"London."

Wait.

I...

"London?" I make a face and look over her shoulder at the computer screen. "We don't even live in London...I don't know if I ever do want to... How much is it?"

"£4,500."

"Woah. Isn't that way too cheap for a London flat? Are there any pictures?"

"Yeah, come on it's perfect!"

My friend starts clicking through the pictures. There's an exterior shot of a quaint flat building and a picture of one of the bedrooms a view from the kitchen into the living area and vice versa. It looks decent. I still can't wrap my head around it. I'd have to think. Moving from to London was a big thing.

But Eva seems to think it's the bees knees. I look at her move a stray piece of black hair out of her face before pointing at the pictures telling me where our nonexistent furniture would go. I pat her on the shoulder.

"I'll have to think."

I move back over to my jigsaw puzzle and slump into the chair, I begin to tap a piece of puzzle on the table. Would it be good? Moving? I look to the farmer with half a face as if he would bestow all his jigsaw-y knowledge upon me so I could come to a conclusion, but his empty eyes stare back pleading me to find the piece with his face on.

"Madge? Are you staying tonight?" Eva's mother Dorothy paddles into the living room.

I don't know how many times I have to tell her that I go by my middle name, Ruth.

"No I better get home," I sigh, pushing myself up. In all honesty I wanted to get away from the farmer.

"You better have an answer by the time you get back!" Eva calls, the grin still plastered across her face.

"I will, promise." I smile and grab my bag. "See you."

She nods but she's already scrolling away, I wave to Dorothy and make my way into the hall.

****

I shift in my uncomfortable seat at my desk, willing for my laptop to just charge up efficiently so I can go to the comfort of my bed. I contemplated moving my bed closer to the plug but decided it was too much effort.

I went to the library after I left Eva's house to return a book and also take out two more. Luckily the librarian is old and kind and let's me keep books out longer than anyone else, because he knows I can't read two new books and the ones I still haven't finished at home by the time its due back. He learnt this one day a while after I started going to the local library a bit frazzled, wondering whether I could get out a few more books and get the old ones re-stamped because I had been too busy reading my own books to read the ones I got out in the first place. Mr Kent decided he'd let me take out the two I most wanted to read and he'd save the other one's behind the counter until I was ready. When I came home I went straight up to my room to read but instead of reading I was enticed by my laptop and the social networks I needed to check and that's where I've been for the last few hours, apart from to get dinner, of course. I click on my desk lamp when I take my eyes of the screen and notice how dark its gotten.

My mind flies to what Eva had been looking at before I'd come home. That flat. That darn flat. Was it right? Could it be a new life for us? Every so often we'd look for a place of our own but this little gem - this little cheap as chips gem - stood out to us. I logged off Twitter and started searching for the website she had been on so I could get a better look. It doesn't take long until I'm on the page, looking at the charming fireplace and light bedroom.

I close my eyes and think for a moment. I hoped this was worth it, not just some scam. I mean...the website it was on looked a bit iffy and the price...

I grab my phone and text Eva.

"Let's buy the flat."

I switch off my laptop, grab one of my books and clamber into my bed. This was a piece to complete our lives....right?