One Woman’s Treasure

by Jean Copeland

  He looked up at her with sad eyes. “I knew you were busy, so I decided to handle it. I thought I was helping.”

  “Aww, that’s okay, honey,” she said with a tousle of his hair. “You did help me. C’mon. Let’s bring everything in. Your grandpa’s baseball cards are in those boxes.”

  “Okay.” He took off and ran down the driveway.

  As she approached the heap of boxes at the foot of the driveway, she noted with increasing dread that something was missing.

  “Noah, did you take anything inside already?”

  “No. I’ve been out here the whole time.”

  “Did you watch the men unload the truck?”

  “No. I was recording stuff on my phone. I came over to the truck when they called me to sign for it.”

  Nina sighed and ran a hand through her hair, forcing herself to be patient. “Great-grandma Astrid’s antique lamp isn’t here. Did they give you a copy of the shipping papers?”

  “Yeah.” He pulled the crinkled, rolled-up papers from his back pocket.

  Nina unrolled them and reviewed the list of individual line items. The lamp was on the list and checked off as delivered. “What the f…” She looked around, baffled.

  “What’s the matter, Mom?”

  “I don’t understand. According to the paperwork, they delivered the lamp, so where is it? Damn. I’m gonna have to call them.”

  After a lengthy discussion with the moving company concerning the whereabouts of her lamp and why the driver would entrust a ten-year-old to oversee the delivery, Nina returned to help Noah cart the remainder of boxes into their garage.

  “Honey, you need to go through these boxes and make sure all your stuff is here.” She rambled on more to herself than to Noah, who was preoccupied on his phone. “The moving company assured me that they delivered everything correctly and didn’t leave any items on the truck. I don’t see how they can be so sure. I mean, clearly the lamp never made it here.” She sat down on a box, resting her head in her hands. “Of all the things to be lost, it had to be that lamp, my great-grandmother’s lamp.”

  Oblivious to her suffering, he approached her and hovered over her. “Mom, look at this video I took.”

  “Oh, honey, I’m in the middle of a micro mental breakdown now. Can I watch it after lunch?”

  “It’ll only take two seconds. It’s two squirrels fighting in the front yard. It’s epic.”

  She lifted her head out of her hands and watched as he played the video. He wasn’t overhyping it. The two squirrels threw down on the lawn, flipping each other over and then chasing each other until one retreated up a large oak tree on the perimeter of their property. Toward the end of the video, Nina noticed a gray sedan in the background.

  “Play that again, from the beginning.” She watched the background of the video more closely this time and noticed the gray car seemed to be parked in front of the house for a moment and then drove away toward the end of the clip. “Noah, can you take a few screenshots of that car in background?”

  “Yeah. Let me see.” He took the phone from her hand.

  Maybe it wasn’t the movers’ faults after all. Maybe a thief was on the loose in their new neighborhood, and her son had caught the culprit on video fleeing the scene of the crime. She couldn’t imagine the nerve of someone stealing something out of her yard in broad daylight.

  “Like this?” Noah handed her the phone.

  She swiped through the series of enlarged screenshots and smiled. “Yes,” she exclaimed. “You got part of the license plate, too. Brilliant.” She grabbed him and wrapped him in a hug. “I’m contacting the police department. Maybe they’ve had other reports of thefts in the area. It’s worth a shot. Good job, buddy.”

  His face lit up with pride at saving the day.

  She ran inside to get her phone, hopeful the photos would lead to the return of her precious family heirloom.

  * * *

  As Daphne waited for her bowl of clam chowder to heat in the microwave, she stared at her vision board hanging on her kitchen wall. Its title, “Make it Happen,” outlined in glitter, always jumped out at her no matter where she stood. She smiled as she perused the images of hearts, various antiques, and a quaint antique shop glued all over it, along with several Carrie Fisher quotes. Her favorite was “Do not let what you think they think of you make you stop and question everything you are.” She’d added that one after recalling the last fight she’d had with Savannah during which Savannah accused her of being unmotivated and satisfied to forever subsist on the crumbs of life.

  The remark had struck a painful chord but ultimately inspired her to formulate a concrete plan to achieve her dream—which she was absolutely going to do. Eventually. Sooner than later. Yes. She was going to make it happen.

  And then the microwave beeped her back to reality. She carried her soup into the living room and sat on the couch in time to catch the end of the six o’clock news. She gazed lovingly at the lamp. It would never make it out of her living room and into her antique shop, when she actually opened one. Despite the frayed cord, it still worked, casting a warm glow over her living room.

  “And finally tonight,” the anchor said. “A single mom received an unfortunate welcome to her new neighborhood in Madison this weekend when a bandit stole an antique lamp movers had just delivered.”

  As the anchor spoke, video of an extremely attractive woman with full, glistening lips and brown, wavy hair poking out from a baseball cap streamed across the screen.

  “Nina Colombo, a Greenwich native, told us that while she’s disappointed in the theft, she doesn’t believe her new neighbors are bad people.”

  Daphne’s jaw dropped, and her chowder-laden spoon froze before her mouth in mid-air.

  “I just want it back,” the woman said, seeming dejected. “Not for the monetary value but for the sentimental one. It’s part of my heritage. It originally belonged to my great-grandmother, but my grandmother brought it here when she emigrated from the UK in her youth. She left it to me, knowing how much I loved it growing up.”

  The camera switched back to the anchor. “Colombo went on to say that her ninety-three-year-old grandmother had recently passed away, and she would pay a reward for the lamp’s safe return. Luckily, though, her son, Noah, had been outside recording his new neighborhood and caught a partial view of the vehicle on video as it fled the scene.”

  Upon Daphne seeing her car skirt away on the TV news, the soup on the spoon that had been suspended in mid-air dribbled down the front of her shirt.

  “Fuckety fuck,” she said in an exasperated whisper.

  The blond co-anchor added, “Mmm. Let’s hope someone recognizes this heartless thief’s car and notifies Madison police at the number on your screen.”

  “Heartless thief?” She hit rewind on the remote to see if she could make out her face.

  Suddenly, Daphne’s phone rang, and Sophie’s name and number appeared on her television caller ID.

  “Please tell me it’s just a coincidence you found the same kind of lamp that’s been stolen,” Sophie said before Daphne could utter the word hello.

  “Of course it isn’t a coincidence, Sophie. That’s my car.” She jumped up and began pacing her living room. “Did you see my face? Can you read my license plate?”

  “No, no, honey. Calm down. Just the car, and that’s a popular color.”

  “What am I going to do?” Daphne’s stomach felt like it was twisting inside out.

  “Call the police department before somebody else does,” Sophie said.

  “No way,” she said, her voice cracking. “They’ll arrest me for theft. I was just trash picking. I didn’t know it was somebody’s actual stuff. It was all piled up at the edge of the driveway, like everyone else’s on that street.”

  “I know it,” Sophie said. “Just explain all that to the police.”

  “What if they don’t believe it was an accident? They’ll think I took it and that I’m scamming the woman for the reward.”


  “Don’t take the reward, dummy,” Sophie said. “It was an honest mistake. The woman isn’t out for blood. She just wants her lamp back.”

  “Ugh. I feel like such a jerk. Maybe I can just drop it off on her porch and go. I really don’t want to have to face this person.”

  “I don’t blame you, but still, you better call the police and straighten it out. You don’t want them to find you first.”

  Daphne sighed in dread. “Will you come to the police station with me?”

  “Can I collect the reward for turning you in?”

  “No, you cannot.”

  “Then I’m sure I’m busy.”

  “Sophie, please. This is so embarrassing. I can’t do it alone.”

  “You have to stop saying you can’t do things alone, young lady. You’re a strong, grown woman.” She softened her tone. “But yes, of course I’ll go with you. I love looking at men in uniform.”

  “Thank you. Okay. Let me call the police department and tell them I’ll be down with the lamp.”

  She hung up and sighed again as she looked at the lamp she’d grown to love during the last two days—just not enough to go to jail over it.

  Chapter Four

  The next day after work, Daphne picked up the lamp at her house, and Sophie and she headed to the police department, eager to complete her dreaded mission. She pulled into the parking lot and looked over at Sophie in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead with her hands folded in her lap. “You take it in.”

  Sophie scowled at her as she hugged her handbag close to her chest. “Me? No, sir. You swiped it. You take it in.”

  “But you said you love looking at men in uniform. The place is crawling with them. Just walk in there, drop it off, get an eyeful, and come back out.”

  Sophie shook her head. “I’ll gladly walk in with you for my eyeful, but I’m not taking the rap for this. Oh, no. They’ll think I’ve lost my marbles, call my son, and he’ll lock me in an assisted-living facility.”

  A wave of panic swept over Daphne. “What do you mean, ‘the rap’? You said it was a simple misunderstanding, and I have nothing to worry about.”

  “That’s if they believe your story.”

  She studied Sophie’s exaggerated, worried expression. Was she pulling her leg like she was known to do? “C’mon. You’re a cute little old lady who can barely see over the steering wheel. They’d never even question whether you’re telling the truth.”

  Sophie threw her hands up. “All right, already. Jeez, you’re a baby, Daphne.”

  Daphne grinned and then ran around the car to help Sophie out. After carefully taking the lamp from the backseat, she stepped aside for Sophie to go first.

  They approached the counter, but Daphne’s sneakers squeaked to a stop as the attractive woman from the news story walked toward her, a young boy tagging along at her side. She was even more attractive in person.

  “Oh, thank God,” the woman said breathily. She extended one hand to shake Daphne’s as she took the lamp in the other. “I’m Nina Colombo. Thank you so much for returning this.”

  “Yeah, of course. I’m sorry I…uh…I mean it was a total accident. I just thought—”

  “No need to apologize,” Nina said. “I’m just so glad to have it back.”

  Daphne cringed as she stammered in front of this beautiful woman. “But I really didn’t intend to steal it. I thought you’d put it out for the bulk-trash pickup, like the other people on your street do this time of year.”

  “I can totally see how you thought that,” Nina said. “The movers deposited everything at the edge of my driveway because I didn’t move my car out of the way for their truck.” She smiled, and the little dimple in one corner of her mouth mesmerized Daphne. “So who should I make out the reward check to?”

  Sophie elbowed Daphne out of her enchanted stare.

  “Oh, uh, my name is Daphne, but I can’t accept the reward. It was my mistake. I should’ve known anybody in their right mind wouldn’t have put that out as trash.”

  “Are you sure?” Nina said. “I’d like to compensate you for taking time out of your busy schedule.”

  “I’m never that busy.” Daphne regretted her words as soon as she heard them. “I’m happy that it’s back in the hands of someone who truly loves it.”

  “Aww, that’s really sweet.”

  “She’ll take your telephone number, though,” Sophie said, inserting herself between them.

  Nina looked as surprised as Daphne felt, although not nearly as mortified.

  “What?” Sophie said innocently to Daphne. “You’re both obviously interested in antiques. This nice lady is new to the area and maybe wants to make friends so…”

  “This is my friend with no filter, Sophie.” Daphne glided in front of her to thwart any further embarrassing suggestions.

  Nina smiled and tilted her head to look around Daphne. “That’s true, Sophie. I am new here and do like antiquing.”

  Sophie gave Daphne an I told you so shrug. “That’s all I’m saying.”

  “Well, I’m what you might call an antique aficionado of sorts.” Daphne tried to sound cool but only made herself cringe even more. “Uh, anyway, I’d like it if you wanted to get together sometime to go antiquing.” She looked down, anguishing over what was an appropriate length of eye contact to the non-awkward.

  “I’d like that, too.” Nina wrapped her free arm around Noah’s shoulder. “Give me your number, and as soon we get settled into our new house, I’ll text you. We can make a plan to meet.”

  “Sounds good,” Daphne said enthusiastically, but inside she was already feeling disappointed. She tugged at Sophie to leave.

  “And thanks again for being an awesome, honest person,” Nina said as they walked away.

  As they headed out the door, Sophie looped her arm through Daphne’s. “That was fun. What a cute girl. Perfect for you.”

  “Too perfect. I’ll never hear from her.”

  “Why not? She seemed excited about having a new friend to antique with.”

  “She was excited about getting her grandmother’s priceless lamp back. Didn’t you hear her? She gave me the old ‘I’ll call you when I’m not busy’ brush-off.”

  “Well, if she’s just moving into a new house, I’m sure she’s not lying about being busy.”

  “Then why didn’t she offer me her number?”

  “Because she took yours. Honestly, Daphne. Stop being so negative. I’m not saying she’ll propose marriage, but why wouldn’t she want to see about a friendship with you?”

  Daphne sighed as she started her car. “You have a point there, Sophie. I am being negative, and that attitude has no place on my vision board. Only good energy. Maybe she’ll call when she’s free.”

  Sophie patted her arm. “I’ll bet you she will. And if she doesn’t, eh, at least you weren’t taken into custody today.”

  Daphne shrugged. “There’s that.”

  * * *

  As Nina and Noah drove home, she kept glancing at the lamp resting between Noah’s feet on the floor of the passenger seat. She hadn’t realized how much it had meant to her until she thought someone had stolen it. She’d have to tell Daphne the full story behind it if they ever found the time to go antiquing. At the very least she should invite her out for coffee or a cocktail to thank her for turning in the lamp and refusing the reward money—a paying-kindness-forward kind of deal.

  “Honey, if that’s bothering you, I can put it in the backseat.”

  “It’s okay,” Noah said. “We’re almost home.”

  “Thank you for helping me take good care of it.”

  “No problem,” he said.

  She noticed him staring out the window as though taking in everything he could about his new hometown. He seemed a little too calm for the situation. She couldn’t seem to relax, waiting for his other Nike to drop and for him to have some horrific emotional collapse during which he’d demand to go back and live with his father in Greenwich. She’d be
en watching for it like he’d been exposed to a contagious disease.

  If not now, she supposed she’d learn how the change had affected him by the end of the school year, when he’d have had to say good-bye to all his friends. Maybe she wouldn’t even be able to assess the damage until he started at his new school in September. God, she hoped Zack was wrong.

  She sighed out loud after silently scolding herself for stressing over things she had no control over, something she’d promised herself she’d stop doing after leaving therapy.

  Noah looked over at her. “Are you going to call that lady?”

  “I don’t know. What do you think?”

  He shrugged. “She was kind of a nerd, but she seemed pretty nice.”

  “Oh, honey. We don’t call people names like that.”

  “Sorry. She was nice.”

  Nina chuckled to herself. Daphne was sort of nerdy but also super cute. She had sweet brown eyes that made Nina think of warm, comforting things like puppies and chocolate lava cake. Plus, if she could trust her gaydar, they might have more in common than just a love of vintage collectibles.

  None of her close friends were gay, a consequence of life in a heteronormative world where her energies had been directed toward work and raising her son. When Lacey broke up with her, she’d told Nina that remaining friends would be too painful and confusing for both of them, compounding Nina’s heartache over losing their intimate relationship. After introducing her to this incredible world from which there would be no return, she’d left Nina to navigate it on her own. How uplifting it would be to have a friendship with a lesbian, uncomplicated by romantic feelings, to rely on and share life’s experiences with.

  “Okay then,” she said. “Since you and I are both going to have to make new friends around here, I might as well start with Daphne.”

  “Cool.” He nodded and then held up his fist for a bump. “We got this.”

  She smiled at him, realizing the best friend she could ever ask for was sitting beside her. “Yeah. I think we do.”