I dove onto my bed. Everything is suddenly more difficult when all you think about is that stupid gift that you are strangely terrified to open.

I glanced over at the envelope on my dresser. What could be inside? Money? Gift cards? A tiny bible or something? You never know with Aunt Marielle. Still, something stopped me from opening it. I rolled over and fell asleep.

A young woman in a sparkling green dress that went down to the floor appeared before me. She had long brown hair tied in a tight bun. A ballroom with hundreds of people dancing formed around her. She was dancing with a handsome man who was dressed in a white uniform if sorts. He looked almost like a Prince.

Midway through the dance, he pulled her aside into a room that had fancy furniture and a gorgeous chandeliers. He took out a little velvet box and revealed a dazzling emerald necklace. She gasped at its beauty. He clasped it around her neck and whispered something to her in what sounded like French. She giggled and marvelled at it's beauty. He wrapped his arms around her and put his head on her shoulder. She said another phrase in French in a light voice. He started laughing. She smiled.

I knew that smile.

Aunt Marielle.

The scenery changed to a chapel filled with lots in people clapping and cheering and the young woman and the handsome man kissing at the alter. This was Aunt Marielle's wedding day. The young woman was wearing the emerald pendant. The two ran down the aisle hand in hand as the people in the church threw rice at them.

The background changed again to a house where the young woman who was pregnant was hugging the man who was wearing an army uniform this time. He went outside and closed the door behind him. She clutched the emerald necklace around her neck as tears fell down her face. Her love had gone off to war.

The scene changed yet again to the same house, but the woman was holding a baby boy. Months have gone by. She awnsered the door to see a soldier standing there. He said that Quinton D. Reynolds was killed in battle three days prior. She fell to her knees sobbing, clutching the infant to her chest. The soldier consoled her.

Scenery change again, to a graveyard on a foggy day. The same woman and and a 5 year old boy stood at a headstone that bore the name of her fallen soldier. The boy placed a rock on top of the headstone. He hugged his mom, who looked as if the life had been sucked out of her.

Scenery change again to a fully grown boy who was going off to university. He waved from a car and she watched as it drove down the street. She looked proud. Clutching the necklace, she went inside.

Scenery change again, to an old aunt Marielle holding a baby. She sang
to it softly in French. I saw mom come in the room. She asked aunt Marielle if Elizabeth was alright. That baby was... me? She responded that I was delightful and mom left the room. Aunt Marielle put me down and reached under her bed for a box. She opened it and took out the emerald necklace and placed it in a classic brown envelope. "When you are older." She said.

Suddenly everything went dark, and I sat up in bed. I went over to the envelope and carefully opened it. Inside was the green pendant.

A story of a woman who loved.