5 and 1
1
She was 5. And miserable. Itchy red spots covered her and arms and legs. And everything hurt. And she couldn't even play with her little brother.
"Lizzie, stop scratching, baby."
"But Mama, it itches!"
"I know. Come on. Snuggle with Mama to get your mind off it."
She climbed into her mother's lap, and immediately started playing with her necklace.
"Pretty necklace, Mama."
She stopped scratching.
2
She was 8.
Her best friend had moved away, and Elizabeth didn't think the tears would ever stop.
"Lizzie? What's the matter, baby?"
She clutched her mother tightly and gasped out the story as best she could.
"Elizabeth, baby, wait here. I need to ask your father something, ok?"
A few minutes later both of her parents returned with a wrapped box.
"We were going to give you this for your birthday, but we think you could use it now."
She unwrapped the box and pulled out a chain identical to her mother's.
Her father clasped it around her neck, and she started playing with it after she hugged her parents.
3
She was 15.
Her hand fingered her necklace that she never took off, but it offered very little comfort.
Alone. Well, not quite. Will buried his head in her shoulder, and she absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair.
Though playing with the chain only served to remind her that her parents were gone, her fingers never stilled. And it would be a long time before her eyes dried.
4
She was 22.
She stared at herself in the mirror, her long white dress hugging her figure and trailing behind her.
She hoped her parents could see this. Henry was her other half, and she had a feeling that they'd approve as long as she were happy. She grasped the chain around her neck briefly and let it go.
5
She was 33 and completely exhausted. Her son lay in her husband's arms, just a few hours old. He'd come into the world screaming, and she just knew he'd cause trouble.
Henry put baby Jason in her arms and pulled a small package from his pocket.
"What's that?"
He handed it to her and took an already fussy Jason back into his arms. A daddy's boy, already.
She opened it and saw all 3 of her babies' initials on a small flat pendant.
"For your chain."
Tears welled up in her eyes and she fingered the chain at her neck and wished for the millionth time that her parents could have met her children.
"Help me put it on?"
+1
She was 46. Her fingers alternated between dancing wildly with the chain and grasping the pendant firmly.
Abdol. Screaming. Fred.
And her fingers kept pulling lightly at the chain at her throat. She found no comfort.
Abdol still screamed. And Fred still landed on top of her. And Zahed still died. And the explosions still rang out.
She sighed and turned on Jason's game. Comfort could not be found in her necklace, this time.