banking on it. Too bad, she didn’t have
enough money to be a mark.
But she really wanted to feel it next to her skin. She needed to
experience the pull of the chain around her neck, the weight of the stone
between her breasts. Alycia separated the ends of the chain and reattached
them underneath her hair. The heart hung in the center of her chest.
Something so big should feel heavy and clunky, but she could barely feel
its weight.
‚It is beautiful,‛ the woman pronounced, holding up a cracked
mirror. The stone twinkled, catching light from every angle. It almost
seemed to glow from within. It looked… expensive. Too expensive.
Anyone who saw her would see her thinned out cheeks, full lips and wide
brown eyes and wonder how she could afford this.
She pulled the chain up and was awed by the way it seemed to
9
The Diamond Heartstone by Leila Brown
shine brighter against her dark caramel skin.
"Lovely," the woman said, turning the mirror up to catch Alycia's
face. ‚It is so beautiful against your skin.‛
"I'm sorry," Alycia said, reaching behind her head. She really
shouldn't have put it on knowing she would never be able to buy it. Her
fingers fumbled around for the clasp but met only chain links.
The woman held up her hands. "No, no leave it on."
"But I can't afford this."
"You didn't even ask how much it was." The woman crossed her
arms in front of her sagging chest. Her wrinkled skin pinched at the
corners of her mouth as she smiled.
"How much is it?" Alycia tried to keep the longing from her voice
and failed miserably. The stone was so beautiful and felt so... so... right.
Like it belonged to her.
The woman arched an eyebrow. "How much money do you have?"
"Seriously, how much is it?" The fold of ten one dollar bills bulged
in the pocket of her jeans. Money for lunch today. She'd go without lunch
for this. Who wouldn't?
"Ten dollars," the woman said, tilting her head at Alycia.
"Are you sure this isn't stolen?" Please say no. Please say no.
"I’m sure, now do you want it or not?"
Alycia reached into her pocket, pulled out the crumpled bills and
handed them over. She shouldn’t be buying this. It went against every
saving instinct she'd followed for the last five years. She never let anyone
talk her into an impulse buy.
Live a little. If you don't, what in the word have you been working for? It
was only ten dollars. Ten dollars. She reached up and stroked the smooth
stone and the pawing at the pit of her stomach eased. It was hers, bought
and paid for.
"It will bring you much happiness," the woman said, pocketing the
money.
"Hopefully." Alycia stepped back from the stall. She nodded her
thanks to the woman and moved down the aisle. She was well and truly
broke now. Might as well catch the BART back to the hotel.
10
The Diamond Heartstone by Leila Brown
She was steps away from the small exit of the market when one of
the stall vendors called out to her.
"You there. Yes, you," the man said, pointing at her.
She looked away pretending not to hear him. She didn't have any
more money. Even if she did, the too shiny look of the gold in front of him
screamed ‘fake’. One hundred percent gold. Yeah, right. Gold plated was
more like it. They’d probably turn your skin green.
The little man rushed around the edge of his stall. He actually ran
up behind her. She stopped and waited on him to catch her. He had to be
just over five feet. His shirt and pants looked a little too tight. And who in
the world wore dress shoes to a flea market? Even if you were a vendor.
Dust kicked up around him as he stopped and he let out a series of
rattling coughs. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help but notice your necklace. Do you
mind if I have a look at the pendant?"
"Sure," Alycia said, more than a tiny bit proud of her new trinket.
She bent down so that he could pull the necklace up to his eyes.
He put a small eyepiece up to his face. "Just like I thought. Nothing
shines
enough money to be a mark.
But she really wanted to feel it next to her skin. She needed to
experience the pull of the chain around her neck, the weight of the stone
between her breasts. Alycia separated the ends of the chain and reattached
them underneath her hair. The heart hung in the center of her chest.
Something so big should feel heavy and clunky, but she could barely feel
its weight.
‚It is beautiful,‛ the woman pronounced, holding up a cracked
mirror. The stone twinkled, catching light from every angle. It almost
seemed to glow from within. It looked… expensive. Too expensive.
Anyone who saw her would see her thinned out cheeks, full lips and wide
brown eyes and wonder how she could afford this.
She pulled the chain up and was awed by the way it seemed to
9
The Diamond Heartstone by Leila Brown
shine brighter against her dark caramel skin.
"Lovely," the woman said, turning the mirror up to catch Alycia's
face. ‚It is so beautiful against your skin.‛
"I'm sorry," Alycia said, reaching behind her head. She really
shouldn't have put it on knowing she would never be able to buy it. Her
fingers fumbled around for the clasp but met only chain links.
The woman held up her hands. "No, no leave it on."
"But I can't afford this."
"You didn't even ask how much it was." The woman crossed her
arms in front of her sagging chest. Her wrinkled skin pinched at the
corners of her mouth as she smiled.
"How much is it?" Alycia tried to keep the longing from her voice
and failed miserably. The stone was so beautiful and felt so... so... right.
Like it belonged to her.
The woman arched an eyebrow. "How much money do you have?"
"Seriously, how much is it?" The fold of ten one dollar bills bulged
in the pocket of her jeans. Money for lunch today. She'd go without lunch
for this. Who wouldn't?
"Ten dollars," the woman said, tilting her head at Alycia.
"Are you sure this isn't stolen?" Please say no. Please say no.
"I’m sure, now do you want it or not?"
Alycia reached into her pocket, pulled out the crumpled bills and
handed them over. She shouldn’t be buying this. It went against every
saving instinct she'd followed for the last five years. She never let anyone
talk her into an impulse buy.
Live a little. If you don't, what in the word have you been working for? It
was only ten dollars. Ten dollars. She reached up and stroked the smooth
stone and the pawing at the pit of her stomach eased. It was hers, bought
and paid for.
"It will bring you much happiness," the woman said, pocketing the
money.
"Hopefully." Alycia stepped back from the stall. She nodded her
thanks to the woman and moved down the aisle. She was well and truly
broke now. Might as well catch the BART back to the hotel.
10
The Diamond Heartstone by Leila Brown
She was steps away from the small exit of the market when one of
the stall vendors called out to her.
"You there. Yes, you," the man said, pointing at her.
She looked away pretending not to hear him. She didn't have any
more money. Even if she did, the too shiny look of the gold in front of him
screamed ‘fake’. One hundred percent gold. Yeah, right. Gold plated was
more like it. They’d probably turn your skin green.
The little man rushed around the edge of his stall. He actually ran
up behind her. She stopped and waited on him to catch her. He had to be
just over five feet. His shirt and pants looked a little too tight. And who in
the world wore dress shoes to a flea market? Even if you were a vendor.
Dust kicked up around him as he stopped and he let out a series of
rattling coughs. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help but notice your necklace. Do you
mind if I have a look at the pendant?"
"Sure," Alycia said, more than a tiny bit proud of her new trinket.
She bent down so that he could pull the necklace up to his eyes.
He put a small eyepiece up to his face. "Just like I thought. Nothing
shines
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