Chapter 1

Before Christmas, I bought a pearl necklace online for 12 bucks.

During dinner, I casually said I'd gotten it on sale at the mall for 1,300 bucks.

My son, Henry Scott, froze mid-bite, his fork hovering in the air. He frowned. "Mom, really?"

My husband, Peter Scott, banged his plate down on the table, glaring at me angrily. "At your age, what do you need a pearl necklace for? Do you deserve it?"

After that, the two of them egged each other on, urging me to return it.

I sat there, and suddenly, the food in my mouth tasted like nothing.

The next day, I went to the jewelry counter at the mall and bought a real one.

*****

Whenever I was scrolling through my phone, I kept seeing pictures of older ladies rocking pearl necklaces. That lustrous shine made them look so vibrant and full of life.

Then I thought about myself. I was fifty-eight years old, and the only thing around my neck was a faded silk scarf I'd worn for ten years, nothing else.

I looked around at my bridge club. One lady had her diamond tennis bracelet. Another wore a gold Rolex. And there was this one woman whose son bought her a pearl necklace last month. She flooded our group chat with photos nonstop.

I stared at those photos for a long time.

Before I knew it, my thumb had already hit the shopping app.

The search bar automatically popped up with "pearl necklace, middle-aged" as a suggestion.

I browsed through the choices again and again, and finally ordered a fake pearl necklace for 12 bucks, free shipping included.

The necklace showed up about a week before Christmas.

I opened the package, took out the velvet box, and inside, the necklace shimmered gently under the light.

I put it on, checked myself out in the bathroom mirror, and smiled.

Even though the pearls weren't real, at least this year I wouldn't have to sit there self-consciously touching my bare neck while everyone else flaunted their jewelry.

For dinner, I deliberately wore a low-cut sweater, letting the pearls show off nicely.

My daughter-in-law, May Moore, was the first to spot it. "Mom, did you get a new necklace?"

Everyone at the table turned to look my way.

I was serving soup, and as I turned my neck, the pearls caught the light and shimmered.

"Yeah, I picked it up at the mall today," I said softly. "Do you think it looks good?"

May took the bowl, her eyes lingering on my neck for a few seconds. "It looks great. How much did it cost?"

I kept my head down, still serving the soup. "1,300 bucks. Got it on sale at the end of the year."

"1,300 bucks?" Henry's voice shot up an octave.

He put down his fork, walked over, and bent down to get a closer look at my neck. His breath brushed against my neck, making it tickle a bit.

"Mom, you didn't get scammed, did you? Fake pearls are everywhere these days," Henry said, testing the waters.

I knew he couldn't really tell if it was real or not. He figured, knowing me, I'd never splurge on something so expensive.

I kept ladling soup, steady as ever. "Bought it at a proper store at the mall. Came with a certificate and everything."

Henry was about to say something else when Peter slammed his plate down on the table with a loud bang.

The sound of the plate hitting the table rang out sharply in the quiet dining room.

Peter's face was as dark as a thundercloud. "Olivia, why did you buy this?"

My mind went blank for a second.

Before I could react, he snapped again, "At your age, what are you doing wearing a pearl necklace? Return it already. Do you think you deserve something like that?"

"Dad, keep it down," Henry said. Then he turned to me. "Mom, after dinner, I'll go with you to return it. The mall should still be open."

He smiled naturally, taking the spoon from my hand. "Let's eat first. We'll go after dinner."

Something about his easy, casual movements suddenly gave me a chill.

So, after a lifetime of hard work, I didn't deserve a 1,300-buck necklace in this family, even if it was my own money.

The atmosphere at the table quickly returned to normal.

They started chatting about year-end bonuses, the kids' tutoring classes for next year, and all the stuff they needed to buy for Christmas. It was like that awkward moment had never happened.

After dinner, May nudged Henry's arm.

Henry stood up, smiling at me. "Mom, finished eating? Want to go return it now?"

When I didn't move, he added, "Pearls are overpriced right now. Once prices drop, I'll get you something nicer."

I looked up at him, meeting his eyes seriously. "Henry, I'm not three years old."

That kind of talk didn't fool me anymore.