You're Not Alone

  Chapter Six

  Kathi left a few hours later with three large boxes filled with Matthew’s belongings. We went through pictures, clothing, books, and his collection of beer steins. Mostly, I gave her things that his parents gave him over the years. I was happy to give them back.

  Kathi noticed the locket while we were sorting through Matthew’s sweatpants and dress shirts. She picked it up from off of the dresser. I had left it on the end table in the living room when she showed up. Here it was, again, back on the dresser.

  She opened it and commented on the picture. “Oh, I remember when this was taken. I always wanted a copy. It’s so cute of the three of us.”

  I walked over and looked at the picture inside. It was one taken of Matthew, Kathi, and me standing in front of our Christmas tree. Kathi was dwarfed between the two of us.

  I gasped at the picture. In response, Kathi look bewildered and a little hurt. “No offense,” I said to her. “It’s just not the picture I thought was in there.” I didn’t dare tell her the locket was travelling around the apartment on its own and changing the picture every time.

  I watched Kathi slowly put it back on the dresser wondering if she was contemplating how to ask me if she could take it. It didn’t matter if and how she asked. She would not take the locket.

  But Kathi didn’t ask for it, and I was glad I didn’t have to deal with it, mostly because I was afraid if she did take it, she would find it missing when she opened up the box of Matthew’s stuff after she got home. She’d call me questioning if I took it back out. “Nope. Not me,” I would answer, and that would be the truth.