https://Voice.club - Veronica sat at the kitchen table in tears as she rearranged three bits of broken porcelain.
“Sweetheart,” David said, “what’s happened?”
“That damned cat,” she replied, with little conviction.
David recognised the shards as the treasured teacup from her granny, and he could imagine Veronica’s conflict. She loved the cat to distraction but this time the feline had gone too far.
“Can it be repaired?” he asked. “Maybe with that gold stuff the Japanese use?”
“No,” she sighed. “There’s a piece missing, right in front. I’ve searched everywhere; it’s gone.”
David waited until she left the room before getting down on the floor to check. She was right, the fourth piece was missing. He put the three pieces into a drawer before going online for advice on how to repair the cup without the missing piece. Someone suggested a local crafter.
David followed the directions to an old green door. No signage, just a faded number. He opened it to find a dark corridor with a dim light at the end. His heart thudded, knowing many murder mysteries started with scenes like this. But remembering his wife’s sadness, he stepped inside.
A few days later David convinced Veronica to stay abed while he got the coffee. He put the parcel on the coffee tray and made his way upstairs where he watched as she untied the ribbon and whipped off the lid.
Veronica was speechless, staring into the box, and he thought, damn, it didn’t work.
But it did.
Inside was the treasured teacup, delicately lined in gold where the pieces met. In the centre was a reconstructed piece sporting a delicate image of the cat. David looked at the rapture on Veronica’s face and knew this was the best gift he would ever give her.
