The Way Back Home

Chapter Six: Between Two Worlds

A wedding veil wreathed with what appeared to be cherry blossoms crowned upon her head, the lacy material flowing down past where the picture ended. The post-war bride held in her hands a bouquet of  freshly bloomed poppies, the remembrance flower of The Great War...

Emmanuelle's mouth hung open in shock her heart began to pound in her chest as she looked closer at the unnamed woman's features.

This unnamed bride looked precisely like her, even in the lack of animated colors within the picture. An exact likeness of her; not just a vague resemblance in her face, but the proportions in her features were exactly similar.

It couldn't have been her, could it?

An ancestor nobody had told her about?

A doppelganger...?

What was her name?

Emmy's breath hitched in her throat, her hands clutching onto the edge of the counter.

"Are you alright, miss?" Lauri asked her with concern as Emmy wiped away some sweat from her brow. "Do you need help?"

"No, I...I'm fine." The American girl held her chin up, reassuring Lauri that nothing was wrong. "Um...that woman in the picture, the bride. Does she have a name?" She pointed to the framed photo, her fingertip smudging the glass slightly.

"No, I don't believe so." Lauri went around to join Emmy on the other side of the counter. "But, lots of women have tried on that ring of hers." Beside the picture sat the bejeweled trinket inside a velvet felt holder, like the one found in a jewelry store.

"Has the ring fit anyone?" Emmy asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"No, it's too small for any woman who's tried it on. That's why it's still in this case." Lauri went back around to her side of the counter and opened up the case to pull out the piece of coveted jewelry for an improved visual.

The ring itself was a small round band of smooth gold with a crystal sparkle of round diamond in the center. Simple, but elegant, perhaps something to Emmanuelle's own taste should she ever wear such a ring upon her finger.

"Could...could I try it on? If it fits, I'll take it off your hands." Emmanuelle asked despite the logical part of her conscience telling her to just buy the history book and walk away without the ring.

But, she couldn't leave without knowing for absolute certain.

Why did that woman, the anonymous twentieth century bride, resemble her so much?

Or why did Emmanuelle look like her and who was the man to meet her at the altar?

As though she were in a trance, Emmy removed the trinket from its satin case, taking a breath to calm down.

A peal of thunder rumbled outside, causing her hands to shake as she slipped the ring upon the appropriate finger on her hand.

It was a perfect fit, like Cinderella and the glass slipper...

Emmanuelle felt Lauri's silent stare on her the entire duration of the payment and transaction of the ring and history book. She didn't even pay attention to the cost of the ring with the remaining amount of pounds she had.

At least it was her final night in London before she was to head back home to her humdrum American life. However monotonous it was, she felt the homesickness creep inside her thinking of her loved ones, even though her family was somewhat distant with their own lives.