Chapter 1621

Before long, Jamie found herself holding a diamond bracelet, her fingers brushing against the surface. Bitterness swelled in her heart as she looked at the familiar bracelet. This was something Linda had given her many years ago.
After Linda, had gone missing, Jamie had stored the bracelet away to avoid being reminded of her loss. Yet, after all these years, it had found its way back to her, as though completing a circle and returning to its starting point. When she brought the bracelet home, Linda was amusing herself in the living room. With Charlie at school, she had to find ways to entertain herself.
Though Linda’s mental state was comparable to that of a five-year-old, she seemed perfectly content playing on her own. Still, Jamie couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache every time she saw her mother like this.
“Mom, I’m back,” Jamie said, holding the bracelet out to her. “Look what I found. Do you remember this?”
Linda’s eyes lit up as she took the bracelet. “Bracelet… I gave this to Jamie.”
She remembered!
Jamie froze in disbelief for a moment, her eyes quickly reddening. Her voice cracked. “Mom, you remember?”
Linda had lost so much of her memory due to the trauma. She barely mentioned Jamie’s late father. Yet she remembered Jamie, the bracelet she had gifted her, and even Jamie’s favorite foods.
“Yes, you gave this to me,” Jamie said, her voice trembling. “I kept it safe at the jewelry store all these years, and now it’s back with you.”
Linda ran her fingers delicately over the bracelet, treating it like a treasure. Suddenly, she lifted Jamie’s hand.
“Mom, what are you doing?” Jamie asked, puzzled.
Linda slipped the bracelet onto Jamie’s wrist. “You should wear it.”
Jamie’s throat tightened as tears threatened to spill. Turning away, she quickly wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself.
She didn’t want to cry in front of her mother. With Linda’s fragile state, the last thing Jamie wanted was to make her worry.
A soft pat on her back drew her attention.
“Don’t cry… Don’t cry, Jamie,” Linda said gently, her voice filled with a comforting warmth.
Jamie nearly broke down again. It took her a while to pull herself together, and she spent the entire afternoon at home, keeping her mother company. When it was time to pick up Charlie from school, Linda began to mumble about him. On a whim, Jamie decided to bring her mother along.
“Mom!” Charlie’s cheerful voice rang
out the moment he spotted her from across the playground. He waved goodbye to his friends and teacher before sprinting toward her with his backpack bouncing behind him.
Jamie helped him take off his backpack, asking, “How was school today? Did you have fun? And don’t run so fast next time. There’s a road right here.”
Charlie, however, was too distracted to respond. His wide eyes were fixed on Linda, brimming with curiosity and joy. “Grandma!”
Linda beamed and held out a small pinwheel.
Jamie hadn’t realized it earlier, but Linda must have chosen the pinwheel while they were out, intending it as a gift for Charlie.
Charlie’s face lit up as he took it. “Thank you, Grandma!”
With Jamie carrying the backpack, Charlie holding her hand, and Linda walking beside them, the three made their way home together.
“Let’s pick up some groceries on the way,” Jamie suggested, glancing at her mother.
The bustling market felt too chaotic with Linda, so Jamie decided the supermarket would be a safer option.
Charlie’s enthusiasm for grocery shopping skyrocketed. “Yay!”
At the supermarket, Jamie focused
on picking out vegetables while Linda wandered around. Knowing she couldn’t keep an eye on both at once, Jamie turned to Charlie, who was busy playing near the bread
aiste.
“Charlie, can you keep an eye on Grandma for me?”
Charlie nodded earnestly. Despite his young age, he wasn’t oblivious Over the past few weeks, he had noticed that his grandmother was a
litt
different from others.