'The Diamond Stud' by Rosie Pugh

Alice drew back the curtains; the greyness of the sky matched her mood. Another day to get through. She sipped her coffee. ‘I must shake this dread from myself.’
As she went to the wardrobe her eye fell on a long multi-colour skirt. Alice took it off the hanger and lifted a cream blouse from the drawer. A small velvet pouch fell out from one of the pockets. It held a belly-button stud with a drop diamond that she once wore.
She stared at the reflection in the mirror. She was now in her sixties and her chestnut hair was streaked with grey. Recently, she felt, she had let herself go.
Alice went down to the park, always a place of peace and contentment; and she felt free there. Looking around she was aware that some people were staring at her, but what did they know? They just lived in their little boxes and tried to be better than their neighbour.
She loved watching the children, they were so open-minded and enjoyed using their imagination. Their laughter was music to her ears. Alice became aware of two women sitting opposite and deep in her heart she felt they were talking about her. Shepicked up the odd sentence. ‘Just my luck ,’ she thought.
‘Just look at her,’ one woman said to her friend, ‘who does she think she is?’
‘What do you mean,’ the other said as she glanced kindly at Alice.
‘That’s how she used to dress all those years ago. Don’t you remember she’s the one who had the affair with her best friend’s husband. He found out so he packed her bags and threw her out in the street. Lost her children as well, big court case. She had a beautiful detached house and drove a bright red sports car. Serves her right.’
The other woman felt a sadness looking at Alice, but thought there must have been a reason and she did not like to gossip like her friend because the story was similar to a similar incident in her own life.
Alice could not help but chuckle at the memory of her stuck up neighbours of that time and her husband was not much different: very serious, dull and had forgotten how to live and laugh. She had been a therapist; enjoyed massage, reflexology and everything that came with it. She had met many interesting people. Had lived in a beautiful house in Cheshire and had two lovely children.
But life had started to become a drag. Then Alice met John when she was feeling lonely and vulnerable. He made her laugh - something that had been missing in her life and he made her feel special and wanted. The drop diamond was a gift from John and due to the scandal he moved to Africa. She could have gone but wanted to be near her children so she was able to get a glance of them when she could. Some people could not make her out, a woman of mystery the town’s people would whisper.
Alice felt the tears surfacing. She glanced at the two women, smiled and left the park.
Later, she entered the tiny flat where she lived. She chnaged into an old pair of worn jeans, a shirt and got her materials together as she was now on her way to her job. Alice had become a cleaner and did some part time waitressing as her pension could not afford to keep her.