Winnie opened the box and brought out an opal pendant on a gold chain. "Oh, oh, I love it!" She held it up to the light so the gem could sparkle with iridescent brilliance. "It's so...extraordinarily beautiful!"
"Now you can go to the club in style. Since I had a fairly decent year with the shop, I decided to share a little of my good fortune." Afton helped her aunt secure the pendant around her neck. The oval-shaped gemstone fell gracefully as well as dramatically beneath Winnie's fleshy throat and against her breastbone.
"Oh, you're truly special, my darling Afton!" Gushing with excitement, she leaned over and gave her niece a big, wet kiss on the cheek.
"Here's yours, sis." Dev pulled an object from the pocket of his old jacket. "I'm sorry it's not much."
"As I told you, i
