Chapter 8

"I was seated at my table and an incredibly handsome man came to sit with me. We kind of met earlier at the desert table."

"Ok."

"Oh Fann, he was perfect. His broad, shoulders, his face, his amazing smile."

"Ooohhh..." Fannie said smiling.

"We just started talking, and I was shocked to my boots when I saw Bob and Nicole!"

"They came for the buffet too?"

"I suppose. I can't believe her takes her there."

"Does he have no shame? He ought to have left with that skank the moment he sighted you. He shouldn't have come to your table at all."

"I think Bob was enraged when he saw me with another man."

"After three years?!" Fannie exclaimed.

"I don't know. Did he expect me to curl up in a hole and die?"

"He must be crazy. Anyhoo, continue."

"So he came over, claimed me as his wife and grabbed my wrist."

"He sure is crazy," Fannie declared.

"Then, the man at my table stood up and pushed Bob away."

"Yay!" Fann said, jamming her hands together.

"He stood up for me. I felt protected, I was able to stand up to Bob for the first time in a long time,"she said.

"What's his name?" Fannie asked.

"I don't know."

"You didn't ask?"

"I didn't get a chance to. I had to leave when Bob and Nicole left."

That was as much as Fannie can know.

"He sounds like a nice gentleman. Perhaps, you will meet him again."

"No," Sharon said too quickly.

"Why not?"

"Hmmm...I..I...don't want to."

"Why?" Fannie repeated.

For a brief moment, Sharon was lost in thought. She stood up and went to stand by the window, staring outside.

"I don't want a man in my life."

Fannie went over to where Sharon was and placed an arm around Sharon's shoulders.

"Darling, you'll have to give another man a chance in your life. You're young and beautiful..."

"No Fann, love can never happen for me again. It's a fire that will never burn me again."

"Love is a fire indeed, but channeled right, it can refine someone's life."

"Well, I'm done."

"Don't say that, darling."

"You were here, Fann."

"I was...," Fann said, cutting her short, knowing where the conversation was leading.

"You were here when the so-called love reduced me to nothing," Sharon said, trying so hard to fight back tears. She wished she could erase that part of her life.

"The past is gone, darling."

"Why can't I forget about it then? Why do I still feel this way?" she said with a shaky voice.

"You'll be alright, darling."

Fannie hugged and consoled her. She spent a little more time with Fannie before going to work in the little shed behind her house.

She had orders to work on.

Tucked away in the lush, verdant backyard of her house stood a weathered yet charming shed, adorned with a sign that read "Elegance & Eternity."

Inside the shed, the walls were adorned with jewelry making tools, antique frames displaying intricate sketches, and shelves filled with sparkling gemstones of every color imaginable.

The worktable stood proudly in the center of the room, bathed in natural light streaming through a large, well-placed window, allowing her to be surrounded by the beauty of nature while crafting her masterpieces.

In a corner by the window, there was a small photoshoot set up. There was a camera to capture high quality images.

A tripod to keep the camera stable and avoid blurriness in the shots. A ring light to reduce harsh shadows. A clean, plain background to make the jewelry stand out. There was also a jewelry holder for display.

The room was thoughtfully organized, with a treasure trove of beads, crystals, and gemstones neatly arranged in glass jars and wooden drawers.

The purpose of the shed for her was more than a work space. It was the place that set her free. In this hidden oasis, surrounded innately's beauty, she found solace and inspiration, allowing her creativity to flow freely, transforming raw materials into stunning pieces of art.

She converted the shed to her jewelry workshop after her husband deserted her. It became a sanctuary where her dreams were turned into reality and where her new found strength was captured in the form of delicate jewelry pieces.

Sharon and Fannie had worked so hard to set the workshop up, making it run as effectively as it did.

Sharon had an online jewelry making business, Elegance & Eternity, which she started secretly with Fannie's help while she was still married to Bob.

She had always been fascinated with jewelry. As a little girl, she made colorful bracelets and necklaces for fun.

And as she grew older, she learned the craft and imitated exquisite pieces. And plenty of times came up with designs of her own. Of course, she used fake stones instead of real ones.

Where was the money to buy real ones?

She, however, used them only for herself.

She had countless times given away pieces she had on her whenever she received a compliment from a stranger; at the mall, supermarket, or even on the streets.

Elegance & Eternity turned her life around and gave her strength to move on. She was blessed to have sustainability and the audacity to dream.

She crafted magnificent jewelry that would make admirers envious. The unique selling point of her creation was that, it was one of a kind that would most likely not be common.

She received a minimum of twenty orders every day from various online social media platforms.

It was enough.