Chapter 9
A good place to start until she achieved her dream.
And a big dream it was.
It seemed unrealistic, but she relied on hope.
She wanted more than anything, after her child, to have a store in major cities of the country. It wasn't about the money she would make, but more about of the accomplishment and success.
She was determined to forge ahead.
She desired a functional website with the address of her physical store. A real business venture.
She put in for a huge loan to open her very first jewelry store, but the manager of her bank was being a hard arse about the loan. He wanted a considerable deposit and an accurate repayment plan before he signed off the loan.
She had been working so hard to come up with the deposit, so she could get the loan as soon as possible.
She was sometimes tempted to look for available stores in the district she wanted, but it will only cause her tension due to unavailability of funds.
Not only that, she wasn't yet ready but she held on to hope that one day, the first step to the actualization of her dreams will take off.
A couple of days later, she received an outrageous order online requesting an expensive neck piece with emerald stones. A picture was sent.
It was a Victorian emerald necklace, a stunning and exquisite piece of jewelry.
The necklace features a central emerald gemstone as its focal point.
Along the length of the chain, smaller emeralds were interspersed, adding a touch of brilliance and enhancing the overall elegance of the piece.
She would really need to challenge herself to make a piece like that.
Then again, she thought, perhaps it was a prank. Because she never posted anything remotely similar for sale. Besides, if the stranger had that much money, he or she could ask a much experienced jeweler not her.
She only made regular, inexpensive everyday pieces.
She ignored the message.
One fine morning, three days after she got the order for the emerald necklace, she received a notification of a deposit of nine thousand dollars.
She rubbed her eyes and wore her glasses to see the screen of her phone properly.
It must have been an error from the bank.
She saw, 'Green Emerald Necklace' as the purpose for sending the money.
It wasn't a prank.
She messaged the customer immediately.
"I just got your payment. Oh my goodness, thank you."
There was no response.
Hours later, her phone dinged with a reply.
"That was a deposit. Spare no expense. I want perfection."
"Okay. I appreciate your patronage." she replied.
There was no response.
She got to work immediately.
It was her best challenge yet.
Sharon eagerly embarked on the process of curating ethically sourced emerald stones; searching for emeralds that exuded a deep, luscious green color. These precious stones would be the stars of her creation, each one carefully selected for its unique beauty and character.
She sorted out delicate white gold chains, carefully considering their designs, lengths, and precious metal composition.
The chains she chose were for their durability and compatibility with the design.
With a selection of emeralds of different shapes and sizes, and a glistening chain before her, Sharon laid them out on her workbench, pondering how to start the arrangement that would breathe life into the ordered design.
The setting of each gemstone was a dance of precision and artistry. Sharon meticulously secured each emerald in place, ensuring they would be cradled securely.
The moment of unveiling was one of excitement and trepidation. As Sharon held the finished necklace in her hands, she was filled with awe at the beauty of her creation.
The different shapes of the stones danced in harmony, their colors shimmering like a lush garden. The chain, with its delicate links, wove a tapestry of elegance that perfectly complemented the precious stones.
Meticulous attention was paid to ensure that the necklace is symmetrical and balanced.
She inspected the setting of each emerald, verifying the chain's integrity, and ensuring that the necklace met the design's specifications and standards.
The necklace then went through a final polishing process to enhance its luster and brilliance.
Creating the emerald necklace was a labor of love and skill, resulting in a stunning and timeless piece of jewelry.
It was a defining moment for her.
She couldn't be more proud of herself.
She had to try it on.
The necklace gleamed and shimmered on her neck. She couldn't believe she made it. It was absolutely gorgeous.
Sharon wore it to Fannie's house to show her. Fannie, of course, loved it, and they elaborated on the necklace and the projection of the business for hours before Thomas got back from school.
The following day, she realized she still had some stones and chain left, and she made a beautiful bracelet and earrings out of it as a bonus.
She decided to send pictures to the customer, to inform him or her that it was ready.
She must have taken a thousand pictures from different angles. Furthermore, she carefully put it in a jewelry box and wrapped it up for delivery.
She received credit notification of another nine thousand dollars as soon as she sent the picture.
Sharon was ecstatic!
"I knew you could do it," came her reply online. "It's exquisite."
"I haven't told you how much the balance is," she typed.
"I'm sorry? Is it more? How much is remaining?" the customer replied.
"The money is too much. The balance is not up to that."
"Remove the balance and keep the rest as tip," typed the customer.
Sharon was perplexed.
"Thank you. I'm truly grateful."
A name and address was sent for delivery.
A Donnie Wade who lived on Wayne Street. It sounded tacky, but she couldn't be bothered because she just got paid!
She decided to deliver the necklace herself. It was too expensive and delicate to go through mail.
She rang the doorbell when she got to the house, elated to meet Donnie, and thank him for his generous order. But instead, a maid in a black and white uniform came to receive the package. She was a short middle-aged Hispanic woman.
"Hi, is Mr Donnie home?," Sharon asked.
"No. I'll take the package."
She sighed in disappointment.
"Please, tell him thank you when he comes back."
"I will. Have a lovely day." the maid said and went inside.
"You too," Sharon said after her.
She had to hurry back home, Thomas will be back from school soon. She had been too busy, and they hadn't spent quality time together in a while. Not only that, but she had promised to take him to the park and plenty of ice cream. She hurried home to fulfill her promise.
