Missing Piece

Vivienne paced up and down the room, clutching in her damp hand the letter she had just received in the mail.  She couldn’t believe what she had read just minutes before.  The note was left in the mail slot, and as she came home from her early morning run, it was something she least expected.  Vivienne began reading the note for the hundredth time.
“Dear Ms. Clifton,” it began.  “I just rented a summer cottage and was putting things in a drawer.  I found something that I believe belongs to you.  It took me a while to find you, but I believe this is something that was worth the trouble.  Hope I was right.  Sincerely, James Palmer.”
Vivienne looked at the return address and it reminded her of a week five years ago.  She had gone to the beach town of Cape May, New Jersey to escape the memories which plagued her.  She’d been running, literally and figuratively, since her husband of ten years had died in the motorcycle accident after a stupid fight they had.  Brian never returned and she was living with the survivor’s guilt. She decided she should go somewhere they had never been, in order to put away her guilt and start her life again.
But when she got to the cottage, the memories didn’t vanish; they became more palpable and every step on the beach she took, she heard his voice, in every shop window, she thought she saw his image next to hers reflected back.  It was on that trip Vivienne realized she couldn’t let him go; he was a part of her future as much as her past.  And whatever she was, it was because he’d touched her life.  After a week, she decided to go home and deal with it and her memories and stop running-at least in her head.
When she got to home, she realized something was missing and she couldn’t remember how she lost it.  She never took her wedding band off of her finger, but as she put the key in the lock, she noticed her left ring finger was bare.  Vivienne contacted the rental agent and asked her to look in the cottage for the band.  She was unsuccessful.  She tore her car apart searching for the piece of jewelry, the last reminder of Brian and their life together.  No luck.  She searched through the suitcase she brought with her to the cottage.  It wasn’t there either.  Then she had a brainstorm-maybe she hadn’t brought it at all.  Maybe it was in the house, by the sink, or the shower; somewhere in the house.  Vivienne started a systematic search through every room, and with each passing minute with no ring in sight, she became more and more desperate.  The ring was gone, and she had no idea where it was.  She sat in the midst of the disarray and sobbed like she did when the police came and told her that her life had been changed forever. 
Stupid, I am! I’m so awfully careless and stupid!  Vivienne couldn’t believe what was happening to her.  Just when she thought she had come to grips with her loss, it seemed she would never be free.  She didn’t want to ever forget Brian and their marriage.  She needed that symbol which she believed would always be a physical reminder.  And now that was gone.
Vivienne forced her thoughts back to the present and the envelope that held the note.  Inside was the simple gold band with her name and Brian’s inscribed and the date of their marriage next to the names.  She slipped it on her finger and sights, sounds and smells rushed back to her, reminding her of what she had almost forgotten for five years.  She felt complete.
She decided she had to know how Mr. Palmer found her.  She called the rental agent again and after relating the extraordinary circumstances, Vivienne was told that Mr. Palmer had rented the cottage for the summer.  Hanging up, Vivienne looked at the clock.  He couldn’t possibly have gotten back to the Cape so soon. She had only been gone an hour and it took at least three to get to New Jersey.  She decided that she would wait and call him personally to tell him what his gesture meant to her.
A voice nudged her.  Why call?  You know where he is—just go and tell him in person.  For once, she didn’t analyze, she simply reacted.  Vivienne jumped in the shower, dried and dressed, hopped in her car and headed toward the parkway.
She arrived at the cottage and saw a car parked in the driveway. Then she became slightly apprehensive.  Suppose he thinks she’s strange for coming instead of calling? What if he had a family? She didn’t want to cause him problems for his Good Samaritan action.  Well, she thought, in for a penny, in for pound.  She knocked on the door and it was opened by man slightly than older than herself, with soft brown eyes behind brown square eyeglass frames.  He looked surprised to see her and before she lost her courage, she introduced herself.
“Mr. Palmer?” she started and he nodded, still with a curious expression.  “I’m Vivienne Clifton.  You were at my house earlier today and left me an envelope?”  He smiled and stepped onto the porch.  He said, “Oh yes, the ring.  I traced you through the rental agent.  She remembered you had rented the cottage, but you moved since then.  So I went to the churches in the area and was able to get a trail from the date on the ring.  I know if I were married, I’d want my ring back.  I was determined to find you.  I hope it was a good thing?” He looked expectantly at her, trying to read her.  Vivienne explained to him about Brian and her sojourn; how it brought her full circle to Cape May. She thanked him and he smiled in understanding.