Barriers
With a swing of my hip, I bumped my apartment door shut and kicked off my boots. Chunks of snow plopped wetly onto the mat. Tossing my bags on a chair, I felt more relaxed already as I thought about shedding my suit for a pair of yoga pants. My cell phone chimed. Irritated, I glanced at the screen. Jason. Really? The guy who couldn’t be bothered to call after our first date, a week ago, now wanted to interrupt my sacred after-work chill time? I jammed my finger down on the button. Bye, Jason. Pausing at the dresser to take my jewelry off, I looked in the mirror and gasped. My reflection showed me wearing a single earring. The other was missing. My mind raced. When had I seen them last? Neha had complimented me on them, so I was pretty sure I had them when I left work. Dammit. I wanted to walk back out into that cold air as much as I wanted to be stuck on a crowded subway next to a creep with halitosis. But they were the earrings Grandma had given me. “Teddy gave m...