After takeoff, Stella accidentally dropped her purse in fear. Franklin helped gather her belongings, and a ruby locket slipped out. He let out a whistle. “Wow, that’s impressive.”
“What do you mean?” Stella asked.
“I’m an antique jeweler. This locket is extremely valuable. Those rubies are real. Am I right?”
“I’m not sure. My father gave it to my mother many years ago. She passed it on to me after he never came home,” Stella replied.
“What happened?” Franklin asked.
“I’m sorry. My name is Franklin Delaney. I want to apologize for how I behaved earlier. I’ve been dealing with some personal issues, but that’s no excuse. May I ask what happened to your father?”
“My father was a fighter pilot in World War II. When America entered the war, he left but gave this locket to my mother, promising he would return. They loved each other deeply. I was only four, but I still remember that day. He never came back.”
“That’s awful.”
“It is. War is pointless. Nothing good comes from it. My mother never truly recovered from losing him. We faced financial struggles, but she refused to sell the locket. When I was ten, she gave it to me and told me to keep it. I never sold it either, even during difficult times. Its real value lies in the memories it holds.”
She opened the locket and revealed two photographs. “These are my parents. You can see how much they loved each other.”
