Bracelet

 It was about 8 years ago, around the time of my last day of sixth grade. I remember it being that weekend when my Aunty Vicky and Nana took my sister, cousin, and I out. This was a normal activity for all of us, especially during summer, our parents had to work and instead of staying home the two of them would treat us to some sort of activity. This time was different though, they had called it a “special” outing. We drove within less than a mile from my house, I didn’t think anything that special would be so close by. We ended up at a jewelry store with gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, and all sorts of other jewelry lining the shelves, it even had a fancy buzzer at the entrance to let us inside. We also found our moms waiting outside, which took us by surprise. When we all gathered in, our Aunty finally revealed what we were doing there.

One thing you must know about our Aunty is she's our Nana's best friend, they have been close for as long as I can remember. Even my own dad and his siblings grew up knowing Aunty Vicky as "Aunty" she's been with our family through generations. One of the many special things she did for us was gifting the girls of our family a gold bracelet for their sixteenth birthday. I knew my dads sisters had gotten them and their older daughters, but the three of us in the jewelry store were no older than fourteen, I was only eleven. While a bit confused why were getting them so early, she insisted we choose a design to be engraved around the band and what we wanted written on it. After we made our selections our moms suggested we engrave the inside, that way we could remember when it was and leave a signature of who it was from. A heart followed by "Aunty Vicky, 2018" is what reads on the inside. I felt so lucky to have something so special be mine to hold onto forever.

Eventually it was revealed why we received our bracelets so early, Aunty was diagnosed with cancer, and she knew she wouldn't make it to our sixteenth birthdays. Our families spent as much time as possible by her side. We planned many get-togethers and took tons and tons of pictures. I can remember exactly where I was when we got the news she had passed. The family got together for a celebration of her life and all she had done for us. The bracelet now served as a happy reminder, of all the greatness she added to our lives. I've worn that bracelet every single day since then and I couldn't be more grateful for it.