Brace to the Finish

Story Sent in by Stephen:

Just after sitting down to dinner, Leah asked me if I wanted to go on a sort of "quest." I thought she had a fun and spontaneous idea, so I told her I was game.

After a rushed dinner (on her part — I'd never seen a person engulf a meal so fast), I followed her, by car, to her neighborhood, and we parked outside her house.

I followed her to her front door and she asked, "She needs to think that only one person is home, so when I take a step, you have to take a step, too."

"What? Who?"

"My mother. I'll distract her while you go upstairs to her jewelry box. There's something in there I want. It's a—"

"You want me to steal something from your mother's jewelry box?"

Her eyes went wide. "Not so loud! I have it all planned out. I talk to her in the kitchen, she yells at me as usual, and while she's making a lot of noise, you go upstairs and grab this bracelet. It's a—"

"No way."

"Ugh! Okay, then will you feel better talking to her yourself while I go upstairs to get the bracelet? I'm sure you'll have loads to discuss."

"I'm not helping you steal a bracelet from your mother."

She whined, "But I want it! This is the best plan I thought of to get it. She watches me like a hawk inside the house. She always calls for me when she can't see me, just so she can know where I am."

I blew some air out of my cheeks. "Any idea why she behaves like that?"

Leah replied, "Probably because I stole three of her rings a few months ago."

I shook my head at her. "I'm not helping. Sorry."

"You're a pussy," she said, entering the house, "I don't need you. I want that bracelet, and I'll have it."

She went into her house but left the door open behind her, as if I was going to change my mind and help her, after all. I didn't. I left and never spoke to her again.