Chapter 7
Three months later
As much as I hated to admit it, Nessa was right about the whole idea of trials building character. I could look back at the last few months and see that there had been development in my character.
I was doing new things.
I took matters into my own hands with the scarf and learned to knit so that I could try to make another one. I was still working on the skills and knowledge it would take to replicate my old scarf, but I was making progress. I had already knitted three different scarves, all of which were progressively better than the last. I had pictures of myself wearing the one Mariam had knitted, and I was getting advice from the ladies at the yarn store about the pattern, needles, and types of yarn I needed to replicate it. They said that it would take multiple attempts and some trial and error to work it all out.
Knitting was a much bigger thing in Chicago than it was in Texas. The yarn store was huge with a vast selection of yarns—all textures and colors. I was learning that yarn looked and felt different in the ball than it did after you had knitted it into a garment. This made it more interesting when trying to replicate something I could only see in old photos and feel in my memories. The lady at the store said that even if we could replicate the very same yarn Mariam used, which was impossible, it would feel different because of how old the scarf was.
I was still disappointed about the scarf, but enough time had passed that the bitter taste had faded. I would make a new one that was almost as good, and I would have learned to knit because of it.
I was thinking about my latest project right then because I wished I had it with me at the moment. Waiting rooms were the perfect place for knitting, and I was currently in one, waiting for Joan to finish at the dentist. Ever since I took up the hobby of knitting, I had spent less time on my phone, which I was coming to enjoy. I didn't even take it out of my purse when I sat down. I was bored now, though, and tempted to get on it.
The dentist had sports memorabilia displayed in the office, and my eyes fell on a football that was not far from me. It was on a stand and in a glass case with a plaque. It was close enough that when I leaned in I could read the name engraved on it. Eddie Decker. It was the man they had been talking about at Thanksgiving. I had been so out of it, but it was coming back to me now. He was really famous and he was related to that guy I had met at the restaurant. Dominic.
I squinted at the ball. It was in a glass case that the dentist proudly displayed, and all because one guy had taken a marker and put his signature on it. There was a picture and a plaque, it was all professionally displayed and looked like he had paid a lot of money for it. I checked it out for a long minute before I relaxed in my chair again. It was crazy that I had met that guy's son.
There were three other people in the waiting room with me, and all of them were looking at their phones. I sat there for a minute in silence before I caved. I pulled my phone out of my purse and the first thing I did when I found it was open Instagram and start typing…
D-O-M-I-N-I-C-D-E—the account came up long before I finished typing the letters, but I didn't notice it at first.
I clicked on the account that showed a photograph of the guy I had met at the restaurant. He had over ninety thousand followers and it was his personal account. He had a link to his business account, but I didn't click on it. I went to the first picture, which was him with his brother. No beating around the bush, they were straight hunks. They looked so similar. They were twins, after all—not identical, but close. I smiled absentmindedly, remembering the conversation I had with the one on the right.
I began to scroll.
There was a group shot, and someone was next to him that I didn't think was his mom or his sister. She seemed to be next to him in a way that made me feel disappointed and jealous. Ridiculous.
I kept scrolling.
His account was a mix of interesting things, some personal stuff, motivational quotes, light workout advice, and some cool shots of random life. There were a lot of beautiful photographs with no one in them, and it seemed like Dominic was quite the photographer. Some of his posts had multiple pictures, and I looked at them all. He was an interesting guy.
I had been looking for a few minutes or so when I stopped scrolling and the blood left my head.
My eyes stung with tears.
I saw my scarf in one of his pictures. It was a cool sequence of photos of the scarf in a closet with a dark coat. You could see them hanging in a closet with an open door. There were three pictures and each of them progressively closer to the scarf.
It was from months ago—late November. I thought about the timing of when I had lost the scarf and it would have been out of my possession by then.
There was no caption, but the first comment said, 'Who's scarf?' and Dominic replied to it with, 'Just holding it for a friend.'
My heart pounded when I read it.
I read it again.
"Who's the friend?" I meant to think it, but I must've whispered out loud because a lady in the waiting room looked at me. I stared at my screen, and after a second, she looked away again. I couldn’t take my eyes off the picture. It looked so much like my scarf. It had to be it. I felt dazed and stunned—completely confused.
I blinked, looking at the color combination.
I had never seen anything so audacious, and the color pattern was unmistakable. There was one little area where there were five stripes of straight black and white. Then light pink, yellow, blue was after that… I had the sequence memorized. This was my scarf. I felt a heat flash, and I could hardly catch my breath. I pulled my shirt from my chest several times, fanning myself and not caring that I was in a waiting room.
I had to respond to this.
I was shaken as I went to his DM's.
I began typing.
My name is Marley Mathews, and I recognize a scarf on your feed. I would like to inquire about it.
I stared at the words I had already typed, and I realized I couldn't send it. This photo was way back on his feed. It would be obvious that I had been stalking his page.
I didn't care.
I was going to send it anyway.
First, I had to help my own page, which was sort of a joke with no good pictures of me. I had to change that. My name was @MarSoFar, and there was no way to know me from the photos on my page. I added my name 'Marley Matthews' to the description, and I changed my profile pic to one that showed my face. It wasn't super close up, but at least he might make the connection about my account. I changed those things before I sent the comment.
It was about thirty minutes later, and I was still in the dentist's office waiting for Joan when I heard back from him. I got a DM. It turned out to be not directly from him but from someone running his personal account.
My name is Blake Cooper and I am Dominic Decker's assistant. I'm handling his accounts and posting his pics. I told him about your comment, and he said if you're the girl he thinks you are, you'll be able to say what you were doing at that restaurant the night you met. If you reply with the correct answer to that question, I will forward you Dominic's phone number since he would love to reach you.
Thanks, Blake Cooper
I typed back instantly.
I was at Cooperstown when I met Dominic. He was meeting his brother, and I was interviewing for a job.
It was only a minute later when I got a DM from the assistant which included Dominic's phone number. Did this man have my scarf? How?
I was shaken as I texted him.
Shaken was an understatement. I contemplated going outside so that I could get some fresh air. I knew it was cold, and I thought it might be refreshing to step out there for a moment.
But Joan came out of the dentist office right then, smiling at me like my wait was over.
She needed me. I had her bag, and she gestured for me to go to the counter with her.
I had his phone number.
I had the ability to contact the person who might have my scarf, and I couldn’t do it for the next forty minutes until I finished with Joan and got her home. She had a crown fixed at the dentist, and she felt woozy from the medicine. Forty minutes was the absolute fastest I could get her home and squared away.
I went to my room and texted his phone number right away.
Me:
My name is Marley Matthews. I got your number from your assistant. I'm writing about a scarf I saw in a picture on your social media. Thanks!
I heard back from him right away. I was standing in my room when my phone dinged.
Dominic:
Marley! Finally! I have your scarf!!! It's in Chicago, at my apartment there. I'm in Milwaukee, but I can get my brother or one of my parents to meet you and give it back to you if you need to get it now. They have keys to my apartment.
I felt like crying as I read the text. Dominic just said his dad could possibly meet me at his apartment to give me back my scarf. Eddie Decker—the same guy whose football was in a glass case.
This Dominic Decker person somehow had my scarf. My scarf. My beloved scarf. Unbelievably, I had learned its location out of all the places on this earth, and now it was just a matter of time before it would be making its way back to me.
Unbelievable.
I felt like this was all just a made-up scenario, like I had died and gone to Heaven. I let out a little laugh, grinning big and feeling like a million bucks. I held the phone in my hand, and before I could answer another text came through.
Dominic:
If you can wait a few days, I will be in Chicago soon. I can meet you and hand it to you myself. Maybe over lunch?
I smiled and typed.
Me:
I've waited this long…
I heard back within seconds.
Dominic:
Great. I'll be in Chicago Friday morning. Meet me for lunch?
I felt a rush of adrenaline wash through my body when he suggested that. I was jittery as I typed.
Me:
Sure, I'll be working, but I can take a break and meet you. Just let me know where.
Dominic:
You pick.
Me:
Sounds good. Thank you!!!
He liked my message, and I assumed that was it.
I set my phone down and then I grabbed a pillow, placed it over my face, and screamed into it. I had never done that before, and if I was going to, it seemed like the right time. I wasn't sure what I was screeching about—the scarf or the lunch date. I thought it wasn't just about the scarf.
I was a little excited about seeing Dominic. I knew better than to get my hopes up for something like that, though. It seemed as though he had a lady friend in that picture.
I steered my thoughts to the scarf, thinking about how he might have found it and how amazing that would be. I thought it had fallen off when I was on the bus, and I wondered how he got it. I was pondering that when I heard my phone beep again.
Dominic:
Just text me before Friday and let me know where you want to meet.
My insides were alive with some kind of hope and excitement that I thought was dangerous. I thought long and hard about my response. I typed it and then edited it. It got shorter with every re-write, and finally, I ended with two words.
Me:
Sure thing!