Now he could carry a piece of me whenever we were apart. Jugs’ throat bobbed several times as he looked at it in the mirror, before picking up his old hoop and turning to face me. “Will you… will you keep mine?” he asked shyly. “Yes,” I breathed, staring at it in his palm. “Please.” Once he’d handed it to me, I rushed to the mirror to take out the jewel in my left lobe. After sliding in Jugs’ hoop, I stared at it. A single flash of gold amid all the silver-and-black metal and muted jewel tones. Now I would carry a piece of him too.
