I often think back to those chaotic weeks at the university in Cambridge, when the chatter about James Turners special bracelets seemed to follow us from the lecture hall to the washroom. The memory still feels fresh, even though its been years since the whole affair blew over.
Emily snorted, What could possibly be worth inheriting, Mr. Turner, that wed all line up like characters in a soap opera just to be the one who bears his child? Sarah chimed in, A squashed sofa and half of mums postwar council flat, obviously. Chloe rolled her eyes, A pretty bracelet these comments are getting old for me already.
I remember hating to hear them in the bathroom while I was scrubbing my hands, glancing at my reflection to make sure the eyeliner and lipstick Id applied on the first day still held up. I wasnt sure those colours would survive past the third tutorial.
Thanks, I said politely, even though the remarks had become a nuisance, but manners, after all, never went out of style.
The girl who seemed a year younger than us asked, Where do you all get them?
Its handmade, Chloe replied lightly. A gift from a young man, exclusive. Not precious metal, of course, but you wont find anything like it elsewhere.
I shrugged, Ive already seen two of those today.
Emily raised an eyebrow, Really? You must be mixing them up. Maybe they just look alike. I suspected, however, that James hadnt crafted the designs from scratch; hed probably lifted a template from the internet and added a few tweaks. A novice jeweller could hardly work out the details without a proper guide, relying only on intuition.
No, theyre identical, I insisted. Im sure of it. My classmate Sarah told me her boyfriend gave her one. He isnt exactly rich, but he came up with something clever, and you can see she likes it.
Tell me about this boyfriend. Whats his name? Emily pressed.
James, I answered. Have you seen him?
No, not in person, the sophomore admitted, but Sarah showed us pictures when she was bragging. She quickly unlocked her phone and displayed a photo as her wallpaper.
Is this James? she asked.
The girl fell silent, a flicker of understanding crossing her face.
Dont be shy, I said, Im not going to do anything to you or Sarah. But with James, the conversation will be a different matter. I asked her, If you spot anyone else wearing that bracelet, let me know. Perhaps the same Don Juan left his mark there, and the girl should be warned she isnt the only one.
I dont know her, the girl replied, Ive only seen her flash through the campus, maybe in a senior year, but I have no idea which faculty or group she belongs to. She shook her head.
Alright, if you happen upon anyone else with those bracelets, send them my way for a chat. Im a thirdyear economics student.
She hesitated, I cant promise theyll listen to me, but Ill pass the information along if anything comes up. She kept her word; before the day ended, four more girls approached me, each from different courses and faculties, as if James had deliberately matched them so they wouldnt cross paths or learn about each other.
Only James hadnt anticipated that all of them, after receiving the ornate jewellery, would wear it to class. Identical bracelets inevitably attract the attention of a curious onlooker, like the one who first asked about them.
Whats this then, a weekly rotation? one freshman, Marina, muttered. Monday its me, Tuesday you, Wednesday her, and so on until the weekend?
If that were the case wed be seven, the aloof firstyear, Margaret, noted. She studied psychology, and her steadiness meant she didnt whine like Sarah or overanalyse like Chloe.
By her fourth year, Angelica had already called her mother, three sisters, two brothers, and even a distant aunt, complaining repeatedly about the nature of men. The girls, bound by circumstance, never raised any grievances against each other; after all, each was unaware of the other four.
They blamed Jamess busy schedule for meeting only on specific days, saying their studies and parttime jobs left little time for daily socialising, so a weekly gathering seemed reasonable. It had all started at the beginning of the academic year, the same year James transferred to their town for work.
The question now was what to do with him. They all agreed that beating him wasnt an option, but shaming him might be.
Beating is out, but humiliation is fair game, the girls decided unanimously.
Thus Margaret, the unflappable one, was appointed executioner, tasked with luring James to an unexpected meeting with all his unwitting partners. The plan didnt have to wait long; the next day happened to be her day, so the girls wasted no time.
When the café door opened, James greeted the first girl with his usual breezy Hey, long time no see, and she wrapped him in an embrace, pulling him inside to escape the chill. At the table, four more chosen ones waited, each with a freshlygifted bracelet laid before them.
Come on, Casanova, tell us how you ended up like this, Chloe taunted as James, looking dishevelled, tried to mutter something.
Emily flicked a knife in her hand, halfplayful, halfthreatening. So, James, you were planning to marry us all, even though the law only permits one wife? Thinking youre so irresistible that wed all line up for a harem?
James tried to smile, Actually, I intended to marry the one who bore me a son. After all, a mans greatest duty is to produce an heir for his name.
Emily echoed, And what inheritance are you promising, Sir, that we should race to give you a child, like in those melodramatic series?
Sarah added, A tattered sofa and half mums council flat, obviously. She laughed, Well, youre a hero now, James. Ill upload a video tonight to my socials and the university group, wherever it ends up.
James barked, You have no right.
I do, Emily snapped. Public filming is allowed regardless of your wishes. Your face may be hidden, but Ill make sure everyone knows who you are, without any claims against me.
Margaret, who had been silent, whispered, Future lawyer, huh? As a psychologist, Id advise you to sort out your conscience before courting any more girls. She added, Give the boy a proper life. If youre going to have a son, maybe consider a proper implant and stop meddling with womens hearts.
In the chaos, Emily knocked over a hot coffee onto James, splashing across his lap. The girls considered their revenge complete.
Word spread quickly through the town of thirtythousand; the rumours shattered Jamess reputation, and he found himself alone, perhaps forced to move elsewhere for work. Emily, Margaret, Angelica, Sarah, and Chloe eventually became close friends, each finding better partners than James ever could. Looking back, the whole episode, absurd as it was, taught us a valuable lesson: a few unique bracelets could have saved a wouldbe sultan from a very foolish fate.
