The lost art of MENDING THINGS

It was out with the old for Sonia but did that include her best friend?

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Sonia had never been one for hanging onto things she considered past mending. She had just carried two boxes of junk to the municipal tip when, carrying another, she passed the village cafe.

Having eyed it longingly, she doubled back, deciding to have a coffee and a pastry instead.

Inside, it was warm and redolent with the smell of fresh baking. As usual on a Saturday, it was heaving, so she was lucky to get a seat - and one for the box too. Sonia studied the topmost items - a painted Victorian box, missing a hinge, and a chipped amber vase, with silhouettes of trees encircled between layers of matte glass.

They were gifts from her best friend Betsy. The box was for her 21st birthday, when Sonia had been into vintage. She had received the vase following the breakdown of her marriage to Steven. He'd left while she was at work, taking several things for his new 'love nest', including her favourite vase. But Betsy and her husband Rob had arrived with wine, flowers and a new one...

'For all the lovely flowers you'll get in the future, including these!' Betsy had beamed.

Her friend had always been supportive, which is why Sonia couldn't understand why Betsy had made so much fuss over her recent anniversary party.