Hilary - Ending - apple based

Ellen had gone. She had left Carrie sitting on a bench at the edge of the park as dusk came. Carrie reflected on her mother's final words to her before she left.

" I thought you were the worst thing that could have happened to me, I know now that you were the best thing in my life"

Absent mindedly, Carrie fingered the tiny gold apple that hung round her neck. It was a promise from Josh that one day she would see the big one with him. New York. He had given it to her the day he left the apartment. He  would, she knew, come back someday. Meanwhile as she watched the shadows creep slowly over the green carpet of grass, enveloping the neat flower beds, the nodding tulips hanging their heads for the night, she realised with a relief that overwhelmed her, that the birds had ceased their relentless chirping.