Chapter 6 #2
Cup of coffee in hand, she shuffled through the nightstand, finding odd assortments of papers, medicine bottles, and tools. One by one, she gathered them up and placed them where they belonged.
When she found an envelope, pristine white and buried at the bottom of the drawer with Emma and her name on it, she set it aside. Only after she’d finished cleaning up in his room did she decide to take a break with another cup of coffee.
“Morning, Emma. I’m going out to sit by the water for a bit and clear my head. It's a bit warmer out there today.”
“Yeah, whatever you call warm in December in Maine. I can’t wait to go back to Oklahoma, where there's none of this. Want some company?”
“Nah, I’m good. I’ll be back in a few minutes. I just need a break, and then we can continue. Kids still asleep?” The dogs gathered at the door, eager to rush out when she opened it.
“No, Brandon took some of them into town for supplies, and the others are still asleep. Steven is upstairs looking around the attic. He was hoping Grandpa might have some music he could listen to as well. I tried to tell him it's not going to be to his liking, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”
Shrugging her shoulders, deciding that letting him find his own way was the only option, Angela left the house and headed toward the water. The craggy rocks meeting the foamy waves of the ocean always soothed her as she grew up.
“Thank goodness for this. The best part about this town.” She sat on a rock, the envelope still tucked in her jeans pocket, the silence around her a relief.
She watched the waves crash against the shoreline for a long time, recalling all the moments she and Evander had spent doing the same. Memories of her childhood flowed through her easily and peacefully, bringing a smile to her face.
Even thoughts of her father and life without her mother didn’t cause any pain. Her heart opened with joy, as life simply chased away any memories of her life back in Chicago. Even her work couldn’t crowd it out.
Lost in the drifting water, something caught her eye. “What’s that?” She stood up to get a better look at the object floating towards her from a distance and nearly fell into the water. “Oh, goodness.”
Angela waited, patience sometimes not her strongest suit. Excitement hummed inside her, mixed with the nagging negative thought that it might be trash. When it floated closer, she laughed. “A bottle?”
Despite the difficulty, she knelt and stretched as far as she could, just barely reaching its edge. “Ugh, got it.” Gripping its smooth surface, she pulled it out. “Wow.”
Not much surprised Angela, and at her age, she was long past those curious thrills. Still, the intrigue of what she saw inside captured her. “What’s that?”
She settled on the jagged rock she was standing on, ignoring the pain from its sharpness against her bottom. It was hard to pop the cork, but she finally managed to do so after a struggle. “Somebody didn’t want me to get in here.”
The bottle was dark, and although she knew something was inside, it was difficult to tell what it was. Turning it over, the sound of something hitting the sides and a ring dropping into her hand startled her. “An engagement ring!”
The tiny diamond at the center, surrounded by gold, was unmistakable. She looked inside the bottle for anything left behind and clasped it. “That’s it? Who would put an engagement ring in a bottle and toss it into the ocean?”
She studied it, even going so far as fitting it snugly on her finger. “Well, I guess it was made for me. My imaginary fiancé.” Angela laughed at her own folly, tearing it off and putting it in her pocket.
When she did, she felt the envelope she’d nearly forgotten. “Might as well have a look at this!”
Gently, she tore the envelope, careful not to rip the note inside. A white, lined piece of paper fell out, neatly folded, into her lap. Clasping the edge, she unfolded it, already recognizing her father’s familiar chicken scratch handwriting, which he’d always had.
“How weird, he never wrote notes to us, ever. Not even a card for our birthday, just a gift wrapped and nothing more. Why would he do this and just leave it in a drawer?”
Whatever it was, she had no doubt he had struggled with delivering it to either of them for some reason.
Dear Emma and Angela,
There is a lot I’ve meant to say for far too long.
I haven’t been the best father, though I always provided for you.
I’m sorry for that. If you're reading this, I’m close to the end or already back with your mother.
I’ve missed her so much at times it's been unbearable, and for that I am thankful. I tried my best, and I hope you both can forgive me for any troubles we had. Angela, I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you and your son.
I was wrong in everything I did. Anyway, I don’t believe in wills or attorneys, though over the years I’ve made a few friends.
I’m laughing now just thinking about it—snakes they are!
Well, I guess I should get to the point now.
There’s not much else to say other than I’ve always loved you both, even though it was hard to admit because you reminded me of your mother.
So, here goes. When I pass, I don’t care what you do with my belongings.
I trust you both will ensure everyone gets what they need for future generations.
What I want is to be cremated and my ashes scattered over the ocean.
I know, I know, but why not bury me beside your mother, the love of my life?
I want you to save a small portion of my ashes and bury them beside her—nothing more.
In my family, which you may not know, cremation is preferred over burial, but I want to be close to her. Thank you both for all your love.
Always,
Your Father
Stunned, Angela could only stare at the white paper in horror. “Now what? He’s already buried!”
The holiday season in Mistletoe Harbor was just getting started.