24. Tessa #2
Maggie sat on the edge of the bed, helping Jo Ellen carefully sit up next to her. “Watch those ribs, Jo,” she whispered, as calm as possible.
How could she be calm, Tessa wondered. This would mean all of them—every one of the Lawsons—just lost half their interest in the home.
But something in the way they all reacted told Tessa that didn’t matter. She looked at Kate, who was nestled next to Eli, and Vivien, who still kept her arm around Tessa’s waist.
None of that mattered to them.
Would it matter to Maggie?
The older woman cleared her throat and exhaled.
“It’s addressed to Vivien,” Maggie started.
“You read it, Mom,” Vivien replied.
She nodded. “‘Vivien, when you find this, please give it to your mother immediately.’” She looked up. “And you did,” she said with a smile.
“Keep reading, Mom,” Eli urged.
“‘Maggie, there is an important legal document hidden in this book. I know it’s unusual, but I came down to Destin this week before everything hits the fan. You’ll understand by the time you read this.
I wasn’t sure where to put this letter so it would be safe, but you could find it when I tell you where to look.
Vivien always has these books in the pink plastic box—’”
“My Caboodle,” Vivien whispered.
“I found it in the garage rafters,” Eli added.
“‘—so I’m hiding it in here for safekeeping and an easy way to find it. I’ll put it in the garage.’”
She looked up and around the room. “This is it,” she said breathlessly. “I’ve been dreaming that he wanted to give me something or lead me to something and this must be it!”
“Keep reading,” a few of them urged.
She nodded and looked back at the message. “‘Artie’s about to do something that isn’t easy, but it’s the right thing to do.’”
She paused again, letting them all remember that several months ago, they learned that Roger had gotten in trouble with what the FBI called “the Dixie Mafia” and Artie had essentially set himself up as a decoy so the Feds could take the gang down.
He bartered Roger’s release from prison for white-collar crimes in exchange for his heroics, but the men had decided, for safety, the two families should be separated—temporarily.
With Roger’s death, that separation had lasted thirty years.
But that wasn’t what Roger wanted, was it?
“‘Artie’s going to risk his life to save mine, and I think we should pay him back for that, Maggie. This little piece of sand on the Gulf has always been a haven for the Lawsons and Wylies. I know I bought it for you, but I’d like to give them half. I hope you agree.’”
She looked up, her eyes swimming with tears Tessa was sure she’d never seen before. No one breathed as she continued.
“‘We’re about to go through some tough things, Maggie, and I’m sorry. But we’ll come out the other end. We’ll be okay.’” She shuddered, fighting tears.
“He knew it was coming,” Eli said. “Just like that FBI agent told you, Mom. He and Artie cooked the whole thing up. And this was his way to pay Artie back.”
“How sweet,” Jo Ellen cooed. “And sad.”
“Keep reading, Mom,” Vivien urged.
“Okay. He writes, ‘And we’ll have this place—God willing—so you and Jo can giggle and gossip, the kids can get old and bring their own kids there, and maybe Eli will finally open his eyes and see that Kate’s the one for him. Oh, and Peter will finally get off his butt and marry Vivien.’”
Vivien gasped, and everyone gave a soft laugh at just how prophetic it all was.
“‘Anyway, I might not be around for the next summer in Destin. I just don’t know. It’s up to God and maybe the FBI.
But whatever happens, remember this. The Wylies aren’t just our friends, Maggie.
Artie is like a brother I never had and you and Jo?
Well, you two girls should be sitting on the back porch sipping limoncello under the stars until you’re ninety.
I hope I’m there with you. With all of you.
I made some dumb mistakes, and I regret them all.
But what I don’t regret? You, our family, our friends, and our summer house in Destin.
May they all last forever. Love you, Roger. ’”
For at least five heartbeats, nobody spoke.
Then Maggie lowered the paper and looked down at Jo Ellen. “Limoncello under the stars, my friend? Looks like you own the place.” She turned to Tessa and Kate. “You all do.”
Dusty pushed the door open and marched in, still holding his phone. “Yes,” he said simply, going straight to Tessa.
“What?” She grabbed his arm. “Yes…what?”
“Yes, if you own the house and have for more than a year—”
“Thirty years!” Maggie said, waving the letter.
“She needs to see the document,” Dusty said.
“We can scan it and she’ll get it into the system.
We have to file a certified copy with the county recorder tomorrow morning to reflect the title transfer in the public record.
She needs the home study update form, which she’s starting herself today.
She needs an affidavit from us about Olive’s current care arrangement, and once that’s all done, we’re in compliance. ”
Tessa swallowed. “And…”
He looked at her. He was half-smiling and half-something else. “And Olive is ours.”
Closing her eyes, Tessa let the absolute joy of that news wash over her as she hugged Dusty. Then she rushed to Maggie and hugged her, too. And Eli and Vivien, then she and Kate both carefully hugged their mother, who was bawling.
“Guess it’s a good thing I wrote those diaries,” Vivien joked as they finally started to come down from the high. “Who knew they’d be the thing that saved us all?”
Maggie smiled. “Roger knew.”