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“Not my place.” She stands and moves toward the small desk in the corner of the living room, bringing back a white envelope. “Here.”
“Thanks. Any idea what it might be?”
“No idea. She left a letter for me and your father as well.”
“And?” I prompt her.
She shrugs. “She has regrets, just as I knew she would. She didn’t come right out and apologize, but basically said, it’s at the end of one's life that they understand their shortcomings, and pushing me away—” She glances over at my dad. “—pushing us away, and by association you, was one of hers.”
Dad places his arm around Mom’s shoulder and pulls her closer. “We suspect that whatever is in your envelope is much of the same.”
I nod, tossing the envelope on the couch next to me. “I don’t need to read it. She made her choice.”
“Legend.” There is a quiver in Mom’s voice, and that’s all it takes for me to reach for the envelope again.
“I’m sorry, but she can’t make us feel guilty about her choices. I’m thirty-one years old and never met your parents. My grandparents. That was their choice. They made you choose, and that was wrong. You’ve done nothing but support me with every choice and life decision I’ve made. You’ve been my biggest cheerleaders. They were your parents. They should have been there for you. For all of us.” I’m breathing heavily by the time I finish. One hand is clenched into a fist while the other grips the envelope like it’s my mortal enemy that I’m fearful might slip away.
“She left this world with regret. That’s on her shoulders, Legend,” Mom says gently. “Whatever is in that envelope, it doesn’t change who you are or who we are as a family. You’re right, she made her choice.” She looks up at my dad, and he leans in for a quick kiss, which makes her smile, before she turns her eyes back to mine. “We’ve built a life we’re proud of. We have a son who has grown to be an incredible man. We’re all happy and healthy, and there is nothing more that we could ask for. What’s in there”—she points to the envelope—“has no relevancy in any of that. It’s just a woman who carried around regret from the choice she and her husband made and wanted to make it known that she’s aware of the mistake she made.”
“What about your dad?” I ask her.
She shakes her head. “He passed away a few years ago. He had no regrets. My father was a hard man. He, too, chose to shut me out.” She shrugs. “It’s over. It’s been years, and I’m happy, son. That’s what’s important here. Sometimes in life, you have to stand up for what’s best for you. It’s okay to walk away when it’s not. That’s what I did, and I have zero regrets. You and your father are the best things to ever happen to me.” She smiles, and it’s the one she used to give me when I was little and would scrape my knee. It’s comforting and reassuring. It’s her mom smile, and just as it always did when I was little, it settles me.
Loosening my grip on the envelope, I tear it open and pull out the small stack of papers, noticing a letter on top, and start to read it out loud.
Legend,
You don’t know me, and that’s on me, but I’m your grandmother. I’m sure by now you’ve heard all about me and your grandfather and how we pushed your mother out of our lives. I don’t have many regrets in life, but that’s my first and the biggest. The second is never getting to meet you, my grandson.
If you’re reading this, then my time on this earth has passed. So many times I wanted to reach out to you, and to your parents, but I never did, and now, here I am, days left on this earth, and this is my last attempt to make things right.
Your grandfather and I talked extensively before he passed about what we would do with our family fortune. We’ve decided to donate most to the charities that were near and dear to our hearts, and the rest, my grandson, will go to you.
However, we have a few stipulations: you have one year from the date of this letter to marry the love of your life. You must remain married for one full year. On your one-year wedding anniversary, you will be required to meet with our family attorney, Edward Mullins. Regardless of what day this falls on, you and your wife must present together to receive your inheritance. You must arrive as a united front as proof you are indeed in a happy, healthy, and loving marriage. How you prove this is up to you. On your one-year anniversary, you and your wife will receive a lump sum of five million dollars.
You and your spouse must live in the same household. This will be verified by surprise home visits by Mr. Mullins. I have provided him with your home address, if this changes at any time you will need to make sure you provide him with your new information. Yes, this is controlling, but we must insert this rule to ensure that you are truly living as husband and wife. We want you to have that choice, to choose who you love and spend your life with. And, of course, Mr. Mullins will attend your wedding and handle the filing of the marriage certificate to ensure it’s legal and binding.
I know this seems unorthodox, but, Legend, this is what we should have done for your mother. She should have been allowed to love whomever she wanted without being disowned by her family. It’s at the end of one's life that you can see your mistakes clearly. This is how we right that wrong.
Should you fail to be married one year from the date of this letter or to show up on the date of your one-year wedding anniversary, you will lose all access to the funds, and Mr. Mullins will be instructed to disperse the remaining funds to our charities as well.
This may seem harsh, but I feel it’s imperative that these stipulations remain in place. I assure you that the documentation that Mr. Mullins has prepared is ironclad, and this is the only way for you to gain access to your inheritance.
If you are currently married, you must submit your marriage license to Mr. Mullins, and the same rules apply. You must live with your spouse in the same house and present one year from the date you submit the license to Mr. Mullins to gain your inheritance.
Go live, love, and be happy, my grandson. Live up to your name, and be the legend of the family, and follow your heart.
Your grandmother,
Elaine Hammond
My hands holding the letter fall to my lap as I stare wide-eyed at my parents. “Is this a joke?”
My mother shakes her head, a sad look on her face. “No. That’s who she is, who they both were. They had to maintain control at all costs.”
“They can’t control me,” I seethe, tossing the letter to the couch as I stand and pace across the living room floor. “How dare she think she can just send some letter after she’s dead and gone and dictate my life. For money. I don’t need her damn money.” I’m pissed. She abandoned my mom, which includes my father and me. She had years to reach out to us, and she refused, and now this? She thinks this is making things right? She’s fucking delusional.
“Son,” Dad warns.
