Page 96 of Sincerely, Mr. Braden

“Well, Mr. Braden, I don’t think I need that much time.” I sit down and barely have to think as the words flow onto the page directly from my heart.

To the little girl who stopped believing in wishes, it turns out even the ones you swore you’d never make can come true.

To the man who cared enough to help me believe again, you don’t know it yet, but you’re the answer to the wish I swore I’d never make. The one about finding someone who’d see me with all my faults and insecurities and love me enough to stay.

To the woman I’m becoming, be brave enough to hope and dream and do all the hard things, even when they’re scary.

And to Margaret and Carl, thank you for giving me something to hold on to.

I roll up the piece of paper, and Seth ties a pink ribbon around it before putting both of our notes into the bottle. He pulls a black bottle top from the backpack and screws it firmly into place. Then he withdraws a coil of thin climbing cord—the kind he trusts with real weight—and winds it around the neck of the bottle, knotting and tucking with the same care he used to rig our climb.

When he finishes, he tests it with a tug. “It’s not going anywhere,” he says with a hint of pride. “You could hang off this thing.”

I smile. “Let’s not test that theory.”

He ties the rope to a branch, the pink glass catching the light as he steps back. “There you go. Secure as a promise.”

He slides an arm around me as a breeze drifts up the hill, and our bottle sways, joining the baubles in their glass symphony, making it feel like a promise, too.

Chapter Thirty-One

Seth

Watching Ellie take in the glass, the lights, the sounds, as if they’re speaking only to her, is worth every minute of holding in the secret of this place. But I’ve been waiting weeks to share something else with her, too. I don’t want to break the moment, but my stomach has been tied in knots all day, and I can’t hold back. I pull her closer and lower my voice. “So…Margaret told me about another secret spot on the property.”

“You’re kidding. What is it?” she asks excitedly.

“There’s an old covered bridge just beyond that hill.” I nod in the direction of the bridge. “Legend has it, if two people stand on opposite ends of the bridge and tell it their secrets, the sound meets in the middle and seals your fate.”

Ellie tilts her head, curiosity lighting her eyes. “That sounds romantic and slightly ominous.”

“Guess that depends on your secrets.” I brush my lips over her temple. “What do you think, sweets? Want to see if the legend’s true?”

“How is that even a question? Yes!”

I shoulder the backpack, and we hurry toward the hill like kids on an adventure, her hand warm in mine, laughter filling the space between us. My phone rings, and I check it quick. Shit. “It’s Rick Schaeffer. Sorry, El, but I’d better take it in case there’s an issue with the project.”

“Of course,” she says, reading the shift in my tone.

I step away as I answer. “Hey, Rick. What’s—”

“Seth, it’s Sheryl. She’s just been diagnosed with stage three lung cancer…”

I listen with my heart in my throat. He sounds terrified and hollow at once. “Damn. Rick, I’m so sorry. What can I do for you and Sheryl?”

He talks, I listen, pacing through the grass, swamped by the weight of his worries. When I finally speak, my throat feels raw. “Don’t give it another thought. I’ll take care of it. Take all the time you need, and give my love to Sheryl and the boys. I’m here for whatever you need.”

When we end the call, I press the phone to my chest, trying to breathe past the ache. Ellie’s already moving toward me.

“Seth?” She touches my arm. “Are you okay?”

“It’s Rick’s wife, Sheryl. They just found out she has stage three lung cancer.” The words taste bitter.

Worry riddles her face. “Oh no, that’s awful. They just moved to Australia. Does she have a good doctor? What can we do?”

“She didn’t move yet. She’s still in Boston with their kids. She was packing up the house to put it on the market before joining him. Her doctor’s trying to get her into Dana-Farber for treatment. Rick needs to step away from the project to be with her.”

“Of course.” Ellie’s voice softens. “We need to get Rick home. I’ll get him a flight. What can we do for Sheryl? You mentioned kids. Does she need help with them? Does she have family nearby?”