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I place my cell down and turn it off, not wanting to hear the chimes that will no doubt continue to come throughout the evening. I stare at the letter. My name is on the front of the envelope, and it is written in black pen, in dad's handwriting. I decide that I might as well read it now, given the day I have had. Perhaps it will give me comfort.
I go to my desk, grab it, and sit back down on my bed. I open it carefully, not wanting to tear the paper, wanting to keep it as is, knowing it was one of the last things dad wrote.
Unfolding the letter, I start to read.
Dear Issy,
If you are reading this letter, then my time has come to an end. There are so many things I wanted for us to experience, to achieve, and to accomplish together before I left this earth, but when your time is up, your time is up.
I have lived a full life and experienced so much, but by far, you are my greatest achievement. I remember the day you came into the world like it was yesterday. Hearing you scream and seeing your big blue eyes for the first time is a memory that is etched into my brain.
I know that your mother and I haven’t been on the same path in life these past few years. I am aware that she has Brian in her life, but we both wanted to make sure we were still here for you, and that is why we never separated. Please don’t hate her for that; life is too short to carry anger.
I wanted to tell you that I also had a special person in my life as well, someone you haven't met, but someone who I know will be hurting and who I think you will like. Her name is Maria. She lives in Hancock up near the cabin. I did not want to bring any heartache to your mother or you, so that part of my life remained private. But I needed someone in my life to fill that hole your mother left, and Maria has been a solid support to me over the past years.
Enclosed in this letter is a small note for my friend, Jake, who I haven't been able to see in my last few months. I know you haven’t met him before, but we were close, and I think highly of him. He is a hard man to find, so don’t try. He may reach out to you, so if you ever come across him, please pass on this letter to him for me.
I have also built up a nest egg, and spent time up at the cabin, making some small renovations. Enclosed in this letter are the details of the money and the title of the cabin, all which I am leaving to you. Your mother is happy for it to be all yours. She never took an interest in the cabin, so if you ever need to get away and be at peace, then the cabin is there for you. The money isn’t much, especially since you are such a smart and talented businesswoman yourself now, but you will also find this up in Hancock, and it is yours.
I love you very much, Issy. You are my light and my happiness, and I want you to start living your life for you and no one else. Chase that happiness you so rightly deserve and claim it for yourself.
Whenever you see the stars at night, know that one of them is me, and that I am watching you from above. I will be there with you every step of the way and guiding you when you need it.
Pinkie promise.
Love, Dad.
My tears fall freely down my cheeks, and I fold up the letter before my tears smear the ink. Exhausted, I lie on my bed and reflect on the shitshow of a day I have had. I need to get away. I need space to clear my head and mourn. I need to be in a new place and just be me again.
Looking at the letter, I know where I have to go. I pull out my suitcase and start to pack, wishing upon everything that my dad was still here with me, but knowing that he is guiding me to exactly where I need to go.
6
Jake
I walk into the diner early the next morning, needing coffee and a lot of it. I don’t come to town too often, but I need some supplies from the hardware store for the extension, and it gives me an opportunity to say hi to the locals who I haven't had a chance to see yet.
As I sit at the bar, Maria comes over and fills up my cup with fresh coffee, and I notice that she is looking tired and sad. Hell, I guess we are all tired and sad at the moment. The loss of Danny has hit everyone around Hancock hard. He was such a well-known and well-loved guy here, so many people will miss him.
“How are you doing, Maria?” I ask as she passes me a menu, and I take a sip of my coffee.
“I’m okay, Jake, just kind of going through the motions, you know.” She replies without enthusiasm, and I feel for her. Her and Danny had a special connection. I know she supported him through some of his darker days and likewise him with her. Whether they were romantic with each other or not, I don’t know, and to be honest, it isn’t my business. But Maria visited him often, and he spoke kindly of her. He was married and didn’t do anything publicly to let people think otherwise. The memory of his own wife carrying on at his funeral with her new partner flashes in my mind, and I shake my head in annoyance.
“What do you think will become of Danny’s cabin now? Do you think his wife will sell it?” Maria asks me, and I look at her in thought and shrug. I hadn’t really thought about that, but I don’t think I will like anyone else but Danny to be there. I like my privacy, and I certainly don’t want anyone buying the place and building a bunch of condos next door or anything. The thought doesn’t sit well with me at all.
I growl into my coffee. “I hope not,” I reply, my mood now sulky. No longer feeling hungry, I pass on breakfast and finish my coffee just as Tony walks in.
“Hey, Jake.” He lifts his chin in acknowledgment as he sits next to me at the bar, and Maria fills up his cup with fresh coffee. I nod to her to give me another.
“Did you hear the news this morning about Danny’s girl?” he asks me, and suddenly I perk up, both Maria and I staring at him.
“What happened?” I ask, once again feeling a little pissed off that he seems to know so much about the woman that I have been fantasizing about daily for the past week.
“Well, she is big news in D.C. At the moment, she is all over the internet. The damn gossip pages have their sights set on her, and she is headline news after an incident last night.”
“What incident?” I ask again, now nearly demanding answers in a way that I know I really shouldn’t be. This damn woman is under my skin, and I am extremely possessive of her for some reason I can’t understand. I don’t even know her, but I can still smell the delicate rose aroma and see her blonde hair sparkling in the sun.
“Something to do with a boyfriend or marriage proposal or something. Maggie was looking online this morning. I wasn’t paying too much attention.” Tony waves it off, like it is not a big deal, meanwhile, I am feeling sick. A boyfriend? A marriage proposal? I suddenly wish Tony’s wife Maggie was here to fill in the blanks.
