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He tucked the ring box inside his pocket. Rather than go to Cricket's, he headed straight home to read the will.
* * *
Eatingone of Ivy's cinnamon Pop Tarts, he sat in the living room, staring at the big envelope that had his name written in Chloe's distinctive handwriting. Whereas his was hardly legible, she made her letters full of flourishes that made them stand out and look like art. That was how Chloe was. She was a standout.
Time ticked by as he looked at the envelope and he realized this was a tear the Band-Aid off quickly moment, so he opened it and pulled out the stack of papers and other closed envelopes inside. On top was a hand-written letter.
Dear Bastien,
I could spend pages telling you how angry I am that cancer won, but we both know that living in the past is a waste of time. This is all about the future. Yours. Ivy's. Mom's.
He was surprised to find his mother mentioned and continued reading.
How do you like the beach house? I hope you'll stay. Ivy loves it here. We started collecting seashells. I told her that our bodies were like shells and eventually we outgrew them and left them behind. She understands that I'm gone, and that life will go on. I've assured her that while I've left my shell behind, my spirit will live in her forever, and that is why I asked you to take care of her. It's not that Mom doesn't mean well, it's that she doesn't know any better. You know better. You know what it's like to love because I've felt the love you've given me and Ivy, and it's the gold standard.
If you can, I have a bunch of requests that I'd love you to fulfill. You're a man who's always driven to succeed, so I'm certain you won't give anything less than your best effort.
Make sure Ivy knows I love her.
Give mom a chance. You'll find in the will that I've given her visitation rights. Our mother on a full-time basis is more than anyone can handle. Maybe she knew that early on, and that’s why she sent us away. Despite her faults, she has a lot to offer Ivy. Mom, if nothing else, is the epitome of a well-bred lady, and that's something you can't help Ivy become.
If you decide to leave Willow Bay, keep the house for Ivy, so she'll always have a place to call her own. In the short time we were here, we built a lot of memories. I hope she'll build many more.
My dear brother, have you ever thought of falling in love? It might be my only regret. While I had lots of love in my life from you and Ivy and friends, I wish that I'd opened myself to the idea of loving someone else. Someone who could hold me at night and wake with me in the morning. They say life is so much richer when shared. Find someone to share your life with. Getyourselfapartner and choose carefully, forshe willbecomeIvy's mother,and you know me;Iwouldonly want whatisbest for mylittle girl.
Last, live life to the fullest. We never know when it will be cut short. When I was lying in that bed, I never thought one moment of money or things. All I thought about was if I'd loved those around me enough.
I love you.
Chloe
He sat there for a moment while a tear slid down his cheek. “You did, sis. You loved us enough.” He glanced through the papers, which included a custody agreement and the deed to the house, which she'd put in trust for Ivy. His sister had thought of everything from her college fund to her birthdays, for which she'd written a letter to celebrate each year until Ivy turned eighteen. She'd even thought of Ivy’s future wedding day, if she married, by writing her a letter for that life moment, too.
As he tucked them back into the larger envelope, he thought about his sister’s requests. The hardest would be his mother, but he was willing to offer an olive branch if she would take it.
He pulled the ring box from his pocket and opened it, surveying not just the diamonds but the unexpected sentiment from his mother that had accompanied them. The setting was simple and elegant like Charlotte, and he hoped she would like it. If not, he'd buy her any ring she wanted. He imagined she’d have at least one joke about her ring being able to fill in as the beacon if the lighthouse power went out. It was a large stone, but its simplicity made it refined, not garish. On reflection, he knew she would love it. He tucked it into his pocket and walked outside to find a shell to throw into the sea. Today he’d cast the biggest wish of all. He’d wish for a lifetime of happiness for everyone, including his mother.
As he scoured the shore for the perfect shell, he heard tires on gravel and turned expecting Charlotte, but it wasn’t her getting out of the car; it was a group of women and they looked like they meant business. But what business? Couldn’t be a religious group. They sent young men in suits, and arrived on bikes, not luxury sedans. Green Peace proffered naturalist-looking millennials in Priuses. Maybe it was the local auxiliary looking for donations for the bake sale? The leader of the posse approached him, and he recognized it was Marybeth, Charlotte’s friend, who had visited him and Ivy from the church.
“Bastien?” Marybeth called out as she and the other two marched toward him. “You don’t get to marry Charlotte without asking her friends first.”
His eyes grew wide. He’d heard of getting permission from the father, but the girlfriends? “I’m sorry for overstepping my boundaries. I thought love was all I’d need.”
That seemed the right thing to say because when they got to him, they didn’t brandish weapons, only smiles and congratulations. “Can we talk?” Marybeth asked.
He led them into his house. If Charlotte’s friends were going to talk, he was going to listen. As soon as they were inside, the woman named Tilly went to work making a pot of coffee while the other women peppered him with questions about his intentions, his history, how he had proposed, what plans he’d made already. As they sipped coffee, Marybeth cleared her throat. “Since we were kids, Charlotte had a dream of being married on the beach. How would you feel about that?”
“I’d marry Charlotte anywhere.”
“Wonderful. We don’t have much time to prepare her perfect wedding but we’re going to try. Between us, we can handle caterers, the preacher, chairs, flowers, and the rest. But there’s one thing we can’t possibly deliver.”
“What’s that?”
“Charlotte’s dress. It would take an act of God, and even my connection isn’t good enough,” Marybeth said with a chuckle. “The dress Charlotte had made for her ‘someday’ was on display in Because You Said Yes when it was flooded. We wouldn’t know where to begin. Everything from the lace to the interlining was custom. Only someone with connections to a premiere couture house would be able to come close on short notice. That dress was the embodiment of Charlotte’s dream wedding, assuming she found her dream man. That’s you. I can guarantee you this will be the only wedding Charlotte will ever have. Of course, she would marry you in anything, but we all know how much that beautiful gown meant to her. What do you think? Would you help us?”
He thought about his sister’s letter and her request to give his mom a chance. Annette was always boasting about her ability to get anything done, solve any problem, find the tiniest needle in the largest haystack, and for damn sure she knew people in haute couture. He'd put her to the test. “I know the perfect person for the job. Leave me your numbers.”
“Then leave the rest to us. And don’t say a word. It’s a long shot.” They didn’t know his mother. Nothing was a long shot to Annette Richmond, Bastien thought with a hint of pride that surprised him. When they left, he phoned his mother and before she could say anything, he said, “Mom, I could use your help.”
