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Now he knew why Nora’s name had sounded so familiar at first. Way before he saw it on some list. His grandfatherhadreplied to her. And Alex had mailed the goddamn letter to her himself.
He remembered the afternoon in technicolor heartbreak. His grandfather had tasked him with three things that day: find a stamp, mail a letter, and buy his mother a birthday card. One final card from her dying father. The last task was so out-of-body sad and surreal, he had done the other two “minor” tasks on auto-pilot. Now he realized, not minor at all.
“Was it open?” He asked his uncle, who shook his head.
“The lawyers had advised me to go through all of Hedstrom’s correspondence, and there was plenty. Even in this day and age of supposedly paperless communication. He had stacks of unopened mail. Past-due bills, customer service inquiries, even potential clients reaching out. That letter was mixed in.”
Now the envelope was neatly opened across the top, and a letter opener sat on the desk amid scattered papers. Alex could imagine his uncle’s shock at seeing his own father’s handwriting amidst the impersonal typed business envelopes. And his eagerness to discover what was inside.
“She was already gone when I found it, Alexi.”
“Well then. I have to find her.”
ChapterTwenty-One
Question: do you have a honey bear at your place? I only need a drizzle from him.
Nora had decided she was going to drink her feelings, courtesy of Angelo’s recipe. Or maybe in homage to him.
She had whip-stitched and slip-stitched until her fingers were numb. It turned out that angrily stuffing batting into a sock monkey torso was oddly gratifying. But she had stopped short of finishing when she got to the face. It was up to the creator whether this creature would go through life with a permanent frown or a smile on his little red-heeled face, and Nora wasn’t quite ready to play God like that. It had been a day.
Hence. A drink.
Talia’s response was almost immediate.It’s on its way.Bless her best friend, whose catering business was busy as hell, especially around the holidays, but always stocked with supplies and had a plethora of delivery people at the ready.
Nora shared her location, even though she suspected Talia had probably already checked her app.
Her parents had bourbon and, weirdly enough, orange marmalade in their fridge. She was just trying to figure out if the liquor store down the street would deliver the rest of the ingredients she needed when the buzzer rang.
“Papa Bear, with your honey.”
Nora’s spirits lifted. Talia hadn’t said she was sending it special delivery.
Jonah appeared in the hallway a few seconds later. Sure enough, with a plastic honey bear container in his hand. She ran to meet him in her socks, throwing her arms around her old friend.
“Easy now, Papa Bear had a rough night. Too many of those Challah-day Hangovers. Hey…hey now, why the tears?”
“I quit today. Before Beck could fire me.”
“Wait, what? Suit guy?” Jonah flopped onto her parents’ sectional, taking up half the thing. Nora felt a wave of nostalgia and gratitude. When he was first looking for an accounting job out of college, Jonah would crash at her parents’ place the night before early morning interviews in the city. They took to him like the son they never had. “Hold on. Avi is texting me.”
“Tell him to bring cherry liqueur and chocolate bitters.” She curled up at his side, honey bear clutched to her chest.
“Bring…cherry…liqueur…” he recited as he texted. “I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. He’ll be here in fifteen. Can I have some tea with that honey bear? I’ll trade you some sympathy for it.”
His request reminded her of joking around with Beck in her kitchen. How he took his sugar with coffee and cream.God, how could that have only been thirty-six hours ago?
She felt like she could sleep for the next thirty-six. That would be ideal. Maybe Talia would even trade in their standing date with Chinese food and a movie on Christmas and have her over for a slumber party. Nora could help her grate onions for the Katz family eighth night holiday dinner, so she wouldn’t have to make any excuses for her tears.
“I can’t believe I let my guard down, Jo.”
She pushed herself up and went to put on the kettle, saying no more. She knew she’d only have to repeat things after she buzzed Avi up.
Please Nora – I can explain everything
It’s not how you think
I’m sorry things got so complicated
