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“Yo ho,” CJ says, coming in behind him.
“I brought a bottle of rum,” Royal says.
“Are we celebrating something?”
“Not that I know of. The excavators found this buried when they were digging for the installation of the new pool plumbing.” Royal sets the glass bottle on the table with a thud.
“Seems Chip had a private label.Sempre Spirits,” Ryan says.
“Always?” Royal says, translating.
I slap my hand over the ring.
My brothers stare at me.
No going back.
“Found this.” I pinch the wedding band between my fingers. “Actually, Boo dug it up.”
They take turns studying it and the inscription.
“This is our grandmother’s ring,” CJ says with certainty.
“How do you know?” Royal asks, ever doubtful.
“I remember it.”
“She passed away just after Emmie was born. You couldn’t have been more than a three? Four?” I ask.
CJ sighs like he’s the one talking to a bunch of toddlers. “Avó probably didn’t pass away. And she always took off her rings at night when she washed up. She’d take a beach walk every morning before dressing for the day. The salt and spray would mess up her hair. When she’d return, she’d put on her jewelry.”
It’s hard to deny how much CJ reminds me of Chip. After all, he’s Chip Junior.
He frowns. “I remember one afternoon you guys were out doingwhateverwithout me and Chip was in one of his moods.”
“The rum kind of mood?” Royal asks.
“It’s probably a good thing that he buried it all,” Ryan says, reminding us of what the excavator found on the Driftwood property.
It was a shame, but from time to time, Chip would slip into something like an angry depression. It wasn’t that he didn’t get out of bed. No, he’d storm around, looking at everything and everyone like he wanted to burn it to the ground or cast it into the ocean. He’d tell wild stories and proclaim even wilder—and sometimes weirder—theories.
Then in the calm after the storm, he’d add a new section onto one of the buildings, something like the mini golf course would appear, or a new adventure would be hatched.
CJ nods. “One day, he was in one and held out his palm, saying, ‘Boy, I want you to see this. Memorize it. Whoever finds it, if used in good faith, will find their true love.’ Then, taking me by the hand, he dragged me to the shoreline and chucked it in the water.”
Arms crossed, Royal leans back. “I don’t believe you.”
Our youngest brother shrugs. “You never do.”
Ryan passes the ring back to me.
“See? Lost doesn’t mean forever.” CJ says meeting my gaze.
“Butsempredoes.”
“Technically, it means always,” Royal says.
“Always and forever.” I lift my gaze to my brothers. “I thought it belonged to our grandmother.” I was hoping so. “I’m going to ask Lally to marry me. With your blessing, I’d like this to be her wedding band... If she says yes.”
