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What Maggie saw glinting in the sun rays spilling in from the window had to be some kind of mistake, and it drew her further into the office as she stared at the plaque.
It couldn’t be, and yet it clearly read“Matthew Bradshaw, Teacher of the Year, Denver County Public Schools.”Maggie picked it up in her hands, turning it over. No.
The full measure of understanding hit her like the wind on a frigid day.The missing boxes. Paula, after all, had helped with the packing. And while Maggie had been certain that every box had been moved into her new home, she’d been wrong about that. Matt’s mementos were not missing at all. They were all here, under the Bradshaws’ roof. Once again, they had taken something from her that they had no right to take.
Maggie held the plaque to her chest with shaking hands and carried it out of the office as Paula and Jack were coming back inside.
“What’s wrong?” Jack asked.
He’d known her a month, and he could tell.
Paula’s eyes were riveted to what Maggie held in her arms but she didn’t say a word.
Maggie took a deep steadying breath. “I need to talk to Paula. Will you excuse us, please?”
She ignored Jack’s questioning eyes and led Paula into the living room. Paula turned to her, eyes wide and pleading.
“Let me explain.”
“I’m listening.”
She didn’t owe Paula anything at all, but in truth, she wanted to know. She needed to know why.God, please give me strength and lend me the spirit of forgiveness because I cannot do this on my own.
“You weren’t supposed to go in Richard’s office.” Paula’s chin trembled.
“I wasn’t supposed to go in there and see this. What else do you have that belongs to Matt?” Maggie’s voice rose while her throat constricted as though filled with sharp pins.
“It was Richard.”
Paula put a hand to her head and took a seat on the couch, ignoring the fact that she’d once told Maggie no one ever sat in this room.
“How? Why?”
“When you were moving Lexi into the house you bought, I think he realized he’d lost. It hit him hardest then. He hadn’t really cried since Matt died, but on that day, it hit him. Imagine what he has to live with, Maggie. He didn’t accept what Matt wanted to do with his life when he was alive. When he saw theplaque, he found a pride in Matt he couldn’t dredge up when he was alive.”
Maggie’s heart ached for Richard. He was so lost. Too lost to even know it. Hadn’t she told Jack that the lost were some of her favorite people?
“Do you have everything else? I assumed the boxes were lost or misplaced. I never dreamed you would purposely hang on to them.”
“I told him he should have asked you if he might have some of Matt’s belongings, and that I’d never known you to be anything but kind. But you know how he can get. I had hoped to gradually talk Richard into giving them back. Things don’t replace people, and I’ve told him a hundred times. I have my memories, and the love Matt and I had for each other remains with me. Richard doesn’t have that.”
“I’ve been telling Lexi the same thing. Matt’s mementos won’t replace him.” Funny how they’d both made the same foolish mistake.
“You might think that Richard is worried you want Lexi to forget we exist, but the truth is he’s afraid you’ll let her forget Matt.”
“I would never do that.”
Lexi would always have the benefit of wonderful memories of a loving relationship with Matt. They’d never wasted a moment of affection. If it were up to her she’d let Matt’s parents have everything that was left of him on earth because she couldn’t imagine the pain of losing a child.
“Mom?” Lexi stood at the entrance to the living room, Jack standing a few feet behind her.
“Look what I found.” Maggie turned the plaque in Lexi’s direction. “I guess we just forgot the boxes here. We should have thought of that.”
Paula rose, and her trembling lips formed a smile.
“I’m sure we can find the rest of your dad’s things around here somewhere.”
“You found the missing boxes,” Lexi said with a grin. “This day gets better and better.”
