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Edward
Today wasthe first day it actually felt like autumn. The bay area had had unseasonably warm weather all the way through September. This morning it was overcast and gray and I was enjoying the view from my high-rise office as I watched a light drizzle of rain pelt the window. Behind me, I heard the sound of the door open and my nose instantly detected the smell of my favorite coffee mixed with the scent of Julia’s heavenly perfume.
“Here you go boss!” She set the Starbucks on my desk as she had done at least a hundred times before.
“Thanks Julia! What brings you down here besides my caffeine fix? I thought you were going to be working on that legal matter regarding our Brooklyn office today. All those files are at home aren’t they?”
“Can’t I come down to my sexy financé’s office and show him how much I appreciate him?”
“I suppose so……is that really why you’re here? Or were you doing a bit of wedding shopping already this morning?”
“No. You got me. The coffee was a pretense. I came down to talk to you about something that’s been on my mind. Maybe you should take a seat.”
“Wow this sounds serious Julia. Is everything alright at home? Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine. Everything’s fine. There’s really nothing to worry about. But I still wish you’d sit down.”
“What’s this about? Why all the mystery?”
“Well it’s about your grandfather. There’s something I think you should know about him.”
“What could you possibly know about him that I don’t? Was he gay? Are you his illegitimate love child? Did he have webbed toes?”
“Are you going to be serious Edward?”
I finally sat down as Julia had requested and reached out for her hand across my desk.
“Julia I’m just trying to add a little humor to this sober conversation. I think you’d be hard-pressed to tell me anything new about Nonno. I’ve been going through all of his files and I’ve been learning quite a bit about that interesting old man.”
“Yes I know you’ve been doing that. You’ve been sharing all your insights and wonderful stories about him with Nigel and I every evening. That’s why I’m here now……”
“WHY are you here now?”
“Because I know you’re reading his private correspondence.”
“But how does that relate to you Julia? His files are my property now. I have a right to know what’s in them.”
“Of course you do. I know that. But I also know it’s just a matter of time before you find out…..”
“Find out what dammit?! My patience is starting to wane Julia!”
“I thought it would be better if you heard it from me first so I could explain everything before you found it in some file.”
“Found what? What have you been hiding from me?”
“Well the thing is, somewhere in one of those drawers or I don’t know, maybe in an old email file are some letters between your grandfather and ……….me.”
“You? You and my Nonno corresponded with each other? When was this and what was it about?”
“It was before you and I met actually.”
“What?! How could you possibly know him BEFORE we met?! That doesn’t even make sense!”
Her statement caused me to hop back up out of my chair and nervously pace back and forth.
“Now Edward there’s no reason for you to freak out. Nothing bad happened.”
“Well exactly what was going on and whydidn’t I know about it?”
