Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
I don’t even bother trying to deny what I feel for Lennie. What’s the point? Mom knows me too well. “It’s not that easy. She knows, but I made promises. I should be her protector, not—”
“Not Lennie,” she says, shaking her head like she’s explaining to a child. “Lilith. Tell her what’s going on. Lay it all out on the table. You’ll feel better for it.”
I stare at her, narrowing my eyes. Opening my mouth to speak doesn’t help, because I have no words.
“Don’t look at me like that, Cade Jamison. I’m not crazy. I know Lilith is no longer with us.”
“Then…”
“Don’t interrupt. I liked her, loved her in fact. But you couldn’t pretend with me. I knew there was nothing between you but friendship. But with Lennie? That’s different. That’s love.” She takes a sip of her tea and watches me for a moment. “I was twenty-six when my brother died, married and living here with your father. The last time I saw Leo, we had a massive falling out. I told him some things I regretted, and I couldn’t take them back because he was gone. So you know what I did?”
I shake my head. She’s never told me this story. Of course, I knew Uncle Leo was dead, but I had no idea there was anything but love between them.
“I wrote him a letter. Put down all the things I wanted to say and couldn’t because he was no longer there. Then I put that letter into the fire and watched the ashes take my message away. And I felt him there when I did it. I felt his arm around me, telling me he understood. Apologizing for the frankly unforgivable things he said to me. And I forgave him for those too.”
I draw a breath. “You think I should write a letter to Lilith, telling her I’m sorry I’m f… I’m starting a relationship with her daughter?”
She nods, a twinkle in her eye. “That or pray, but I don’t think you’re the praying type.”
She tries to stifle a smirk, but it comes anyway, and then she starts to laugh.
And I find myself laughing too.
Mom was right.
Putting it all down in words was hard. It felt wrong, and as I wrote them all I could think about was how I was betraying Lilith’s trust. But now that it’s all down on the page, I do feel like she’s reading the words back with me.
“I’m sorry for betraying your trust,” I say aloud, reading the last paragraph. “We can’t choose who we fall in love with. And if I could, I’d still choose Lennie, because she’s perfect. She’s everything. I hope you can forgive me, wherever you are, but either way I have to pursue what’s going to make us both happy, and that’s having each other. Things aren’t going to be easy for the next few days and weeks, but we’ll make it work. And a part of that is telling her all about us. About what we were to each other.”
I blow out a breath and fold the paper. Funny to think that this is the same fireplace Mom threw her own letter into all those years ago.
“Lilith, I hope you’ll forgive me.” As I say the words, I move to toss the paper into the flames.
But at that same moment, my phone starts to ring.
Distracted, I grab it from my pocket and check the screen. Fuck, my forensic investigator. The thumb drive. I’d almost forgotten about it.
“Mr. Jamison?”
“Yeah, what have you got?”
“Straight to business, I like that.” He clears his throat. “Part of the video was deleted as you suspected. It’s been cut to make it look like the young lady set the fire, or was at least responsible for it in a misadventure, but we’ve managed to recover the section that was removed. It tells a very different story.”
“And?”
“The cameras catch a man coming in after she’s left. That’s when the fire starts. I’m afraid there’s no doubt that he was the one that set the fire. And it was deliberate, though obviously we can’t tell his motivations for doing so.”
Fuck.
I know who it is on that video. And as for his motivations, I’m pretty sure I know exactly what they are too.
“Would you be willing to testify to that in court?”
“Well, either me or one of my assistants, yes. That’s what you’re paying us for. We can sign an affidavit to that effect, or testify in person if necessary… Is that likely to happen?”
“It might. I’ll be in touch. Can you email me your findings?”
“Of course. I just wanted to give you the news in person first.”
“Thanks.” I sign off and hang up, then turn to grab the letter.
And find Lennie staring at the page.
When did she come in? How much has she read?