by Kay Correll
“And she looked so happy to meet Linda and have the chance to get to know her. Did you hear the two of them talking at dinner? All about knitting and then about some book series they’d both read? I think they said it was called Lighthouse Point? Anyway, I think they’re going to get along fabulously.” Nora took a sip of wine. “But I don’t think Walt is going to take the news very well.”
“And I don’t care one bit about how Walt takes the news.”
“There’s no love lost between you two, is there?”
“No…” Harrison looked out into the night. “At one time we were friends. Well, I thought we were. I tried to be. He’d sometimes let me tag along with him and his friends when I came here in the summer.”
He turned and looked at her, his eyes sad and haunted. “Then my last summer here… there was a terrible accident. Walt took my grandfather’s car. He and his buddies took it out joyriding. He ran into a tree and totaled the car. One of the boys was hurt badly. He was in the hospital for months recovering.”
She frowned. “But your grandfather gave Walt the power to make the decision if the inheritors couldn’t agree?”
Harrison stood and walked over to the railing. “I’m not sure that Walt didn’t trick Grandfather into signing that letter, and Grandfather never found out that it was Walt driving the car.”
“He didn’t?”
“Walt told him it was me.”
“But you told him it wasn’t, didn’t you? Didn’t he believe you?”
“I never did say it wasn’t me. I didn’t say anything. I just let him think it was me.”
“Why in the world would you do that?” She chewed her lip, not understanding.
“Because Walt had me convinced that my mother was cheating on my Dad. Said he’d tell my father. He even had a photo of her with another man that he showed me. Said he’d followed her and spied on her and took the photos. I was just—in shock.” He paced the porch. “I didn’t want my dad’s world to blow up, and I didn’t want my family to break up. So I stayed silent. Walt said it was best for me to take the blame because he lived in Sweet River Falls and he had a scholarship to play football at college in the fall and it might ruin things if it got out that he’d done this. And his buddies all backed up his story. Anyway, I stayed silent to protect my family.”
“And your grandfather never found out?”
“I’m not sure.”
“After it happened, my grandfather yelled at me about how irresponsible I was and how someone could have been killed and how disappointed he was in me. He paid the hospital bill for Walt’s friend. And…” Harrison paused in his pacing, his eyes full of pain. “And my grandfather sent me away. Told me not to come back.”
“Oh, Harrison.” Her heart broke for the boy he’d been, banished from a place he loved, and the man standing before her, still haunted by the memory.
“When Mom heard what happened she went to talk to Grandfather. I know my mother defended me. She just didn’t believe I would do that. Take the car like that and be so irresponsible. But I never told her the truth because… well, I still thought I was protecting her.” His eyes narrowed. “Then years later I found that exact same picture of my mother and that man. Turns out he was a second cousin or second cousin once or twice removed or something like that. They’d met at a family reunion years ago and he still stopped by to see her when he came to town. And now I’m sure Walt knew that but lied to me to get what he wanted. I feel terrible that I believed his lies about my mother.”
“And you never came back to Sweet River Falls?”
“No, I couldn’t. Grandfather told me to leave and stay away. I didn’t return until this trip”
“Well, it looks like Walt is getting what’s coming to him tomorrow. And I have to say, I’m not sorry. He’s a mean-hearted man. And I’m the first to admit I’m beyond thrilled that there won’t be condos built right across from us on the lake.”
He smiled at her then and took her hand. “I’m glad for you too. The lake is beautiful, isn’t it? Magical.” He leaned over and kissed her, and the feelings that swept through her took her breath away.
It was a magical place. A very magical place.
Chapter 29
First thing the next morning, Harrison took his mother, Linda, and Nora over to Walt’s place. It wasn’t Walt’s place. He had to keep reminding himself. It was his grandfather’s cabin. Well, it was owned three ways by Walt, Linda, and his mother. He grinned as he pulled up to the cabin.
He knocked on the door and watched Walt’s eyes widen as he opened the door. Walt frowned. “What do you want?”
“We’re coming in,” his mother said forcefully.
He had to hide a smile at her spunk. Now that’s the mother he remembered and adored.
“I’m busy.”
“That’s okay. We have every right to be here.” His mother brushed passed Walter, pulling Linda along with her.
Harrison took Nora’s arm, and they walked into the cabin.
“What’s this all about? I talked to my lawyer in Denver. He said my claim is legal even if you get Aunt Ellen’s signature on the sale overturned. I get to decide what we’re doing with the property.”
Harrison turned when Gloria Edmonds walked out of his grandfather’s office.
“Walter, what’s all this?” She stood with a hand on her hip, not looking pleased.
“They’re just poor losers.” Walt smirked.
“Actually, we came to show you this.” Harrison held out a copy of the amended will.
Walt glanced at it and didn’t look all that surprised by what he read. “This is obviously a fake.”
“No, it’s not. And it’s notarized and we have this letter from Grandfather, too.”
Harrison looked past Walt into the open door to the office. His grandfather’s safe was wide open. He quickly walked past Walt, into the office, and directly over to the safe. Walt looked up and lumbered into the office. “Hey, get out of there.”
Harrison scooped out the papers in the safe. “It’s not technically your safe, Walt.”
“Yes, it is…” Walt sputtered.
Harrison looked at the papers in his hand. A copy of the very same amended will that he’d just given to Walt. He looked at his cousin. “How did you get this?” He shook his head. “Never mind. Just another lie and trick. So you knew all along that there was another person who had rights to the property.”
“No, I—”
“Oh, stop.” His mother walked up beside him. “Is that a copy of the will Linda had?”
“It is.”
“Walter, you’ve done nothing but try to destroy this family. Your father would have been devastated to know the man you’ve become.”
Gloria walked into the office. “What does this mean, Walter? Is the sale not going to go through? I already sold my house. I was so tired of the upkeep. I was depending on having a condo here on the lake with people to take care of all that for me. All I have now is a temporary rental.”
“Looks like you should look for more permanent housing.” Harrison rolled his eyes. He glanced at Nora and didn’t miss the quickly hidden smile that crossed her face.
“And Walter, we’re going to use the cabin as a family retreat from now on. I think it best if you found yourself a new place to live,” his mother insisted.
“But this is my home,” Walt practically whined.
“No, it’s not. And unless you’d like to pay the family foundation back rent for all the years you’ve lived here… then I suggest you find new lodging. We can decide how the cabin is used since two out of the three descendants agree. You know, as per the new will.” His mother walked up to Walt. “You have two weeks.”
“Two weeks?”
“That’s more than generous considering all the lies you’ve told and the secrets you’ve kept. Enough is enough. I refuse to let one family member ruin what a wonderful family we had… and still do have.” She turned and smiled at Linda.
“Walter, do
something.” Gloria stood with her arms on her hips, eyes flashing.
“There’s really nothing your good friend Walt can do at this point.” Harrison shook his head.
“You’re all fools, you know. The will says if there are no descendants left, the property will go to the town. In case you’ve forgotten, neither you nor I have any kids. And I already checked. Linda here doesn’t either. You’re giving up all that money we could split if we sell now. The town will eventually get the property and we’ll get nothing. They may even decide to put up condos here. So you’ve just delayed the inevitable.”
It didn’t surprise him that Walt already knew about Linda specifically and had checked her out. Nothing Walt did surprised him anymore.
Linda walked up to him and held up a hand. “Let me say something.” She turned to Walt. “And yet, I will have a child in five more months.” She rested her hand on her belly.
Walter’s eyes went wide. “But your husband died.”
Harrison looked at Linda in surprise. She’d lost her mother and her husband?
“He did. And right afterward I found out I was pregnant.” Tears clouded her eyes, but she stood tall. “It was a surprise, but a wonderful surprise.”
Harrison was pretty darn proud of this new aunt of his. His mother came over and hugged Linda. “Oh, Linda. This is such exciting news.”
“I wanted to come here and find out about my family. My baby’s family. That’s why I came to Sweet River Falls. It’s a bit late in life to have a child, but the doctor said that both the baby and I are doing fine. And I count this child as a real blessing. A gift from my husband.”
“As well you should. A child is always a blessing,” his mother agreed.
“Walter?” Gloria still stood glaring at all of them.
“I think it best if you leave now, Walter. You can come back later for your personal items, but I’ll be here to make sure that’s all you take.” His mother stood next to Linda, her arm protectively around her shoulder. “Linda is going to get to know this wonderful place. And all its history. And your lies and trickery will no longer be tolerated, do you hear me?”
Walt almost looked chastened. Almost. “Come on, Gloria. Let’s go.” Walter took Gloria’s arm and led her toward the door.
“Seriously, Walter. Where am I going to live?” Gloria’s annoyed voice filtered through the room.
“Where am I going to live?” Walter muttered under his breath.
And maybe it made him a shallow, ungracious man, but Harrison just didn’t care where Walt ended up.
Harrison sat at the desk in his grandfather’s office. Nora had taken his mother and Linda back to the lodge, but he’d wanted to stay and sort through the papers here. He didn’t really want any more surprises.
He riffled through the papers he’d taken from the safe and saw an envelope addressed to him. In his grandfather’s handwriting. Yet something else Walt had hidden from him.
He swallowed and slowly opened the envelope, the glue no longer sealing it, or maybe it had been opened before.
With shaking hands, he unfolded the paper and smoothed it on the desk.
* * *
My Dearest Harrison,
* * *
I have many regrets in my life, not the least of which is sending you away all those years ago. I should have known that you had nothing to do with the accident. When I got so sick, that Meyer boy who was hurt in the accident finally came and told me the truth. Told me Walter had been driving the car. I guess he felt guilty I’d die not knowing the truth and wanted to ease his own conscience.
But now my health is failing, and if you’re reading this, I am gone. I’ve left instructions to make sure you get this letter along with the new will.
I want you to know that I have another daughter, Linda. She’s a lovely young woman. It’s a long story that is hers or her mother’s to tell. I hope that you will make sure she and her mother get their rightful inheritance from my estate. I’ve enclosed information on how you can find them.
And I want to offer my deepest regrets, I am so very sorry for how I handled the situation. You’re a fine man and I love you. Please accept my very belated apology. I know my apology won’t change how things turned out, but I still want you to know how sorry I am.
Never let things go unsaid to someone you love.
My love and affection always,
* * *
Grandfather
* * *
Harrison blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. The words he’d waited half his lifetime to hear. That his grandfather loved him. He clutched the paper to his chest and walked out onto the porch, looking out over the lake. He sucked in a deep breath of the clean air and looked at the mountains in the distance with the first snowfall of the year just covering their peaks. He could feel the approaching snowfall in the air.
And he could almost feel his grandfather standing beside him.
“I forgive you, Grandfather.” He whispered the words across the lake.
Chapter 30
Nora and Harrison sat on a bench beside the lake that evening. A full moon flooded the area with its silvery light. Harrison held her hand in his, and they watched the stars flicker above them.
She leaned against his shoulder, feeling his warmth and enjoying his company. She’d gotten so used to being around him but knew that he and his mother would be returning to Chicago soon.
Timing was everything in life, sometimes. And she and Harrison had met at a time when their lives were in different cities.
He turned to her and tilted her chin up, one hand stroking her face. “Nora, I have something to say to you. My grandfather encouraged me to say it, actually.”
“Your grandfather?”
“Never let things go unsaid to someone you love.”
Her heart skipped a beat.
“And I love you, Nora Cassidy. Probably from the first moment I met you. It just took me a while to figure it out.”
“But we’re from different worlds,” she protested.
“Everything can be overcome if we try.”
“But my life is here. I can’t give up the lodge, and your job is in Chicago.” She knew her protests about geography weren’t the real problem. She knew that.
“Nora, we can work things out. Tell me you want to try.” His eyes held a determination in them, imploring her to just… try.
But she couldn’t say yes. Not yet.
“I… I need some time.”
His forehead creased. “You care about me too, don’t you?”
“Harrison, really, I need some time to… think.”
He nodded then because he was quintessentially a gentleman after all.
Her emotions rolled, and her thoughts ricocheted like a snowball barreling down a mountain.
She looked at him in the moonlight and knew without a doubt that she cared about him. And that scared her. She didn’t know if it was enough to overcome…
She looked out at the lake.
To overcome her guilt and the feeling that she would be leaving Ronnie behind.
Chapter 31
She sat beside the lake on her favorite rock the next evening. Ronnie had been noticeably absent these last few days. “Ronnie, I need you. I need to talk to you. I need to figure out what to do.”
She could understand exactly how Harrison’s grandfather had felt when he’d gotten close to Linda’s mother. And the guilt he’d felt even though his wife was gone. So Vernon had pushed Patricia away because of his guilt. And look what a mess had come from that.
She turned at the sound of a noise beside the lake. “Ronnie,” she whispered.
The blue heron walked right up to within a couple of yards of her.
“Ronnie, I need a sign. Something to tell me what to do.” She knew she was ridiculous talking to a bird, but… still…
The heron looked at her, and she swore he bobbed his head in a yes. He looked at her one more time and then stretched his majestic wings, took a few wobbly s
teps, and flew off over the lake.
She looked up at the heavens. “I’ll always love you, Ronnie. Nothing will ever change that.”
The heron circled back around and flew over her head, dipping once in his flight until he disappeared into the distance.
She looked down at her left hand, staring at the silver wedding band that had been on her finger for so many years. She slowly slipped it off her finger and carefully placed it in her pocket.
At that very moment, snow began to gently fall around her. She lifted her face and let the flakes slowly drift onto her skin, melting as they rolled down her cheeks. Soon, they mingled with her tears.
“Thank you, Ronnie,” she whispered.
The snow began covering the ground in a beautiful new blanket of white. Everything looked fresh and new. A new beginning.
“It’s going to be okay, isn’t it?” she whispered to the wind gently tossing the snow across the ground. “It’s okay to move on and find happiness.”
She lifted her face to the falling flakes of snow. The first snowfall of the year had always been her thing. She looked forward to it every year. And every single year since she’d been a little girl, she’d gone out and thrown herself into the snow and made a snow angel.
That is until the year that Ronnie died. It had seemed… frivolous… to abandon everything and throw herself into the snow. It was just a young girl thing she’d done. Then she’d become a single parent without time for just… fun.
She watched while the snow began to gather, covering the ground. The storm gathered in intensity, dumping the white fluffy flakes all around her.
Without thinking it through, without stopping to think about how ridiculous it was… she scampered off the rock and threw herself down in the pristine white patch of snow beside the lake.
She flung out her arms wide and scooted her legs back and forth.