Her Last Letter (38 page)

“Gwyn-”

“No, let me finish. It’s better if I get this out all at once. The time I was away in Denver, the time you left me the roses, I smelled perfume on my pillow that night. It wasn’t mine, and I wasn’t imagining it. I know you’re going to deny it, but I need you to tell me the truth. If you’ve been having an affair with Sylvia Breslin, I need to know it. I have to assume that she was the one here the weekend I was gone, and that it was her perfume.”

“Wait, wait, no,” he said, bolting upright. “No, she wasn’t here. Sylvia has
never
been in this house. I swear to you.”

“Then how do you explain the perfume?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know. Let me think.” He walked back and forth, shaking his head and staring at the floor. Finally, he looked at me. “You’re absolutely sure about the perfume?”

“Absolutely.”

“God, why can’t I remember? I was so tired that night. I fell asleep before you got home, and I was trying so hard to stay awake. I remember … yeah. I put the roses in the vase, and then wrote you the note. It took me a while to get that note right. It turned out kind of funny, but romantic too. You liked it, right?”

“Yes.”

“I wanted it to be a nice evening for us. I couldn’t wait for you to get home. I’d missed you, Gwyn. I arranged the flowers on the table, knew you’d see them as soon as you walked in, then I …
wait
.
Wait right there.”
He ran for the stairs.

He returned carrying a small package wrapped in Christmas paper. “Open this.”

I did. It was a bottle of spray cologne.

“Is that what you smelled?”

I sprayed it on my hand and sniffed it. I recognized the scent right away. “Yes, I believe it is.”

“I bought it for
you
, Gwyn. I remember I sprayed it a couple times while I was wrapping some Christmas presents I’d bought for you. I wanted to make sure the thing worked. And I was sitting on the bed when I did it. It must have landed on the pillows. I fell asleep later and then you came home. You never mentioned it. If you’d said something back then I would have-”

“But what about Sylvia?”

He stiffened then, all seriousness. “She’s a business associate, and that’s all. I love you, Gwyn. Just you.”

Still, he hadn’t denied it.

I waited for him to continue, not sure what I wanted to do. Finally, he spoke. “I saw you that day in Aspen. I saw you with Josh, the day you were late for lunch.”

“Oh.”

“I saw you after I parked the car. I saw you go off with him.”

“But you didn’t say anything.”

“Yes-I did. And you lied to me.”

“I …”

“Gwyn, I thought you were seeing him again. I saw the way you looked at him. Then I realized that’s why you wanted to go to Aspen in the first place, to meet up with him. You didn’t want me along. I thought you were unhappy with me, with our marriage, that you were planning to leave.”

“No.”

“I know, but it’s what I thought.”

I shook my head wearily. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I made you think that. I should have told you. But I haven’t been right. I’ve been so mixed up lately, for so long now. It wasn’t fair to you.”

“About Sylvia. I suppose I used her … to get your attention. She’s an attractive woman. I could see you were jealous. I shouldn’t have done that either, but I did. The truth is, you have nothing to worry about where she’s concerned. Sylvia is an incredibly huge pain in the ass. It’s getting harder and harder for me just to be around her. In fact, I’ve asked Bob to intercede and keep the meetings with her as limited as possible until this project is finished. She doesn’t mean anything to me. She never will.”

I leaned in and kissed him. “Well, I’m sorry to say I don’t think I’ll ever be able to wear this perfume.”

He laughed, and I could see the relief wash over his face. I hadn’t forced him to answer-not directly.

“Oh. Well I have much better gifts for you,” he said. “Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until Christmas.”

“Not that far off.”

“No.”

His brow furrowed, and I could see he still had something on his mind. “I know you were worried Sylvia might sue Josh,” he said, “for causing the snowmobile accident. You can tell him from me, it won’t happen. It was her fault. Sylvia used the brake. Something I said set her off and she decided to get off right then and there, and just reached up and grabbed it.”

“Oh. So that’s what happened. Okay. I’ll tell him.”

“And I’m okay about Josh now. I am.”

I nodded.

“There’s one more thing you should know,” he said. “I have a little secret. It wasn’t my idea to keep it, but I did because my dad asked me to. I suppose you’ve noticed how I avoid saying much about him.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed.”

“Well, he asked me not to say anything unless I had to. He’s embarrassed. My father is in prison, in Pueblo.” He paused, waiting for a reaction from me.

“Go on.”

“He put together some dicey insurance scams. Finally, it caught up to him. He’s due for a parole hearing soon. He’s hoping. Those trips I take to Denver, well, sometimes I’m only going to visit Dad. Mom goes with me too sometimes. Dad still loves her, but she’s all but given up on him. He says he’s going to change, but even if he does, that no one will hire a jailbird. Maybe he’s right. When he gets out I was thinking of giving him a job at the realty, get him sort of a start. He is a smart man, when he’s not being stupid. What do you think? Do you think I should?”

“Yes, I don’t see anything wrong with giving someone a second chance. After that … well … then they-”

“Then they deserve what they get. Is that what you were going to say?”

“Yes, something like that.”

A large slim package arrived late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. Around the same time, Caroline dropped over to show me the diamond heart pendant Nate had given her the night before.

“So why didn’t Nate wait to give it to you tonight?” I asked as I signed for the package.

“Because he has to work, poor guy. Everybody wants Christmas Eve off. And we’ll be busy driving to his folks in the morning, then back to visit mine in the afternoon. Isn’t it beautiful?” She held the pendant out from her neck for me to view again.

“Yes. He has very nice taste. And it’s always a good sign when a man buys you jewelry.”

She nodded. “No one else ever bought me jewelry. Best thing I ever got was a sweater. Guess I’ll have to marry him. If he asks. Do you think he’ll ask? Not now, of course, it’s too soon. But do you think …? Oh, don’t even bother to answer that. The guy has turned me into sponge cake. Here, let me help you with that.”

We worked together to slide the package inside. “It’s heavy,” she said. “What do you think it is?”

“I have no idea.”

She bent down to read the address. “Says it’s to Mr. and Mrs. Sanders. Looks like it’s from some company. There’s a letter attached.” She shrugged.

Annabelle ran over to see what was going on, carrying her gnawed rubber cat toy. She offered it to Caroline to throw. “Wow, thanks, Annie-B. Could you have made it any wetter?” Care tossed the toy toward the kitchen. “So aren’t you even curious?”

“About what?”

“This,” she said, pointing to the package.

“It’s probably from one of Trevor’s clients. Nothing important.”

“Maybe Sylvia sent it,” Caroline said, smiling slyly.

That made me jump to look.

“Knew that would get your attention,” she said.

“Oh my God. It’s from Josh. It’s from his company.”

“Ooo, better yet.”

I ripped the envelope off the cardboard and opened it. I read the letter silently, while Caroline waited expectantly.

Merry Christmas, Gwyn and Trevor. By now, my mom and I are likely in the south of France or northern Italy. I decided this was the year to give her the trip she’s always talked so glowingly about taking … someday. I imagine I am toured out, holes in my shoes, with enough pictures to paper a cathedral by now. My dear mother has been feeling much livelier since her doctor changed her medication. Anyway, I knew you would enjoy this gift. Hope it arrived in time for Christmas. Have a great one, and love to you both. Always, Josh.

I handed the letter to Caroline. When she’d finished reading, she raised a brow at me. “The man is still carrying a torch. What a waste.” She sighed, then fingered her pendant again. “He heard about Craig, right? That they got him?”

“Yes, Josh called me as soon as he found out. Amazing how quickly news spreads around here.”

“Sure is.”

Annabelle was back, having abandoned the cat toy, begging Caroline to pick her up. Care stooped, reaching down for her. “You just can’t get enough of your Aunt Caroline, now can you? So …? Gwyn?”

“What?” I asked, realizing Care was talking to me now.

“Are you going to open that package or am I going to just stand here and die of curiosity?”

“It’s addressed to Trevor too. Maybe I should wait until he gets home.”

“Oh, come on, Gwyn. Do you really think for a minute Josh bought whatever that is for Trevor? Open it. I can’t stand the suspense. And I have to leave soon to meet Nate before he starts his shift.”

“But maybe I should wait.”

“Look, whatever it is, you’re going to need time to come up with a decent story so Trevor won’t sulk when he sees it. He’s not going to be too thrilled that Josh is still sending you presents.”

“No, he’s okay about Josh now.”

“Right. Gwyn, open it.”

I wedged my fingers into the folds of cardboard, then Caroline joined in to help. The staples popped free. We laid the box on its side and I pulled out some of the packing foam. I could see that the object inside was a framed painting. Carefully, I eased it out. “Oh my God. It’s the LaRoche. He sent me his LaRoche.”

“Is it expensive?”

“Well, yes, but that’s not the point. He loved this. I can’t believe he sent it to me.”

“To you and Trevor.”

I eyed the painting of the small boy and the feisty weed he sought to pull. “You know-I think this is Josh’s way of saying goodbye-to us, to what we had.”

“Yeah, I’d say so.”

“Here, help me, Care.” We lifted the painting and walked with it to my studio. “I think I’ll leave it right here for now,” I said as we placed the painting onto an empty easel next to the now completed portrait of my sister. And silently I added,
So I can remember two of the people I loved most, whom I will miss very much.