Page 82 of The Cottage on Plum Island
“Promise!” Harley held her eyes briefly before they dropped to the envelope. “Do you want me to open it and read it for you?”
Jennifer looked at the letter and nodded. She knew she was being a coward, but Jennifer also knew if she saw her mother’s handwriting, she would burst into a flood of tears.
Harley squeezed her hand before taking the envelope and carefully slitting it open with a clean knife from the table. He pulled out a birthday card, and when he opened it, he found a handwritten letter folded inside.
“I’ll read the card first,” Harley told her.
My darling Jennifer,
Happy birthday love. I’m not sure which birthday you’ll get this card on, but I’m hoping it’s not so far in the future that I’m just a distant memory.
I hope you like the present your father and I picked out. I couldn’t make it to a store, so your father had the store brought to me. I managed to pick out two last presents, one for each of the people I love the most in this whole world.
Love
Mom
Jennifer sat staring at the card in Harley’s hands. Her jaw was clenched tight as she gulped down the water, trying to keep the tears at bay. A picture of a heart-shaped gift box on the card stated:Children are the greatest gift.
“Jennifer?” Harley’s voice was soft as he took her hand once again. “Are you okay?”
Her eyes met his, and she nodded.
“Do you want me to read the letter?” Harley asked, scanning it until the last page. His head shot up, and he looked at her. “Before I start, I must warn you that these two pages are two different letters, one from your mother and the other from your … fromAndrew.”
“Read the one from my mother,” Jennifer’s voice was hoarse. “I’m not interested in anything Andrew has to say.” She paused and wiped her eyes. “Or at least not yet, anyway.”
Harley turned to the letter from Jennifer’s mother.
“Oh!” Harley’s brows shot up, and looked at Jennifer. “The first sentence after Darling Jennifer is:Before you read my letter, you must read your father’s so you’ll understand mine.”
“I knew this was a trap.” Anger spurted through Jennifer. “It’s probably not even a letter from my mother, and Andrew set all this up to reel me in so he couldexplainhimself and clear his conscience.”
She finished her shake and pushed aside her plate with the half-eaten burger and fries. “I’ve lost my appetite. Let’s get the bill and leave. I need to collect Harriet soon anyway.”
Jennifer made a grab for the card Harley had put on the table but he stopped her.
“Stop it!” Harley shook his head and slid the card toward himself. “You need to read these.” His eyes looked suspiciously glassy, and his voice hoarse.
“You can read them to me in the car,” Jennifer said, hailing the server who came right over. “Can we have the check, please?”
“You’re not going to have a dessert?” The server looked disappointed.
“Maybe another time,” Jennifer said, knowing full well that wouldn’t happen.
“If you come back on your…” the server glanced at Jennifer’s hand, “boyfriend’s birthday I’ll give you both double desserts.”
“We’ll keep that in mind,” Jennifer gave her a tight smile as she paid the check while Harley continued to read the letters. “Let’s go.”
Harley’s head snapped up and he looked around startled to see the dishes being collected. “I was going to get the check.”
“Too late,” Jennifer said, stuffing the present and managing to grab the card and envelope as she slid from the chair. “We have to get to Chestnut Hill and then pick up Harriet.”
Harley carefully folded the letters and slipped them into the pocket of his pants when he stood. As they were walking out the door, the server stopped them.
“Wait!” she called. “I know this is probably nothing and just my overactive imagination. But there’s been a man standing across the street pretending to read a newspaper, but I could swear he was watching you.”
Harley and Jennifer turned to see a man dash into a store, making Jennifer’s heart slammed into her chest. She turned to the server.
