“Didn’t Grant tell you?” Mrs. Fletcher narrows her eyes at me. She thought I would’ve shared my secret already. “I live up the street with my brother. I stay up here during the winters,” she says, smiling at Jessa and then frowning at me. I know the look all too well; she’s disappointed in me.
“No, he didn’t mention that,” Jessa stares at me, confused. Great, now both women in this house seem to be upset with me.
The oven beeps, informing us that it’s preheated, and I take this opportunity to escape. I place the cinnamon rolls in the oven and start making a pot of coffee.
Once everything is ready, I join them at the table, where they are currently talking about Trey. Lately, he seems different. Jessa tells Mrs. Fletcher how he rarely brings random girls home anymore and she often finds him lying on his bed, staring at some picture. When she confronts him, he says it’s nothing and places the picture back in his drawer.
I hand out the two coffees and put the cinnamon rolls in the center with three plates. I scoop a roll out for each of them and they both smile at me. “Isn’t Grant so polite? I taught him that, you know.” Mrs. Fletcher takes credit for all of my good qualities.
“You did?” Jessa questions, giving me that confused look again. I need to get her out of here before she finds out everything I’ve been keeping from her.
“Living across the street from the Carsens enabled me to spend a lot of time with Grant and Brady when they were little,” she informs Jessa.
“Oh yeah, I think Sadie said something about that once.” Jessa wraps both her hands around her coffee mug and brings it up to her mouth.
“Well, I should probably get going. Didn’t mean to interrupt,” Mrs. Fletcher says, standing up.
“Let me walk you back,” I tell her, silently asking Jessa for permission. She shoos me off with her hand, telling me to go ahead.
I kiss Jessa’s cheek before following Mrs. Fletcher out the front door. With the slick and icy roads, I wish she never would’ve put herself in harm’s way walking to my cabin this morning. She hooks her arm through mine and I hold onto it with my opposite hand, so in case we slip, I’ll keep her steady.
“Grant…”
“I know, Mrs. Fletcher, you don’t have to say it. Everyone’s told me,” I interrupt her.
“What have they said?” she slows our pace. I’m not sure if it’s because of the road conditions or because she wants to talk to me longer.
“Not to hurt her.”
“It’s good that I have something new to say then,” she says, smiling up at me. This woman is so damn special to me. She took care of me like a grandmother since childhood and I hope she isn’t going to tell me she doesn’t like Jessa, because I would hate to disappoint her.
“What’s that?”
“You deserve this, Grant. Don’t think otherwise. I know you’ve been deserted and left behind in the past. You feel as though it’ll always end with a broken heart, but she’s it, Grant. I wouldn’t have thought it, knowing you two apart, but now that I see you together I see it there,” she says, patting my hand that rests on top of hers. We’re almost to her house now and I see Fred throwing down salt on the stairs.
“What’s there?” I ask, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
“It’s hard to explain. The best way to explain it is the one love of one’s life.” She pats my hand again and I lean over, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“Thanks for everything, Mrs. Fletcher,” I say before retreating down the walkway.
“Grant,” she calls out and I turn around.
“It’s not the love you have for her or the love she has for you, it’s the love you build together that will get you through the rough patches you’re sure to experience. Believe in her love, Grant. Don’t worry about heartache, just enjoy your time with her.” I lightly jog back up to her and kiss her on the cheek again.
“Thanks for the advice. I hope I don’t screw it up,” I admit.
“Think of it this way, Grant. If something happened tomorrow, would you have loved her any less?” Her fragile hand pats my bicep. I nod my head, understanding what she means.
I say good-bye to Mrs. Fletcher and give Fred a wave before heading back to my cabin. I do understand what she’s saying, I’m too far in at this point. If this ends badly today or years ahead of now, my heart will still break. I’m too vested in this connection we have, so I might as well enjoy the ride.
Jessa
I sit back down at the table after saying good-bye to Mrs. F and watch Grant walk her down the steps. He obviously loves her, given the caring way he makes sure she’s safe getting back home. A stranger walking by would assume she’s his grandmother. How did I get so lucky to have such a kind-hearted boyfriend with a body that most guys envy and most girls drool over?
After a very brief deliberation, I decide to consume another mouthwatering cinnamon roll made by Mrs. F. I don’t mind eating in front of Grant, but the way I’m scarfing these down, I’m not about to stuff my face in front of him either. Noticing a small white envelope on the table, I reach over to pick it up. There isn’t a name on it so I debate on whether or not to open it, not wanting to overstep my bounds.
Suddenly, a whiff of Mrs. F’s perfume hits my nostrils and I can’t decipher if it has been lingering here since she left or if it’s coming from the envelope. I hesitantly rub my fingers across it. Grant and I have come so far this trip and the last thing I want is another setback. God knows we both have our share of issues, although he’s yet to share his with me. The envelope’s obvious discolored appearance indicates that either the envelope or the letter inside is from years past. Finally, deciding if it was personal it would’ve had his name on it, I open it. Once the letter is out of the envelope, I realize that the strong perfume scent came from the letter itself.
My Dear Grant,
I bet I’m surprising you with this letter. I gave it to Mrs. Fletcher, knowing when you found her, you would bring her here. Although I don’t know her, I’m sure she’s wonderful. I’m not trying to rush you, sweetheart, but make a home here with her. It’s not a fancy life and most likely you can’t make a ton of money in an area so desolate, but it’s worth it in the end. I hope you cherish and love this cabin as much as I did.
I would come up here by myself most weekends when I was pregnant with you. The serene and calming affect always comforted me as I sat in the rocking chair, looking out over the priceless view of the lake. On cold winter nights, your dad would make a fire and we would cozy up on the couch when we would come up here together. There are so many memories that were made within these walls, and I hope many more will be made with your wife and my grandkids.
Talk to you soon.
Love,
Mom
XOXO
I drop the letter on the table as though it’s on fire and just burned my fingertips. How could I have been so stupid to open it? I quickly put it back in the envelope, but I have no way of sealing it. Panicking, I lick the sealant, hoping remoistening it will work, but the envelope is so old there’s no way I can pull it off. Just as I’m about to search the drawers for a white envelope, I hear the doorknob turn. Oh shit!
“I knew you were going to sneak another cinnamon roll,” Grant teases when he walks through the door. His face smile becomes a frown immediately when he sees me holding the opened envelope.
Not knowing what to do, I sit there staring at him like a moron, with the letter between my hands. “I’m sorry, Grant. It wasn’t my intention to pry,” I apologize to him, although I know that if I didn’t want to pry, I shouldn’t have opened the letter in the first place.