Harper rummaged in her pockets for a tissue. “You’re making me cry even harder now, Granddad,” she whispered.
“My shining light,” Benjamin said slowly.
She blew her nose and kissed her granddad’s cheek. Goodness knows how she’d get through the rest of the letter, but she’d do her best. Running her finger over the text, she found where she was up to.
“I want to extend an offer to you, one that I hope will help you as much as it eases my mind.”
Harper looked at her granddad and frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“Keep reading,” Benjamin told her.
When Harper saw the next words, she had to pause to stop herself from trembling.
“My darling girl, I want you to become the owner of my house. It’s a place that’s protected our family, witnessed our joys, and sheltered us as we’ve grieved in sorrow.
Instead of selling the house for its market value, I want you to purchase it from me for just enough to cover my care in Polson. With the extra savings I have, it should take away any financial burden for your mom and give you a home without a large mortgage.”
Harper looked at her granddad. “I appreciate what you’re doing but, if anyone should buy your house, it’s Mom.”
Benjamin looked pointedly at the letter.
She sighed and continued reading.
“I’m getting older, sweetheart. I want to be around for many years to come, but the reality means I must plan for a time when I’m not here. The house is more than a wooden structure; it’s a legacy of our family’s history and my unwavering belief in your future.
Take your time to consider this offer. I’ve made sure your mom is taken care of in my Will, but discuss it with her, with Owen, and with those who hold your well-being in high regard. Whatever decision you make will be the right one, because it’ll be made with the love and the strength that are the very essence of who you are.
I’m here for you, for as long as I can be, with all the love I have.
Your loving Granddad, Benjamin.”
Harper threw her arms around her granddad. Rex let out a soft whimper and she pulled back, worried she’d squashed him. “Oh, Granddad. That was a lovely letter and a generous offer.”
With tears in his eyes, Benjamin held his hand over his heart. “You make me proud.”
His softly spoken words touched Harper deeply. Instead of saying anything, she took a handful of clean tissues out of her pocket and helped her granddad blow his nose. “I’ll think about the house,” she told him.
Benjamin looked into her eyes. “Don’t be afraid.”
“I won’t,” she told him. And she meant it, but the decision wasn’t hers to make alone. She needed to talk to her mom and make sure she was happy with what was in the letter. If she wasn’t, they’d find another way to give her granddad what he wanted.
Harper folded the sheet of paper and slid it back into the envelope. If that meant she’d be renting a house somewhere else in Sapphire Bay, that was fine by her.
Owen kneeledon the wooden floor beside Harper, folding an old quilt her grandmother had made. The air inside the attic was thick with dust motes and nostalgia, and each item they packed away told amazing stories of the past.
After a lot of discussion, Carrie had told Harper she should accept Benjamin’s gift of his home. She’d argued it would make Harper’s granddad happy, and that’s all she’d ever wanted.
“Where would you like the quilt?” Owen asked Harper.
She pointed to four large boxes opposite the stairs. “In the box labeled ‘Family Heirlooms’. If there isn’t enough room, you could start a new one.”
They’d been steadily working their way through the house. Every room was a trove of memories, every drawer held secrets waiting to be rediscovered. As Owen carefully placed the quilt into the box, he thought of the person who’d stitched it many years ago.
“Look at this,” Harper said, her voice a hushed blend of surprise and reverence. She held up a black-and-white photograph of a young couple. “It’s my grandparents on their wedding day. They look so happy and full of hope.” Tears brimmed in her eyes as she traced the outline of her grandmother’s face.
Owen stood and moved closer, wrapping an arm around her. “They look so in love,” he said, peering over her shoulder at the photograph.
“They were,” Harper replied, her voice steady despite the tears. “They had such a beautiful life together.” Carefully, she added the photo to others they’d found and moved to the next box of family mementos.
