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“Going on fourteen years. I used to have a place a few houses from the beach, but when this one came up for sale, I was the first in line.”
“This used to be my grandmother’s.”
“Blanche Allen. She was a good friend of my wife’s. Mine too. Do you want to come in? I haven’t changed much. I always liked the way Blanche decorated.”
“Thank you, but no. I’d rather keep the other memories, if that makes sense.”
The man smiled. “I understand. Hang on just a minute. I have something I think might belong to you.”
He rushed inside before I could tell him not to. He was back less than a minute later, holding a picture frame in his hand. “If I’m not mistaken, this is you with Blanche.”
The photo he handed me was taken on the beach just a few yards from where we stood. Oma and I were building a sandcastle. “It is me,” I said, my eyes filling with tears, and I attempted to give it back to him.
He shook his head. “That’s yours to keep, young lady. I found it not too long ago in a box I guess was missed all these years way back in the closet.”
I held it close to me. “We should be going, but thank you so much.”
“My pleasure. Name’s Charlie Farman. If you visit again when you have more time, I’ll take you to lunch. My family has a place near the pier.”
I smiled through my tears. “We just ate there. It’s always been one of my favorite spots.”
Mr. Farman beamed, then waved when we left after thanking him again.
“Amazing,” I heard Brand say when we were a few feet down the boardwalk.
“What’s that?”
“As I said earlier, I never met your mom. However, I’d be willing to bet you’re a lot more like Oma than her.”
“Interesting how it seems to skip generations. If I ever have kids, I hope they aren’t as much like my mother or father as I am like Oma.”
Brand put his arm around my shoulder. “They won’t be. We’ll make sure of it.”
I knew he was joking, but his words made me happy anyway.
“I can’t let my dad make changes to the Fire Island property. Or sell it. After seeing Oma’s place and how happy it makes me that it still looks the same, I have to intervene. I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t,” I said much later when we pulled up to the valet stand at Musso and Frank’s.
Before he could respond, Brand’s cell rang. “It’s Doc,” he said, accepting the call. “Hey, Penelope and I were about to meet up with Harold.”
“Glad I caught you before you did. I just sent you an email that will change the outcome of your conversation.”
I was seated close enough to hear every word Doc said.
“How?” I mouthed, which Brand repeated to him.
Doc laughed. “Take a look and see for yourselves.”
The call abruptly ended, but we remained in the car while Brand pulled up the email.
My mouth hung open when I read the contents of the letter Doc had forwarded. “Do you think this is true?” I asked him.
Brand shrugged. “Let’s go inside. I can’t wait to find out.”
While Blair was an actress, she hadn’t had enough time to prepare in order to mask her reaction when our eyes met.
“Hi, Daddy,” I said, approaching the table with my hand in Brand’s. I never called him that, but with the nugget of information contained in the email, I couldn’t help but be a little smug.
“Sweetheart, what a surprise!” he exclaimed, even though we all knew it wasn’t.