Page 27

Six weeks later.

Sean takes the suitcases downstairs and loads them into my minivan. Our eyes are still red from the emotion of our goodbyes. Julian has decided to place the children back into private school, a decision I wholeheartedly agree with. They’re exceptionally bright children who don’t need a tutor to unlock their full potential, but it would be very beneficial for them to interact with other children their own age, especially as they prepare for their university education. In any case, this family has just begun to heal, and while I’m grateful for the part I’ve had to play in that, I believe that my work here is complete. The rest of this journey, they’ll have to take on their own.

The Bellamys and the Cartwrights leave early this morning to go to the lighthouse, a Sunday tradition for both families now. The servants have the day off to complete their Christmas shopping. They’ll have two weeks off for Christmas and New Year's, assuming Beatrice can stand to tear herself away from the kitchen.

As for me, I’ll be returning to Boston for the holidays. Perhaps for even longer than that. I need to take some time to focus on my mental health before I take on the responsibility of another position.

Sean has been back home for six weeks now, but he visited me every weekend. Now that he has a full-time investigator working with him, he can afford to take days off. The children have made us promise to visit them at least once a month, and since they live close by, that’s a promise we can keep when I’m not hired on somewhere else.

We’ll remain close to the family, but not too close. Eventually, the monthly visits will become a few times a year, then eventually once or twice. That’s just as it should be. We will be good friends, but we have our own lives to live and our own struggles to overcome.

For now, though, I feel the ache that always comes with goodbye. Life is a collection of memories, and it’s always bittersweet when a good memory comes to an end.

I suppose that’s why I find myself in the library in my final moments at the Bellamy house. The safe has been left open since the family reconciles with each other, a symbol that they will no longer hold secrets from each other.

I feel a little pang of guilt looking through their secrets, but I am not reading them to be reminded of the salacious details of their indiscretions but of the fact that in spite of all of these missteps and trials, they remained together, a family through it all.

I can’t help but think of Annie. We didn’t get to remain a family. That hurts me, but I am beginning to realize that it’s a hurt I’ll come to terms with eventually. It will always hurt, but it won’t always rule me. That’s good enough.

I reach for a diary but stop when I catch a glimpse of something crumpled up in the corner of the safe. I pick it up and unfold it to reveal an old letter. When I open it, the world comes to a screeching halt. I spend several minutes reading the salutation before I'm able to move on to the rest of the letter.

My dearest love, Annie.

I’m not even allowed the luxury of hoping this is someone other than my sister. A photograph is attached to the letter, faded, but not so much that I can’t recognize the sunny blonde hair, noble cheekbones and gorgeous blue eyes of my sister.

My dearest love, Annie.

It’s nearly time. The final preparations are almost complete. Julian is near enough to adulthood that my absence won’t stunt him. Victoria can handle the business well enough that she won’t be destitute. I know that it frustrates you that I have to take care of her, but she is the mother of my child. She was a shit wife, but she was a good mother, and I have to give her credit for that, at least.

Still, I can’t wait to be free of her. I saw the shit she wrote about me. I saw the way she talked about Robert. Even if I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t want anything to do with you.

I’m only telling you this because I want you to know that the love I feel for you isn’t a reaction to the hurt I feel toward Victoria. I love you because I love YOU. You are the most beautiful and most perfect girl I’ve ever met in my life. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.

This letter will arrive with all of the documents you’ll need in Geneva. I kept your first name the same and gave you a last name as close to Wilcox as I could. I’ll have to practice a little harder with my name, but I’ll make it work.

I love you so much. I’m so damned excited to start my new life with you.

Parker Bellamy

My hands shake as I fold the letter and put it in my pocket. I’ll take it with me. Better that this family believe that their father is dead than that he valued a woman twenty years younger than him more than he valued a relationship with them.

The door to the library opens, and Sean pokes his head through. “You ready, Mary?”

A renewed sense of purpose fills me. I meet his eyes and nod. “Yes. I’m ready.”