Chapter 87
LEAH I don’t even know how long I had been sitting on the floor, staring at the envelope. But it felt long. Voices came from downstairs, but I wasn’t listening to them. It was like background noise to me. The writing I knew, but it was hard to let it come to mind go there. The writing looked like my dad’s. But how could it be? He never did anything like this. Letters were my parents’ thing back when they were together. My father would leave them around or leave them in places he knew my mother would find them. I think they did from when I was five. When I was young, my mum would look like she found gold when she found them which I remember like it was yesterday. It was her smile that gave it away. They were only small little notes, not long ones. Some were even cards from florist shops, and some would come in little envelopes. Then they just stopped. That was when—I didn’t want to go there. That’s when it all turned different for us all. Years without her and now I am in a different situation than before. A lone tear slid down my cheek and onto my hand. Why do memories have to hurt so much? Beside the memories coming, I also had questions coming rapidly into my head, but nothing made sense. Why leave me a letter? Why place it in the flooring? It was an odd place to put it. Tala was close but she said nothing. I knew she was close by since I could feel her. “I know this is hard for you,” she whispered, like she was far, but I knew she wasn’t. “Are you going to open it?” That was the one question that kept coming into mind. I needed to know. This could be a letter that he made when I was little, or this was never to be found. Nothing about this letter made sense to me. Not saying anything to Tala, I moved the envelope around in my hand. Looking over it. The colouring was weird, yellow tarnish it seemed. Like old letters back in the old days, when they are found now. Then again, it could mean it fell down and got stuck behind whatever was there when he was in my room. Looking up, I tried to picture what was there—my dresser. Maybe dad placed it on the dresser one night and it fell. The flooring itself was old, dad always said. But the one thing that is bugging me—why write me a letter? This was eating me up inside. “Tala,” I murmured, trying to keep my voice even. “Can you come up front with me? I need you with me. I don’t think I can read this on my own.” I could feel her presence come forward. “I got you Leah. Whatever is on this, we will deal with it together?” That was something I needed to hear. Turning the envelope over, I open it since the back wasn’t sealed or even licked down. I pull out the piece of paper and held it. My heartbeat was beating hard in my chest. “Leah, you don’t have to read this now, if you don’t want to,” Tala murmured, sending warmth my way. “We can read it when you are ready. There is no rush.” Closing my eyes for a moment and trying to calm my nerves but nothing worked. That was when I heard a creek coming which made my eyes fly open and look toward the door—Josh. Josh was stood in the doorway, looking down at me. His eyes searching my face till they landed on the envelope. “What is that? Where did you—” “I found it,” I said, taking my eyes off him and going back to the piece of paper in my hand. “There was a loose flooring over there. I thought it was rubbish but an envelope. When I looked at it, it was addressed to me.” I stopped talking for a moment. Another lone tear fell before I spoke quietly. “It’s in my dad’s writing.” Keeping my eyes on the paper, just like it would disappear. Josh was quiet for a moment till I heard movement and a click of the door, which was when I looked to see what he was doing. Josh kept his eyes on the paper, but he lowered down and sat, then leaned against the door. “I can feel and see Tala is closer,” he murmured, leaning his head on the door. “I don’t think you want anyone else to come up here from downstairs.” He was right on that one. I may be seemingly strong lately, but this is going to kill me in more ways than I want to admit. The room was silent for a while till I opened the paper and became to read it quietly to myself. My dearest Leah, I know I never write you letters and this would be a first, but this would also be a lie. I wrote many over the years and more since your mother left us. I know you would never want to talk to her, but there are factors that you never know about her. Some are going to come across weird and unbelievable, but it is true. Everything about our lives will change and I have been keeping more secrets than any person can from their own daughter. And Leah, I love you with all my heart but there is more to what you know, and I need you to read all the letters. In the attic entrance in your closet is a box, a large shoe box. I want you to grab it and read everything in it. They are all dated. Every time I write one, I put it in the box. This note is to be opened when I am in work, I am leaving it out for you to read when we come back from the championship game. Leah, most of what is in them will bring more pain but all I ever did was protect you. I love you my girl, always and forever, Dad. Tala moved back, but my mind raced over what he had said. Then the word championship came flooded to mind, then a memory flooded through. It was the night of the accident. The night where I lost him. He was being weird before we left, telling me he forgot something before we could leave. I remember because we were running late. Tala’s mood shifted, which made me come back to the present with a bump when I sensed her confusion, but I didn’t care. I needed to get that box. Moving up from the floor while keeping hold of the paper in my hand from my father, I moved to the closet. Josh stood up, his eyes following me. “Leah, what did the note say?” Not wanting to read it again, I turned toward him for him to read while I went into the closet and looked up till my eyes landed on the attic entrance. Looking around for something I could use to stand on but there was nothing. Lucian took everything out of the house. Where the hell did he put all the stuff? But that would be a conversation for another time. Josh stepped closer, which made me look at him. I pointed up. “Up there. Can you—” “I got it,” he said, without looking at me and his eyes never leaving the attic space. Moving out of the way, I watched him but then his wolf forward. Well, more like his claws. Josh went onto his tippy toes and reached up. With his wolf’s claws out, he could open it. The board covering the attic, fell to the floor and dust fell on top of him. A low growl rumbled from his wolf. Moving closer, I looked at him. “Can you give me a lift? I can reach up.” Josh’s eyes went back to his before I spoke and he nodded. He bent slightly, placing his hands together. Placing my hands on his shoulders and a foot into his hands, Josh moved up till my head was inside the opening. The attic was darkness till I looked to the side and there it was the show box.