I put the letters and photos together that I had found proof in that my mother and Rebel were together. The rest I tucked away back in the attic where they belonged. I sent Rio a text to let him know I found some information and when he had time I would tell him. I didn’t say anything about Hillya though. I would but just not yet. I wasn’t sure if I should talk to her or tell him first.
Saul hadn’t texted or called since I got home. He could be dealing with Lily getting released from the hospital and I didn’t want to bother him. This was all very new and kissing and attraction didn’t clarify how to handle things with him. I would wait until he contacted me. Sitting here doing nothing was pointless though.
I had the next item on Gran’s list and it seemed simple enough. That of course didn’t mean it was. I wasn’t sure I wanted anymore revelations right now. Taking a hat box filled with my gran’s scarfs, some costume jewelry, and a beaded purse that I had never seen her carry to a Miss Keerly Evans didn’t seem like it could lead to anything. Unless I was going to find out that Keerly Evans was my long-lost cousin or sister or even that I was adopted and this was my real mother.
I seriously doubted all those things and put the address Gran had left into my GPS then took the hat box to my car. The house was only ten miles away. I could get this done and marked off the list. That would leave me with only two more things to do before it was complete.
The address was located in a nice subdivision just out of town. The homes were newer and all large. The driveways had bikes, basketball goals, and other items that said kids lived there. The back yards had tall privacy fences and I imagined pools. When I pulled into the driveway of Miss Keerly Evans’ home, there was a three-car garage tucked off to the back left of the house and one of the garage doors was up. I could see a new Mercedes SUV parked inside.
This looked harmless enough, but thanks to Gran’s previous request, I was still a little nervous as I walked up the sidewalk with the hat box in my hands. “Please, Gran, just let this be simple. No relations I didn’t know about or life-changing events,” I whispered before I reached the front porch.
The two large wooden doors looked like elaborate barn doors. I pressed the doorbell and waited. This was one of the larger homes in the subdivision and I wondered why someone who lived here would want Gran’s old scarves and fake jewelry.
When the door on the right opened, a lady with long pale blonde hair draped over one bare tanned shoulder stood there smiling at me. She wore a pair of white shorts and a hot pink tank top. Her feet were bare and her toenails were painted the same color as her shirt.
“Hello,” she said then looked from me to the hat box. It took only a moment for her to recognize the box. I could see her eyes widen before they shifted back up to meet mine. “You’re Honey’s granddaughter.”
I nodded. “Yes. Are you Keerly Evans?” I asked.
Her bright smile widened and her perfect white teeth made you wonder if there was any flaw on this woman. “Oh no, I’m Isla Evans. Please come inside,” she said, stepping back. “It’s blazing out there today.”
I came inside the house and it smelled of coconut. It was as if the house had been bathed in suntan oil. Isla closed the door behind me and walked over to the wide curved staircase and called out, “Keerly!” Then she turned back to me. “She’s going to be so excited.”
“Great,” I replied unsure what else to say.
“Would you like something to drink? I just made a pitcher of fresh lemonade. Keerly likes to help me squeeze the lemons. It takes entirely too long, but it entertains her so that’s how we do it,” Isla said, just as small footsteps caught her attention. We both turned to look up the stairs at the railing and a little girl with dark brown curls and big brown eyes stared down at us.
“What Momma?” she asked and I understood then. They must go to Gran’s church. Gran loved to keep the nursery and preschool at church. Keerly must have been one of her little friends.
“Honey sent you something.” Isla glanced back at me. “Her granddaughter brought it to you.”
The little girl’s small chubby hands grabbed the rails as she peeked through them down at me. She looked to be about three maybe. “But you said Honey went to live with Jesus.” Her voice sounded sad and unsure.
“She did, but Honey wanted you to have something of hers,” Isla explained.
Keerly studied me a moment then she noticed the hat box. Her eyes lit up. “Oh! It’s Honey’s scarves and jewelry!” she exclaimed and turned to run down the stairs.
“Careful! Hold onto the rail!” Isla told her, walking over to meet her daughter as she reached the bottom.
Keerly ran right past her mother and came to me with her hands held up anxious for the box. I placed it in her little hands and she sat it down immediately and took the top off. “It’s all of them, Momma!” she said and began to pull out the scarves and drape them over herself.
Isla looked up at me. “Honey babysat for us when my husband and I had a business dinner or just needed a night out. She always brought this box and she would dress herself and Keerly up in the scarves and jewelry. She made dresses with the scarves and-”
“The purse! She gave me the purse!” Keerly said with pure joy, jumping up with the beaded purse and clutching it to her chest as if it were the most precious thing on earth.
“She sure did,” Isla replied and patted Keerly on the head affectionately.
Isla looked back at me. “Thank you for doing this. She’s missed Honey and well, this is just really special.”
“I’m glad Gran sent me,” I told her honestly. Seeing how my Gran had impacted yet another life felt good.
“Come have some lemonade,” Isla said again. When I hesitated, she said, “Or at least take some to go.”
Keerly looked up at me then, her face suddenly very serious. “When is Honey coming back from staying with Jesus?”
Isla bent down then and took her hand. “Sweetheart, remember I told you she can’t come back.”
Keerly’s little shoulders fell and with them, the lump in my throat rose. I understood all too well what it felt like to miss my gran. “I wish she had stayed here,” Keerly said.
Isla hugged her and looked up at me apologetically. “I know,” she soothed.
“When I start missing her, I talk to her. I think that even though I can’t see her that she can hear me,” I said then.
Keerly studied me a moment. “Does it make you not sad anymore?” she asked.
“Not completely. It’s okay to be sad and miss her. But she would want to know you’re happy and enjoying the things she left you. So, I try to think about the good times I had with her and smile.”