“She’s sending letters from beyond the grave?”
The General laughed. “Not from beyond the grave, Sergeant—from the past. She wrote that years ago. Hid it where I’d eventually find it.”
“But—”
“Don’t bother to look for sense, son. You won’t find it, not at Two Willows.”
Emerson let out a breath. “She said she’s happy I’m marrying Wyoming and that we’re staying here. She says you’re in her heart.”
“I never doubted it. She’s in mine, too.” The General leveled a stern look at him. “Don’t ever believe those who pooh-pooh love, Sergeant. It’s the strongest force in the universe, despite what anyone says.”
“Didn’t figure you for a romantic.”
“Didn’t figure you for an idiot.” When Emerson frowned, he went on. “It’s not romance; it’s common sense. Who do you spend your time with in life? Your wife—your kids. Why wouldn’t you give them the best of you? Who else are you going to waste it on—the guys down at the bar?”
“Guess you have a point.”
“Of course I do. What’re those?” He pointed to the smaller envelopes included in Emerson’s hand.
“There’s one for each of the girls. And one for each of their husbands,” he added as he flipped through them.
“What about me? Hmph.” The General sighed. “Guess I had my share of them already.”
Emerson remembered the way the General had cherished each one over the years back at USSOCOM. He’d had a whole stack of them from Amelia, each one dated.
“There’s one for you, too.” Emerson gave it to him. The General swallowed and cleared his throat.
“Well. Would you look at that.”
“Want me to hand these out?” Emerson asked, knowing the General would want some time to himself.
“You do that. And get ready. Big day today.” The General waved him off.
Cass was awake and puttering in the kitchen when he exited the General’s room. He handed her the envelopes for her sisters and their husbands. “They’re from your mother.”
“Oh my goodness.” Cass’s eyes filled with tears as she took them reverently. “I’ll make sure everyone gets theirs. Who is that one addressed to?” She pointed to the one in his hand.
“Wyoming.”
“Better give that one to me, too. It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, remember?”
Emerson surrendered it reluctantly. He went back upstairs, gathered his things and came back down. “I’ll be at the Park until it’s time,” he said.
“The Park? Are you sure?”
He nodded. “That way you and Wye can use the whole house while you get ready. Besides, my trailer is nearly ready to move into. Wye and I will be in and out of the main house for a while, still, though, until it’s completely done.”
“I don’t mind that at all,” Cass said. “I’m going to miss Wye.”
“We’ll be less than a quarter mile away,” Emerson pointed out.
“That’s plenty far enough,” Cass said tartly, then softened. “Thanks for being a good sport. It’ll be worth the wait to see Wye later at the ceremony.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
He’d expected to spend a quiet morning at the trailer he’d renovated, but when he arrived, he saw an old Chevy truck parked by Buck’s trailer. Buck was inside it waiting for him.
“Don’t worry—I’m not trying to move in a day early,” he called when they both got out of their vehicles. “You mentioned you’d be here this morning, though. Wanted to give you this.” He pulled something large and flat from the bed of his truck.
“Hold on; let me drop off my clothes inside, first.” Emerson unlocked his trailer, went inside and hung his wedding duds in the closet. He met Buck at the table in the small dining area. “You didn’t have to give me anything.”
“I wanted to—to say thanks. I was having a hard time finding anywhere to live in my price range that wasn’t a complete dump. My girl wasn’t too sure about living in a trailer, but when she saw how clean and roomy it is, she was thrilled. She’s been telling all her friends and can’t wait to move in tomorrow. We’re having a party next weekend, if you don’t mind. We’ll keep the sound down,” he assured Emerson. “I heard you two have a baby now.”
“Talk gets around, doesn’t it?”
“Sure does.” Buck laughed. “Open it up.” He gestured to the present.
Emerson did and was surprised to find a hand-carved wooden sign inside.
“The Myerses,” Buck read out when Emerson held it up. “Figure you can hang it out front and take it with you whenever you two move on. I heard you were thinking of building something bigger up near the main house,” he added.
Emerson had to laugh. There were no secrets around here. “Maybe. We’ll see.” Some privacy sounded fine to him for now. “Thank you for this. It’s great.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll leave you be while you get ready. Last time you’ll have any peace and quiet for a long time, probably.”
“You’re probably right,” Emerson said happily. “And you can go ahead and start moving in any old time. Wye and I will be at a bed-and-breakfast tonight. Tomorrow we’ll start carrying our things over here.”
“Sounds good. But I’ll wait to move my things over until the morning,” Buck said. “You all have enough going on today, I’d say.”
“Well, we’ll have the other trailers ready for move-in on the fifteenth. We’ll finish with the exteriors come spring.”
“Sounds good.” Buck reached for the door handle. “Good luck today.”
“Thanks!” He figured he was already the luckiest man in the world.
“For me?” Wyoming said when Cass pressed a small envelope into her hands. “From your mom?”
Cass was shaking, and there were tears in her eyes. “There were letters for all of us. Wye, I didn’t think there were any more to come. When she died, the lawyer gave one to each of us, but that’s it. I know she left a stack of them for the General, but I’ve never seen those.”
“Why would she write one for me? How could she even know—?”
“See, you’re part of the magic after all,” Cass told her. “You have been from the start. Should we both read ours now?”
“Okay.”
Wyoming was still in her robe. Sadie had taken charge of Elise this morning, telling her to rest for her big day. Soon she’d get up and shower and start the process of doing makeup and hair for the wedding. She scooted back to lean against the headboard of her bed and patted the mattress next to her.
Cass joined her, sitting cross-legged on the comforter. She opened the envelope addressed to her. “Go on; read yours,” she told Wyoming.
Wyoming opened hers and began to scan Amelia’s beautiful handwriting.
Dear Wyoming, she read with a squeeze of her heart.
I wanted to tell you how happy I am that you are in my daughter’s life. Cass needed a good friend, and you came along to teach her that she isn’t alone in the world and she doesn’t have to keep such close watch on everything and everyone around her.