Page 119 of Family Bonds- Kelsey & Van

When he got back to his office, Zac came over to him. “You’re Kyle Raymond’s business partner?”

It didn’t take long for his name to be searched. “Yes,” he said.

“Why are you working here?” Zac asked, frowning.

“It’s complicated,” he said and sat at his desk to get back to work. With any luck he wouldn’t be here much longer and wouldn’t need to worry about what people thought of him.

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WARPED SENSE OF HUMOR

“This is like walking into an antique store. Oh my God, Van.” Kelsey slapped Van’s arm. “There’s an old truck! I can’t believe you’ve had the key all this time and didn’t come here.”

“I wanted you to be with me,” he said as they stepped into the storage unit.

“I’m glad,” she said. “But you’ve had the key like three weeks. How does someone hold onto it that long and not want to come to look inside here?”

She was running away from him and toward the truck that was in the back. It was old, no doubt, dark blue. There was furniture stacked in places, filing cabinets, and boxes. She didn’t know where to go first and then reminded herself that it wasn’t her stuff.

She didn’t care. She opened the door to the truck and got onto the bench seat.

“This is crazy,” he said.

“And you sat on this information. Why?”

“I told you,” he said. “I realized I needed you with me. I didn’t want to rush and do it at night after work when it was dark out.”

“There is a light in here,” she complained.

“There is,” he said, looking around. The door to get in was outside so though there was a light it wouldn’t have been that bright.

He moved over and got in the driver’s seat of the truck, forcing her to slide over into the passenger side.

She opened the glove box. “Here are the keys and a note. Please don’t wait weeks to open this envelope.”

“I’m not,” he said. “I’m not doing that anymore. If I find one more envelope that tells me I’ve got to get more information from someone else I’m going to think my grandfather had a warped sense of humor.”

“I think he just wants to make sure you believe his side of things,” she said.

He took the envelope out of her hand and opened it. “I see his side. I don’t believe he’s the monster that I was led to think.”

“I’m glad. What does that say?”

“First, your father told me there should be notes attached to most things. Just explaining what they are or what meaning they had.”

“Oh,” she said. “That is kind of sweet. It gives you a little insight and history into your heritage.”

“I guess,” he said.

“There is no guessing. It’s the truth and you know it.”

He squinted one eye at her, then read the note: “Your grandmother loved this truck. I bought it brand new. We used to go on a lot of picnics and sit in the back while we ate and at night we gazed at the stars. I think Lauren was created here.”

“Ewww,” she said. “I don’t want to think of Barry doing that.”

“It’s life,” he said and continued to read. “Your mother played in the back of this truck on the island. We came over on it and found places to park and sit. To look at the water and enjoy our time here. I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it. I never knew why, but I’m glad I held onto it.”

“That’s so sweet,” she said. “I wonder if it runs.”

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