Page 53 of Sweet Somethings

Vincent looked at the stripped-down walls. They were going to eventually push the back bedroom wall out three feet into the backyard.

"It's coming along," Vincent said, never one to heap too much praise on a worker. "You're going faster than I thought. You haven't forgotten your skills."

"They came back to me faster than I thought they would."

"It's good work, Roman. You'd make a fine contractor. If you can't continue as a soldier, you should think about construction."

"It's definitely on the list," he said.

"All right. Do you want to get some dinner? I'm headed downtown."

"No, I think I'll keep going awhile longer."

"I'll check in with you tomorrow then."

"Great." After his grandfather left, he got back to work on the last part of the room, the closet. He ripped up the carpet that covered the floor and tossed it aside, then pulled up several loose boards. As he did so, he saw something unexpected: an old metal box about eight by ten inches in size. He squatted down and pulled the box out of what had obviously been a hiding place.

His heart beat a little faster. Did the box belong to Juliette? Or to someone in her family? She'd told him her bedroom had been upstairs, but who knew what they'd used this room for?

There was a latch on the box, and after a moment's hesitation, he pulled it open.

Inside was a stack of folded notes. He picked up the first one and read a few words of what was clearly a love letter. Was it between Juliette's parents? There were no names on the note, just a reference to a great love.

These letters could belong to more recent tenants or to people who had lived here before Juliette's family. But he had to show them to her. If there was any chance they were letters between her parents, then she'd want to see them.

On the other hand, the letters had been hidden away. Maybe the letters weren't between a husband and a wife, but something more illicit. What if one of her parents had been having an affair? She'd be devastated.

He debated his options. He didn't want to hurt her, but he also didn't want to make the decision for her. Juliette could decide for herself if she wanted to read the letters.

Taking out his phone, he punched in her number.

"Hello? Roman?" she said.

"I found something in the house you need to see."

"What is it?" she asked warily.

"Can you come over?"

"You can't tell me over the phone."

"No."

"Then I'll be there in ten minutes."

* * *

Juliette couldn't imagine what Roman had found in her old house. It had to have something to do with her parents. She was both excited and nervous about what that could be after all these years.

When she arrived, the upstairs was dark, but there were lights on throughout the first floor. Her heart was pounding as she went up to the door. It was open, so she walked through it, calling out for Roman.

He met her in the hallway. "It's in here."

"What is it?"

He didn't answer, just led her into the first-floor bedroom. The room was completely torn apart. Roman picked a metal box off the floor.

"I found this hidden under the carpet and the floorboards in the closet."

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