Page 167 of Redeeming Heart

I turned the envelope around and tore it open since my mother decided to stick it close.

With a shaky hand, I pulled out the folded piece of paper and handed Brandon the envelope while I unfolded the letter with a gasp when two golden rings fell out onto my lap and into the sand getting lost for a short period.

“What’s that?” He asked, helping me look for it in the sand when tears already started to form in my eyes.

“My mother’s engagement ring and wedding ring,” I answered, holding them up and showing him.

I always wondered what my father made with them and at a time I thought he was planning on using them for his new marriage with Meredith, but here they were resting in the palm of my hand.

“You, okay?” Brandon asked with a small smile when he saw the awe on my face as small droplets of tears escaped from my eyes.

I nodded. “I always wondered what happened to them and all this time they were with me.” She stopped wearing them when she got too skinny and they no longer fitted.

I raised the letter and inhaled a breath of air to give me a bit of strength to see what my mother wrote.

“To my dearest, Sasha-Lee

For so long have I hid my tears and cried in silence at the thought of never seeing you grow up.

Afraid of death pulling me away from you.

No matter how many times I prayed for more time with you, my time was up and it was your time to shine.

I can’t hand you the book to life to help you with your journey forward because it doesn’t exist, but I can give you some insight from my past experiences.

Giving up will feel like the easiest and most satisfying way, but I never want you to give up because of me.

Life is so unpredictable and filled with so many wonderful things. They hide behind all the bad and negative parts of our lives—you just need to see past them to see the good things in life.

Love is the armor and weapon that can bring any war inside of your heart to a stop. Loving people instead of hating them can give you some peace. Hate is the reins that hold you back because it becomes a mountain that keeps you back from having a good, healthy, and happy life.

Marriage is something you are going to learn to fight for. There are going to be bad and good times but the secret is to learn from both.

I know you will find someone you will love with your whole heart even when you pulled your face up in disgust whenever we would talk about romance, kissing, and relationships.

I don’t have to inform you about your ambition for hockey because you already found the secrets to becoming the best version of yourself. You’ve learned things from your own experience and made me so proud by seeing you out there on the field.

You will always be in my dreams and I will always be in yours.

It’s difficult for me to say goodbye forever, closing my eyes and knowing I will never see your face again, but when I close my eyes for the last time, I beg you to never stop living because of me.

I am aware of the pain and suffering you are going through but just look for me in your heart or dreams.

I will be right there waiting for you.

Love, mom

Brandon gathered me in his arms when I clutched the letter against my chest and cried like the day, I lost her.

It was the last piece of her I had left and now it was gone as well.

“Do you think this is your mother’s way of telling you to get married?” Brandon said in an amused voice—gesturing towards the rings in my hand.

I raised my head and opened my hand to look at them. “My dad had them made especially for her because of her small hands. They won’t fit me.” It was a bit sad, but I am planning on getting myself a gold band to wear around my neck so I will forever have her with me.

I moved closer to Brandon and rested my head on his shoulder. “We haven’t been together for even a year and you are already thinking about marriage.” I playfully teased.

He shrugged and wrapped an arm around my torso—planting a kiss on top of my head.

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