Page 99 of Stone Rules

She takes the next paper and does the same thing. “Rot in hell, Joe Mitchner,” she says.

And another. “Karma’s a bitch, Peter Elliot.”

I can’t help but smile as I stand behind her and watch this cathartic moment in her life. As she throws each piece of paper into the fire, I can almost see the healing. I can hear it in her voice. I can feel it radiating from her.

When she’s done with all the papers from the folder, the only thing left is her mother’s journal. She stares at it for a long time before speaking. “Thank you, Mother,” she finally says. “Thank you for showing me the kind of mother I don’t ever want to be. For showing me how ugly life is without love. But most of all, thank you for dying, which brought me back here so I could meet Ethan.”

She tosses the journal into the fireplace and we watch it burn. We watch the edges curl and blacken. We watch the ashes swirl up the chimney. And along with them, I watch Charlie become free from her past.

I stand behind her and wrap her in my arms.

“Not exactly forgiveness,” she says. “But it’s the best I can do.”

“It’s everything, Charlie.” I hold her tighter. “Marry me,” I say.

She leans back into me. “I already said yes.”

“I mean marry me today.”

She laughs. “We can’t get married today. We have to get a marriage license first. Plus, I’m not ready, Ethan. One big thing at a time, remember?”

“Fine.” I blow out a breath into her hair. “But let’s at least get the license. That way I can ask you every day until you cave.”

“I’m not going to cave. Not yet. But if it makes you happy, we can get the license.”

I kiss the top of her head. “Youmake me happy.”

She turns around after every last paper has been reduced to charred ash and soot. “You make me happy, too. Thank you for this.”

The intercom buzzes, alerting me I’ve got a visitor downstairs. “Way to ruin a perfect moment,” I say to no one. Charlie laughs into my shoulder.

I walk over and push the button on the intercom. “Yes?”

“Mr. Stone, there is someone here to see you,” Frank, the doorman, says. Then he lowers his voice, sounding like he’s cupped his hand over the phone. “It’s a policeman. He’s got some official-looking papers, Mr. Stone. Says he needs to give them directly to you. What would you like me to do?”

“I’ll be right down, Frank. Thank you.”

“Policeman?” Charlie says. “Official papers?”

“Stay here,” I tell her. “I’ll see what this is all about and be right back.”

On my way down the elevator I call my attorney. “John, I’m on my way to the lobby of my building. There is a policeman who has papers for me that he says he can give only to me. Do you know anything about this?”

“Sounds like you’re being served, Ethan. I can be at your penthouse in an hour,” he says.

“While I’d like nothing better, I hate to ruin your Sunday, John.”

He laughs. “Ethan, you pay me enough that I’d let you ruin my wedding anniversary.”

“I’m not sure how your wife would feel about that,” I say.

“She’d probably divorce me. But she’d get a hefty settlement because of how goddamn much you pay me. See you in an hour?”

I laugh. “Sure. Thanks.”

~ ~ ~

John puts the papers onto the kitchen table, having read over them carefully. “Basically this is an order of protection. A restraining order. He claims that you physically harmed him and threatened to do more harm. Is that true?”

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