Page 105 of This Memory
Thomas stood. “Of course, I’ll keep you updated on everything, and you can expect monthly reports from me on the trust. I’ll bring in a financial adviser, as well, since they owned several different stocks. I’m a lawyer, not a numbers guy.”
Gavin stood, and I followed.
“Thank you, Thomas,” I said, as I walked around the table and hugged him. Gavin gave him a brief hug as well, before both men motioned for me to walk out of the room first.
Gavin and I remained silent nearly the entire drive back to Moose Village. When I realized where he was going, I looked at him. “You’re going to the house?”
He nodded. “Are you okay with that? I should have asked. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay.”
We drove through town and up into the mountains. Evelyn and Denny didn’t live on the lake, but above it, with a beautiful view of both the water and the mountains in the distance.
“Do you remember the first time you met Evelyn?” Gavin asked.
“When they first moved back to Moose Village. I knew of her and Denny from school, but we didn’t hang out. She came into the toy store, looking for a gift for Denny.”
Gavin smiled. “Legos?”
I laughed. “Yes. We got to talking and hit it off.”
We pulled up to the gate and sat there for a moment.
“Did you forget the code?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No. It’s just…they won’t be here. When we walk through that door, they won’t be home.”
I took his hand in mine. Taking a deep breath, I exhaled. Gavin rolled down the window and punched in the code. We watched as the gate opened then slowly drove in.
After parking in front of the house, we got out. The wind was blowing, and I looked up at the gathering clouds. “It’s supposed to snow.”
“Yeah,” Gavin said, as he made his way around his car. He took my hand, and we walked to the front door. “Do you remember the alarm code?”
I pulled out my phone and looked in my notes. “It’s 7790.”
Gavin unlocked the door, and we instantly heard the alarm beep. He typed in the code as I shut the door.
We stood silently in the large, open foyer that looked directly into the living room. A huge wall of windows looked out over the snow-covered mountain range and Moose Lake below.
“It still doesn’t feel real that they’re gone,” I said softly as I made my way slowly into the living room. The house was spotless. Not a single thing out of place.
“Evelyn always was a neat freak,” Gavin stated, a fond smile on his face.
Laughing lightly, I took off my coat and laid it over the back of the sofa as I replied, “I was just thinking how nothing’s out of place.”
Gavin also removed his coat and put it over mine before heading through the formal dining room and into the kitchen. “I bet you could use a beer right about now.”
I nodded as I took the small bottle of orange juice Gavin grabbed from the refrigerator instead. “Thank you.”
After cracking it open, I took a long sip then set it on the island in the middle of the kitchen. All the cabinets were white with black pulls, and the countertops were gray and white granite. I’d never noticed the specks of sparkles in the granite until then.
With a long sigh, I walked over to the French doors overlooking the backyard. Come spring, flowers would bloom in the gardens Evelyn had adored.
I finally asked Gavin the question I’d been thinking about since we left the law office: “Do you think they would have wanted us to raise the baby in this house?”
“I’m not sure. The house is beautiful, but it must take a fortune to keep it up.”
I sighed and then said, “I agree. And honestly, I don’t think I’d feel comfortable here.” Turning, I looked at Gavin. He was leaning against the island, drinking water. “What about you?”
