Page 16 of Unless It's You
There’s nothing in the body of the email, so I double click on the attached pdf. The document loads, and it’s five pages long. There’s a letter at the start, and I take a deep breath before reading.
Dear Beautiful Great-Nieces,
If you are reading this, I have passed away. Please know that I loved you three more than anyone else in the world. I hope that the wealth I accumulated over my lifetime serves you in some way. I hope it makes your life better, like you made my life better.
I’m lucky to have kept my wits about me in the end so I could put into place this wonderful project. It’s not meant to be a burden, but to show you that every day of your life you make decisions, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Every day you choose something over another thing. Those decisions to do or not do something influence your entire life.
Take care of each other, my girls. I will look after you if I can. Hey, maybe I’ll come back to haunt you if you don’t do as I ask in your lists. Haha, just kidding!
With much love,
Aunt Evelyn
P.S. Make sure you review the rules very carefully and provide evidence of each item completed. Richard will be the judge. I am one hundred percent serious about all of this. Do as I say. Love you!!!
The tears are still stuck in my eyes, and swallowing past the lump in my throat is difficult. I’m also not sure if I want to curse at Evelyn, laugh, or scream.
I am terrified to read my bucket list.
I quickly scroll past the page with the letter that startsMy Dearest Stella. I can’t do that one right now. I know I’ll cry, and I have no intention of sobbing at my place of employment.
Stella Hart’s Bucket List, as written by Evelyn Reynolds
1. Volunteer
2. Adopt an Animal
3. Adventure to the Isle of Skye in Scotland
4. Help Reese
5. Find the One that Got Away
You will need to choose someone as your advisor to guide you through this entire bucket list. Yes, let’s repeat that: an advisor. They will need to ‘sign off’ on your list when completed. Talk to them about each item. Sometimes it’s worth it to listen to what other people have to say. Yes, I can hear you screaming at me from wherever I am, but this is for your own good.
Literally everything on this page offends me.
An advisor? What am I, a high school kid choosing a college? What was she thinking?
I take a deep breath. Thankfully, the advisor part’ll be easy. Gemma will one hundred percent do it. I unlock my phone and send her a text, ignoring the unread messages from my sisters for now.
I need to know more. I need to knoweverything, so I scroll to the more detailed bucket list descriptions. I bite my lip and squeeze my eyes shut, gathering strength.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Okay. Here I go.
1. Volunteer
When I retired, the best thing I did was to volunteer at a hospital. I met wonderful people—doctors, nurses, patient care assistants, and the ones most don’t appreciate enough like janitors and cafeteria workers. I wish I’d volunteered in my youth. I know it’s hard to find the time, but I want you to go do something to help others. Do it with someone else, as that makes it even more meaningful.
2. Adopt an Animal
Stella, I know what you’re going to say. No way, I’m not going to let an animal get in the way of me living my life exactly as I want to! Lol. I know you, dear! Here’s the thing. I was the same. I never had children, and it was a choice I made. I’d never tell you to go have kids. However, having something to take care of grounded me. A being who loved me back unconditionally. I didn’t do it until I was older. I kept putting it off, thinking it would get in the way of my life. Try it, my dear. Bring a friend with you to adopt.
I groan and scroll to number three. Only number three? Feels like a hundred.
3. Adventure to the Isle of Skye in Scotland
As you know, I traveled extensively with my job at Pan Am, often taking a long weekend to gallivant to faraway places. To have fish and chips in London, a fresh macaron in Paris, or authentic empanadas in Mexico. But the most magical place I’ve been to is the Isle of Skye, in Scotland. To me, it’s a spiritual spot. It’s where my true love proposed to me. The love I lost when I mistakenly said no. Go there and climb theOld Man of Storr. Maybe there’s some magic left. Maybe it’ll be me, and I can speak to you. Take someone with you.
