Emily Opened an Old Storage Box Filled With Family Files — Then Grandpa Arthur Recognized Victoria’s Signature on the Document She Never Wanted Them to See

Chapter 3 — Eleven Letters From Samuel

Emily placed the letters on the table one by one.

March.

April.

June.

September.

Christmas.

Then more the following year.

Arthur looked stunned.

“I never saw any of these.”

Victoria stood near the doorway.

“Arthur…”

He held up one hand.

“No.”

His voice was quiet.

“Let me understand what I’m looking at first.”

Emily picked up the oldest letter.

“Do you want to open it?”

Arthur stared at his brother’s handwriting.

Then nodded.

The envelope opened stiffly after so many years.

Arthur unfolded the page.

Samuel had written only a few paragraphs.

He apologized for an argument that had happened after Eleanor’s funeral.

He wrote that grief had made everyone sharper with one another.

He said he regretted raising his voice.

Then:

I don’t expect you to answer immediately. I just don’t want one terrible afternoon to become the last conversation we ever have.

Arthur stopped reading.

Emily watched his face.

“What argument?”

Arthur took a moment before answering.

After Eleanor’s funeral, Samuel and Victoria had argued about how much family should remain around Arthur.

Samuel believed Arthur should not be left alone too quickly.

Victoria believed the constant visitors were exhausting him.

Arthur, overwhelmed and grieving, had snapped at both of them.

Samuel left angry.

Arthur expected him to call.

Samuel apparently expected Arthur to answer his letter.

Neither happened.

Or that was what Arthur had believed.

Emily handed him the second letter.

Arthur opened it.

This one had been written two months later.

I sent you a letter in March. I don’t know whether you want contact, but I hope you at least received it.

Arthur’s eyes moved toward Victoria.

She looked away.

The third letter was worse.

Rebecca says I should stop writing because maybe the silence is your answer. I don’t want to believe that yet.

Arthur’s hand began trembling.

He looked at Victoria.

“You let him think I was ignoring him.”

Victoria finally answered.

“I thought you needed peace.”

Arthur stared at her.

“Then why didn’t you give me the choice?”

Victoria had no answer.

Emily reached for the next envelope.

But this one was not from Samuel.

It was from Rebecca.

And written across the front were the words:

PLEASE MAKE SURE GRANDPA GETS THIS.