Author: NT

“Marissa.” I repeated the name after the call ended. Julian stood beside me in the basement. “You’re sure that’s what Marcus said?” “Yes.” I looked at the torn green cardboard …

PART 8 — MARISSA HAD THE GREEN FOLDER Read More

“I haven’t told you the truth about how I met Diane.” I stared at Carol’s face on Julian’s phone. “What truth?” She looked away from the camera. “I didn’t meet …

PART 12 — CAROL’S FORTY-YEAR LIE Read More

Spring had always been her favorite season. She used to say winter made promises that spring had to keep. I thought about that sentence the morning Julian Vance called me. …

NOT ATTENDING. NOT PAYING. The Full Website Story PART 3 — THE LETTER THAT ARRIVED IN APRIL By the first week of April, the snow had disappeared from the shaded corner beside my garage. The grass underneath was flattened and yellow, and the maple tree Eleanor had planted twenty-six years earlier had begun producing tiny red buds………….. Read More

“No.” Her voice was different. “This one has Grandma Eleanor’s handwriting on it.” That stopped me. “Where?” “In the Christmas village container.” I sat straighter in my chair. When we …

PART 19 — THE BOX EMMA FOUND AFTER I MOVED Three months after I sold the Cleveland house, Emma called me late on a Sunday afternoon. I knew something was wrong before she said a word. “Grandpa?” “Yes?” “I found something.” There was a pause. “What did you find?” “A box.” I smiled faintly. “You’re going to have to narrow that down.”……….. Read More

But something made me answer. “Hello?” There was a pause. Then a woman said my name. “Mr. Mercer?” “Yes.” “My name is Caroline Bennett.” The name meant nothing to me. …

PART 32 — THE PHONE CALL I NEVER EXPECTED Two winters after Emma’s first Christmas in her new house, I received a phone call from a number I did not recognize. I almost ignored it. By that age, most unfamiliar numbers meant somebody wanted to sell me insurance, replace my windows, or warn me that my car warranty had somehow expired again despite the fact that I no longer owned a car……….. Read More

When you are young, you collect. When you are old, you label. The desk had only three drawers. Bills in the top. Letters in the middle. Things I could not …

PART 46 — THE ENVELOPE EMMA WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO FIND Emma found the envelope while sorting through my desk after I moved into assisted living. By then, I had become less interested in owning things and more interested in knowing where they were. That is one of the odd reversals of old age………. Read More

The meeting ended early. He had two hours before he needed to head home. Somewhere along the way, he turned onto the street where he had grown up. The old …

PART 72 — THE THING PRESTON NEVER TOLD ANYONE Nearly a year after Raymond’s funeral, Preston found himself standing alone in front of the old house. He had not planned to go there. That was what he told himself. He had driven to Cleveland for a work meeting…….. Read More

Emma told him he had officially become Raymond. Preston pretended to be offended. Then secretly seemed pleased. Christmas was at Lily’s house that year. The family had grown again. Children. …

[ENDING] PART 94 — PRESTON’S FINAL CHRISTMAS Preston was eighty-four when he spent his last Christmas with the family. By then, his hair was completely white. His hands had begun to shake when he lifted a coffee cup. He walked slowly. He complained about stairs. He complained about weather. He complained about chairs that were too low……….. Read More