Heart attack.
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Before he died, Michael asked me to promise something. Not that I would force an introduction. Not that I would interfere in Daniel’s life. Only that if circumstances ever made it possible, I would leave one door unlocked.
Claire felt tears.
I agreed.
Then my own diagnosis came.
Claire covered her mouth.
Daniel waited.
I knew Claire would inherit the Cadillac because she loved pretending she did not want it every time she saw the order paperwork. I also knew Daniel had left engineering and opened a repair shop somewhere in Colorado.
Daniel whispered:
“He knew?”
Claire nodded.
I asked Paige’s father to keep one note. If, years from now, Claire was unattached, Daniel was unattached, and life happened to put them within reach of each other, he could pass the idea along. Nothing more.
Claire stared.
“Paige’s father.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Your friend?”
Claire immediately pulled out her phone.
No signal.
Daniel’s phone had none either.
She continued.
If you are reading this together, then apparently somebody ignored the ‘nothing more’ instruction. I suspect Paige.
Claire laughed aloud.
“That manipulative—”
Daniel smiled.
“Sounds like Renee too.”
Claire read the final paragraph.
Claire, if the man beside you is not Daniel Mercer, apologize for this very strange letter and buy him dinner.
Daniel laughed.
If it is Daniel, neither of you owes your fathers anything.
The laughter disappeared.
Do not confuse our history with your future. Michael saved me. That does not make his son right for you. I loved you. That does not give me the right to choose anyone for you.
Claire’s eyes filled.
All we ever wanted was for the two people we loved most to have one chance to meet without money, family names, business, grief, or expectation deciding first.
Claire stopped reading.
The final lines blurred.
Daniel waited.
She wiped her eyes and finished.
If you dislike each other, laugh at us and go home.
If you like each other, take your time.
And Claire, if he stopped in the snow for a stranger without knowing who she was, at least let him buy dessert.
Love, Dad.
Silence.
Claire folded the letter against her chest.
Daniel stared at the snow.
For several minutes neither spoke.
Finally he said:
“My father never told me.”
“Mine didn’t either.”
“He knew your father?”
“Yes.”
“And Paige knew?”
“Apparently enough.”
Daniel exhaled.
“I’m going to kill my sister.”
“Get in line.”
Claire looked at the photograph again.
Their fathers.
Young.
Laughing.
Beside a truck in the mountains.
She felt grief arrive unexpectedly.
Not sharp like the first year.
Different now.
A room inside her opening after being locked for too long.
“My dad planned this before he died.”
Daniel shook his head.
“He planned an introduction.”
“The breakdown?”
“He apparently engineered a connector to eventually fail.”
“That is planning.”
“Fair.”
Claire stared at him.
“Are you angry?”
Daniel thought.
“At my father?”
“Yes.”
“A little.”
“Why?”
“Because he never told me about Robert.”
Claire nodded.
“And because…”
He hesitated.
“What?”
Daniel looked toward the running Cadillac.
“Rachel.”
Claire remained quiet.
He continued.
“My dad knew I was married.”
“He respected it.”
“According to this.”
“Yes.”
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck.
“After Rachel died, everyone wanted to help.”
“With dating?”
“With everything.”