Treasure Awaits

It is about 20 degrees outside and I hate going outside. Once I am home from work, that is it. Winter is not my thing. I tell myself every winter that I am going to leave Detroit and head down south to Florida, maybe the Keys. But I’m still here. Moving is not as easy at it sounds. Finding a new house, selling or renting out the one I have now, and let’s not even talk about finding a new job. But I keep dreaming and saying it every year.

Normally, I stop at the mailbox at the driveway while I am still in the car. Today when I stopped there was not mail. I didn’t think anything about it other than I just didn’t have any. Until I just looked out the window and say the mailman just now delivering the mail. I started not to even go get it, but there was a voice in my head telling me that I needed to go get it now. There was something important that I needed to see and I shouldn’t wait until tomorrow. So, I grabbed my purple snow coat and matching boots from beside the door and headed out to the mailbox. As I am flipping threw the envelops I see one from my cousin Jason. Well that is interesting. I haven’t heard from Jason in years. Of course this is the first piece of mail I open when I get inside, figuring that this is the mail that little voice in my head was telling me that I needed to read.

It read:

Tammy,

First let apologize for not keeping better in touch. Life has a way of flying by and you don’t even realize it. Second, I need you to meet me in Boston at the vacation home, ASAP. I can’t explain in this letter, but I need you to meet me on March 21st. And yes, I know it is short notice and I am asking you to drop everything that you have going on right now, but it is very important that you meet me on that day. I promise it will be worth it. A treasure awaits.

Love you,

Jason

I read the letter at least three times. I hadn’t heard from Jason in three years. Not since his parents died. What in the world does he have going on? And what does he mean by ‘a treasure awaits’? A treasure awaits who, me? Is this just some ploy to have me meet him at his parents vacation home because he’s in trouble? And in three days?! He really expects me to drop everything and go to Boston in three days? It does sound important. Maybe I can get a few days off work.

The next morning I go into the office and ask my boss for a few days off. I explain that my cousin is going through something and needs me. Not really a lie, he does need me and I am assuming that it is because he is going through something.

She gives me four days off to go help Jason. I go back to my desk and book my flight to Boston. It was actually easier than I thought it would be to get her to give me a few days off. She explained that she is really big on family and family ties. Being there for my family should always come before anything else.

When I arrive two days later at the vacation home, he wasn’t there yet. Luckily I remembered where the spear key was kept and it was still there. I walked in and went upstairs to my old room that I stayed in after my parents had died when I was a kid and dropped my luggage. It was freezing outside so of course I wasn’t leaving the house again. I decided to go downstairs and watch some TV while I waited. I guess I fell asleep because I woke up four hours later to the door shutting.

“Jason, is that you?”I yelled.

“Hey Tammy! Yes it is me! I am so glad you made it,” he said as he was walking into the living room.

“Well you made it sound important that I meet you here. Are you okay?” I asked.

“Sorry about that. Yes, I am okay. I needed you to meet me here because while I was going though my parents things, I found a letter that they had left for you in the safe. It’s from your parents,” he said.

“My parents? Why wouldn’t they give it to me after my parents died?” I wondered out loud. My parents had died when I was twelve in a car crash and Jason’s parents had taken me in.

“I really have no idea Tam and I didn’t open it,” he said using the nickname he gave me when we were kids. “I will go get it.”

When he returned and handed me the letter, I just starred at it for a few minutes not sure what to do.

“Tam, this is why I didn’t want to mail the letter. I knew this was going to be hard for you and I figured this was the best place for you to read it since a lot of memories were in this house,” he said.

He was right. This was the house our mothers grew up in, our grandparents house. It was let originally to them both and now it belonged to the both of us. We were the only children either of our parents had.

“You are right about that,” I replied trying to force back the tears that I could feel building up inside. A letter from my parents, probably written by my mother. It wasn’t really my dads thing, at least not that I could remember. I opened the envelop that was addressed to me and said from Mom and Dad.

It read:

Tammy,

Your dad and I set down and wrote this letter and placed it in our living will just in case we were not there to see you grow up. Your Aunt Pam and Uncle Justin were informed to give it to you on your wedding day. We wanted you to know that we are here with you on this special day. You may not see us, but we are with you in your heart. We dreamed about this day since the day you were born. Your father hated to talk about his little princess growing up and getting married. But I used to make him anyway! You know I have always had him wrapped around my finger, almost as much as you do! Anyway, along with this letter there is a painting of a barn owl that your grandmother painted when I was a little girl. I want you to have it today as your something old. I know it is not traditional, but maybe you can place it at the reception as a family heirloom. Remember that we love you unconditionally and always.

Mom and Dad

I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down my face. When I finally got my composer, I turned to Jason and asked, “Have you seen a painting of a barn owl?”

Hugging me through the tears he replied, “Isn’t that the painting in your room? I think you were more mesmerized with the horses and sunset than the owl, but I like the owl!”

“Oh my God, I think you are right. I remember know, all you talked about was that owl!” I said starting to laugh. I handed Jason the letter for him to read and headed back upstairs to my room. I couldn’t believe it was always hanging there for me. Even though I wasn’t getting married, the treasure of my parents letter and the painting were more valuable than anything I could have ever gotten in money, jewels or material things.

Jason walks in and gives me a hug from behind me.

I take the painting off the wall, examine it front and back. On the back I noticed there was another envelop tapped to it. I opened it and inside there a key and a note that read: Safety deposit box 435 at Morgan Bank.

I turned and looked at Jason and he said, “Lets go! I will drive.”

When I opened the safety deposit there was jewelry and over $300,000 in cash and another $550,000 in bonds. I couldn’t believe it.

A treasure was waiting for me, one bigger than I ever could have imagined. Just the note itself was priceless and the rest was an added bonus.