A Last Request

Avery looked around the room while nursing her coffee. She stretched, simultaneously allowing herself time to wake up and enjoy the excitement she felt. Avery had spent the last eight years working two jobs, and saving every penny she could to secure a mortgage. She’d been searching estate sale listings for months, and it had finally paid off.

It was a modest two bedroom house, with a small yard and needed some work, but it was hers. Avery placed her empty coffee cup on the counter, and set to work. She wanted to have the larger items set up by the end of the day, and was dreading the bedroom furniture. Avery was petite by any standards, but she was determined. She pressed her shoulder against the dresser, braced her feet at the base of the wall, and shoved it as hard as she could.

The dresser moved much easier than she had expected it to, and Avery embarrassingly fell to the floor. She realized the carpet was not secured to the floor underneath, and had slid aside with the dresser. Sighing, Avery moved forward to inspect the damage. She noticed a small section of carpet had been cut away from the rest. Avery thought perhaps the previous owner had tried to replace a damaged area, but never properly re-attached it. Even from where she was, Avery could see part of the flooring was lifted slightly.

Avery crawled over, gripped the raised edge, and gently lifted it up. She expected to find more damage, but she could never have guessed what was waiting for her. underneath the board was what could only be described as a secret cubby. Past the dust and cob-webs, she found an old duffel bag tucked inside. Secured to the opening of the bag was a little black notebook. Confused, Avery removed the book, and opened the first page.

Written inside was a letter, "If you're reading this, then I am dead. I lived a good life, but made very little impact. I can't say I achieved any great works, and I have no children to carry my name. I want to know I did one good thing in my life, so, inside this bag is $20,000. It's yours now. On the next page, you'll find a list of how I'd like you to use this money. Obviously I can't stop you from doing whatever you want with it; but consider this my last request. Let this bag be my legacy!”

Avery was in shock, she didn't know what to do. Quickly, she ripped open the duffel bag, and there it was... Twenty. Thousand. Dollars! Her mind was racing, there was so much she could do with that money. She could pay off her car, put it in her retirement fund, or do upgrades on the house. Avery got so caught up that she nearly forgot about the instructions on the next page. She decided she should at least look them over before making any decisions.

“#1. Go to a small café on Elm street called Classico Italiano. Sit at the table by the back window, order the Eggplant Parmesan, and leave a large tip, you won’t be disappointed. Ask for the owner Domizio. Tell him Elizabeth is sorry that I couldn’t properly say goodbye, and that I will miss him dearly. Check in on him from time to time for me.”

“#2. Buy yourself something nice. Something you have really wanted, but never justified spending the money on. Don’t worry about the price tag, it’s okay to treat yourself sometimes!”

“#3. Do something you have never done before. Make sure it is something you have always wanted to do, or something you had never considered doing before. Be brave!”

“#4. Take a trip somewhere you’ve never been before. Be adventurous and take chances. This world is too big and too beautiful to only see a small part of it.”

“#5. Fill this journal with the things you chose to do. See if you can fill it.” Avery set the note down.

Elizabeth must have been the name of the anonymous benefactor. What she was asking for seemed a little cheesy, and Avery could think of much more practical uses for the money, but she decided she would at least say goodbye to Domizio, feeling it was the least she could do.

Classico Italiano was a short walk from the house. Near the back window was a small round table with one seat looking out toward the street. Avery sat down, and a young man quickly came over to her, “I’m very sorry miss, but that table is reserved for one of our regulars,” he said.

“I know. I’m sorry, but Elizabeth instructed me to sit here. Are you Domizio?” Avery asked.

The man hesitated for a moment before responding, “My name is Antonio. Domizio was my grandfather. He passed away a few weeks ago.”

“I had no idea, I should go. I’m so sorry,” Avery squeaked, quickly getting up from the table.

“Please wait, you said Elizabeth sent you. Where is she?” Antonio pleaded.

Avery could see her answer was important to Antonio, so she explained to him how Elizabeth had left a note asking her to say goodbye for her, and showed him the list of instructions. Antonio sat down quietly on a nearby chair for a moment. Avery considered leaving again, but Antonio turned to her with a smile and said, “so, Eggplant Parmesan huh?”

When Antonio came back with her food, Avery asked him to sit with her and tell her about Elizabeth and Domizio. His face lit up with joy as he explained their ten year friendship, and how, even though they met when he was already an adult, he considered Elizabeth family. He told her stories of all the good times they had spent together. They started talking about her own family, and before they knew it, the sun was setting.

As they were getting up from the table Antonio asked Avery, “do you know what you’ll do for the list?”

“I hadn’t really thought about it yet,” Avery replied honestly.

“Why don’t you come back in tomorrow morning. I’ll make a frittata, we can talk some more, and you can bounce a few ideas off of me. It could be fun,” Antonio said sweetly, and Avery agreed.

The next morning, sitting at the same table with the frittata as promised, the two started brainstorming. They threw out suggestions like a spa day or a shopping spree in town, but Avery kept going back to one thought. It was a handmade, full length cotton coat with a fur trim, and ornate clasps down the front. It was the most extravagant piece of clothing that Avery had ever dreamed of for herself, and it had a price tag to match. Antonio decided it was the perfect thing for the second task on the list.

With Antonio’s encouragement, Avery looked up the seamstress online, excitedly wrote an email expressing her interest, took a deep breath, and hit send. This was already crazy. That was a lot of money to spend on something so frivolous. Her only justification was that she didn’t really consider the money hers, and this was how Elizabeth wanted it to be used. Avery decided she could use what was left over for more practical purposes.

Numbers three and four were going to be harder. Avery had spent half her adult life working, and not doing much else. There were so many places Avery had never been, and so many things she had never done. She had no idea where to even start. Her eyes wandered around the room hoping an idea might come to her, when she noticed the flag hanging on the wall.

“What about Italy? It’s not that far from Birmingham,” Avery thought out loud.

Surprise flashed across Antonio’s face, which quickly turned to excitement. He blurted out, “I still have family in Venice we could stay with! We could be there in a day if we took the train, you’d love the Palazzo Ducale!”

Antonio must have noticed the surprised look on Avery’s face because he abruptly stopped talking, and looked embarrassed. He apologized for getting caught up in the moment, they were strangers after all. The words Elizabeth had written popped into Avery’s head “Be brave. Take Chances.”

Avery touched Antonio's hand and replied, “I’ve never been on a train before, let’s do it!”

Antonio smiled. Avery had some vacation days saved up. Antonio owned the café and just needed to inform the manager. They were really going to do this.

One week later, they were standing beside the canals. Avery had been incredibly nervous on the train, but Antonio kept her distracted with card games, and talked to her until she fell asleep in her seat. Venice was worth it, the city was incredible. It was so lively and colourful.

Rialto Market was beautiful, and Avery now knew where Antonio’s recipes came from. They went to St. Mark’s Square, climbed the clock tower, and they had watched a man make a flower out of coloured glass. Now they were taking a gondola over to the Palazzo Ducale. Antonio had told her all about it, but words couldn’t do it justice. Avery had never seen anything so breathtaking in her life.

Antonio was right, she loved it. She’d loved the entire crazy trip. She never would have dreamed she’d be standing there just a few weeks ago, so much had changed in such a short time. She owed everything to Elizabeth for her generosity, and for sending her to that café.

Avery turned to see Antonio smiling at her, “I want to thank you. This trip has been amazing,” Avery said.

“I knew you’d love it, you have the heart for it,” Antonio replied. “You wouldn’t have walked into my café if you didn’t. I’m really glad you did.”

Avery smiled back at him, “I’m really glad I did too. This wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

Antonio’s smile got even bigger. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment, and then looked back at Avery and said, “Elizabeth told me she’d make sure I was cared for when she was gone. I never could have known she’d send me you.”

Avery blushed. Antonio pulled a glass flower out of his bag. He had bought the one they watched being made earlier when she wasn’t looking. Avery had no words. She watched the light catch the glass, and wondered if she was in a dream. Nothing even close to this ever happened to her. Her heart was racing as she silently thought to herself, “please let this be real.”

Antonio then gently lifted her chin, and among the paintings, he kissed her.