A Deadly Row

his ears, it was time for a haircut. In the photo, he had a cocky arrogance to his stance that showed me a little bit why my mother had fallen for him.

The next photograph was older still. It showed two young boys and a little girl sitting around a campfire. My grandfather was behind them, the gleam in his eye apparent even across the years. When I studied the photograph closer, I saw that it was my mother’s family. Uncle Thomas was there, and eating a roasted marshmallow was my other uncle, Jeffrey. There was something about Jeffrey that looked familiar, but I couldn’t see all of his face in the poor light of the fire. From what I could make out, his resemblance was stronger to my grandmother, who sat quietly beside him. Uncle Thomas and Mom were more like their father. I kept staring at my unknown uncle, wondering where he was right now, or even if he was still alive.

Setting it aside for a moment, I removed the next item. It was a heart-shaped locket, and I wondered if my mother had received it from my dad. It took a few seconds to get the locket open, and I was surprised to find another man’s picture inside, clearly not my dad. Why had she kept it all those years, and more importantly, why was she handing it down to me? He didn’t look at all familiar, and I didn’t have a clue how I might find out who he was. And then I realized that I’d just spent the day with my best chance of knowing. I’d have to go back and see Uncle Thomas to ask him if the man looked familiar to him. If he didn’t know, I wasn’t sure how I was ever going to find out.

After the photographs, there was a stack of letters, all neatly tied together with a faded red ribbon. I opened the first one, and saw that it was a love letter from my father to my mother. It just took a few sentences for me to feel like some kind of voyeur, even though Mom had supplied them to me herself. I folded the letter back up and slipped it into its envelope. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever read them, but somehow, it felt good possessing a piece of my past before I even existed.

Beneath the letters, I was getting to the bottom of the box. I wasn’t sure what I’d find, but a safety deposit box key was the last thing I imagined.

Even more startling was the note that it was taped to.

Savannah, if you’re reading this, I’m not around anymore. I didn’t know what to do with the contents of this safety deposit box, so I’m dumping it in your lap. I shouldn’t do it, I know that, but I plan to deal with it someday and hopefully you’ll never have to see this letter, or what I’ve hidden from you.

I just can’t deal with it today.

If you are reading this letter, I hope you are well. I often regretted not having more children so you’d have someone in your life once your father and I were gone, but I was thrilled to have you. In many ways, you were my greatest achievement, my legacy, my bid for immortality.

Don’t think badly of me when you open the box.

I didn’t know what else to do.

I hope you do.

Forgive me. I love you.

Mom

I picked up the telephone and dialed my uncle’s number, even though I knew that it was past his bedtime.

“Hello?” he answered after several rings.

“Uncle Thomas, it’s Savannah.”

I could hear the weariness in his voice. “I was hoping you’d call. Just not this late.”

“Sorry, but it couldn’t wait. Do you know anything about a safety deposit box my mother had?”

There was a long pause, so I asked, “Uncle Thomas? Are you still there? I need you to wake up. This is important.”

“I’m awake, trust me. I honestly never put the two things together.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I got a notice last year that a safety deposit box at the old Southern National Bank in your mother’s name had lapsed, and I was named as the other signatory. They asked me if I wanted to renew it, or collect the contents of the box. I went to the bank, and I paid fifty dollars to have them drill it, since I had no idea where the key was. When they got it opened, they put me in a room by myself, and I opened it. Inside was another box, with a note to me.”

“What did it say?”

“That I was supposed to hold it for you until you asked me about it, and not turn it over until then. I wanted to give it to you right away, but I didn’t want to break my word to your mother, either.”

“So you’ve still got it.”

“Not anymore.”

I felt my spirit sink. “What happened to it?”

“When I went to get the first box, I slipped out to your car and put the second one in the backseat under an old blanket. I kept trying to tell you about it, but your mother’s note haunted me. I didn’t know what to do.”

“So, I’ve got it? What’s inside?”

“I didn’t look in either box,” he said. “They were both for you.”

“You shouldn’t have sneaked it into my car,” I said.

“Darlin’, the list of things I shouldn’t have done would fill up a notebook the size of Texas. If I wronged you or your mother, I’m sorry, and that’s the truth.”

“You did the right thing. I just wish you would have told me about it sooner.”

“I’m truly sorry.”

“You’re forgiven,” I said. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got another box to open.”