A Legacy of Lies, A Love Lost

a P

daze. Denver. He wore a crisp, tailored suit, a miniat

la said to tell you the guests are leavin

l with him. To bridge the chasm that had grown betwee

step back, his eyes wide an

-air. The rejection

d, his voice echoing Cayla' s words. "She said you never love

, that's not true! I worke

d! You were always at work! Aunt Cayla says you're c

d ran. "Aunt Cayla!" he cried, his voice fadi

child." My hands, which had built skyscrapers, trembled uncontrollably. The words, "I hate yo

each one a stranger, each one a judge. I was an o

er is right, Alva. Look how much he loves Cayla. That's what

ck. "Yes, Alva. Perhaps this is for the best.

nothing left to say. My

in. I slipped away unnoticed, a shadow disappearing

with the lingering scent of old books and my own fa

er eyes filled with concern

out a small, encrypted

hand shaking. "Wh

enty-four hours after my death. To the authorities. To Don's univ

arents. One for Don. And this one," I held up the smallest envelope, my voi

to fall again. She n

t was plain, unadorned, but it held a tiny photo of Denver as a baby. "This was my grandmother

air, utterly exhausted.

e night sky, celebrating the new partnership

sts of color. "They will have their joy. And then... they wil

t blood. Not violence.

for Denver, for the boy who hated me. "Goodnight, Don.

sed m

one last time.

g a sob. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She reached f

. Finally, a groggy voic

er voice cracking, "it's Sa

e, when it came, was sharp, disbelieving. "What are you talk