The Disillusion Mountains

Chapter 27

2 Years Later

"I first met Grant when I decided to go on a treasure hunt." Nimma said smiling while swirling the glass of champagne in her hand. "God that was quite a trip. He twisted his ankle and I had to carry his useless carcass up the mountain. Honestly I've seen kids cry less when they stub their toes. Let me add this was during a flash flood and if it weren't me for this dumbass would've drowned." Everyone laughed as Nimma smacked Grant in the head. "Selmmie based on my experience you'll be pulling all the weight in this marriage."     

"Don't I know it," Selmmie said and she gave Grant a kiss on the check.

"Yes. What's really important is that Grant is a good man. He'll support you through the bad times and rejoice with you in the good ones. Grant, Selmmie, I know you two will have a long marriage of happiness and love. To Selmmie and Grant!" 

The room loudly echoed her toast for the bride and groom. Eridani and Alsyne even got a half glass of champagne each but based on their facial expressions they didn't think it tasted good. She felt Caspian take her hand and she looked at him and smiled.

The reception was beautiful. Nimma and Caspian supplied the abundance of flowers as a preview to the floristry they would open in a few months. Even all that beauty couldn't hold a candle to Selmmie. She was absolutely radiant.

As Selmmie and Grant took the floor for their dance the lights dimmed and Nimma thought about what a long road it'd been getting here.

After finding the treasure they'd lived on the mountain for a week before the flood ended. They were able to find the Rangers on their way up to look for them. After getting back to hysterical Selmmie and Eridani, Nimma filled out the correct paperwork in order to claim the treasure. Thanks to Caspian's connections it was handled quietly and quickly without interference from the Towers.

The official story was Nimma found the treasure while being stranded on the mountain with Grant. Caspian and Jace since they weren't supposed to be there snuck away before the Rangers found them. Nimma and Grant refused to lead anyone back to the resting place of the treasure claiming that as a burial site it should be left in peace. Nimma and Grant had gone back to bring every piece of treasure back down with the secret assistance of Caspian and Jace. It was then properly catalogued by museum experts and they were given a check for the amount the whole was appraised at. A new exhibit dedicated to Regina's Reign was due to open in the Museum of Myrasian History in about six months. Nimma had been allowed to keep some small pieces of jewelry if she desired, so she picked out a few and kept them in a safe at home along with the journal that started it all.

No one said anything about Celeste and her operation. No bodies were found and no one appeared to be looking for any. If the Towers knew Celeste had been up there they didn't seem to care about her fate. No missing person reports were ever filed for Celeste. Jace knew the names of the other men who'd signed on to assist her and only some of those people had reports filed. Nimma felt bad that those families were looking for people they'd likely never find.

True to his word Grant didn't take a penny of the money even when Nimma offered some. He said he hadn't worked so hard to make a new life independent of the Towers' wealth and influence only to except their money again however indirectly.

Once the claim Nimma filed had been approved the media circus began. It was one of two though thankfully she wasn't as involved in the second. She was national news as the descendant of a famous outlaw who went on to find their hidden treasure.

The Towers being the people from whom all the treasure had been taken were of course pressed for comments. They released a statement that it was truly amazing such a find reignited interest in local history. Not long after that Tucker sold the law firm to the Towers. Selmmie and Nimma received statements that they were reluctantly closing the business as profits never eclipsed expenses which was a lie.