A birthday surprise

Memories and a letter

Jason's pov

I wake up to an empty bed. Hm, I wonder where she is. I walk out of the bedroom and she's on the couch, flipping through a scrapbook. I wonder... Is that the wedding plan book she was talking about? She sniffles. Oh no, she's crying again. I put my hands on her shoulders and she jumps. "Goodness gracious, you scared the crap out of me!" She gasps, a hand to her racing heart. She tries to hide the fact that she's been crying. I try not to show that I already know. "How long have you been awake?" I ask, sitting beside her. "All night." She says. She didn't got to sleep?! She turns the page and it isn't about a wedding. "What's this?" She forces a smile and rests her head on my shoulder. "Oh just something I made to help me get through the worst thing that ever happened to me." She says. "What's that?" I ask. "My grandpa passing away. In my family, he was our rock. The glue that held us together. Once we lost him, everything else fell apart. We hardly talked to the family up north. My parents fought all the time. My grandma was a wreck. Nothing was or is ever gonna be the same. But now mama is with him again, probably the happiest thing ever for her. They were so close. I was so close to him. I told him everything that happened to me. Even now, when something happens, I pray and I know he hears me. I just miss them so much. I thought losing my Grandpa was the hardest thing I've ever gone through but now mom's gone, I feel like dying." She weeps. I hug her tight. The book falls from her lap. I just hold her and let her cry. "When she died a little piece of me did too." "Honey, I can't say I know what you're going through because I don't, but I can say this. I'm here for you. You can cry on my shoulder all hours of the day. One thing that helped me get through my grandpa's passing was sharing memories with someone who didn't know that person. I can and will be that person for you." I say. "I guess one of my favorite memories was when grandma and grandpa took us to the St. Louis arch. It was amazing. Grandpa tricked my grandma by pretending to fall out a window at the top. You shoulda been there. You woulda fallen down laughing. I did. It was one of those very rare moments when you want to just freeze time and stay there forever. The smile on that againg sick man's face is permanently etched into my brain." She says and I can see a hint of a smile as she tells that story. "How long ago was that?" I ask. "I was 18." She says. "If you don't mind me asking, how'd he pass away?" "Kidney heart and liver failure. The worst thing about it, I never got to say goodbye." She says, closing her eyes and I can tell she's trying not to cry. (Everything told about the grandfather just now is all true.) I pull her chin up and she opens her eyes. "He'd be so proud of you." I say. She smiles. "I know he's smiling down at me right after disagreeing with my mother over football." She says, rolling her eyes with a smile. She leans in close. "Between you and me, my mom was a football fanatic and my grandpa didn't know a field goal from a touchdown." She whispers. I laugh. "Darlin' you do know we're the only ones here right?" I ask, jokingly. She shrugs. "Either way." She says. She picks the book back up and closes it. On the front is a picture of a late 50s early 60s aged man holding a baby. "I reckon that's your granddad?" I ask, pulling her closer to me on the couch. She nods, "And that's me." She was such a cute baby. She leans against me and props it up on her legs then opens it. The next hour and a half was spent looking through that scrapbook, a few tears escaping and laughing at funny stories she told me. The doorbell rings. I get up and answer it. I've never seen the guy standing there before. I walk out suspiciously, closing the door behind me. "Can I help you?" I ask. He looks like he's been crying. "I- um does Miranda Brown live here ?" He asks. "Who wants to know?" I counter. "Just is she here or not?!" He gripes getting frustrated. "Um for one, I don't know you or what your intentions are so I'm not gonna tell you nothin'!" I shout. "I'm Miranda's uncle." He says. I don't know if I believe him. "Well, I'm her fiancé, if you're lyin' to me I'm just gonna warn ya that's a big mistake." He looks surprised. I call her outside.

Miranda's pov

I'm shocked to see my uncle Peter. I haven't seen him since Grandpa died! "Wow, it's been forever." I gasp, holding onto Jason's arm to stay steady. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that." He says, scratching his arm. "Don't worry, you aren't the only one." I mutter, looking away. "You've definitely grown into a beautiful young lady." He compliments. "Thanks. I'm not trying to be rude or anything but we've got a lot of stuff to do for the wedding. So if there's a reason you're here...." My voice trails off. "Your mom told me to give you this after she passed away. She told me when you were first born." He says, handing me a very faded letter in an envelope. The only words on the outside are My Daughter. I take it shakily. Jason grips my other hand. He can tell I'm close to breaking down. My uncle hugs me and starts walking toward his truck. "Wait, when will I see you again?!" I cry. "When's your wedding?" He asks. "June 14. Two weeks from now." I say. He smiles. "I'll be there. Along with your Yankee relatives." Jason gives me a questioning look. "My family that lives up north which I haven't seen or talked to in almost 15 years." I explain. My uncle leaves and me and Jason go back inside. I set the letter on the table by the scrapbook. "Aren't ya gonna open it?" He asks. "I'm scared to." I mumble. He squeezes my shoulder. "It's going to be alright. Whatever it is, we can handle it." He says. He clasps my hand, intertwining our fingers. "Ready?" He asks. I nod and pick it up. "Here goes nothing." I whisper, closing my eyes tight in fear of what I might find. I open them and read through the letter and what it says makes me faint in shock.

Jason's pov

I take the letter. Oh my goodness! She left 1 million dollars to her!? It's buried in the backyard of her grandfather's house in a trunk. The trunk also contains other more sentimental stuff. The PS makes me laugh. "And find yourself a loyal husband and settle down. Ya don't have all day." It must've been before we met that she wrote this. I wonder what she's going to want to do. She's beginning to wake up. "We have to go home." She says instantly. "But where at your grandparents' house did she bury it?" I ask. She grabs her purse. Her eyes tear up again. "I know exactly where." She whispers. I stand up and hug her. She holds onto me like I'll never see her again. "I've never felt so alone." She whimpers. "You're not alone. And as long as you're here with me, you'll never be alone. I'll always be here." I assure her. She wipes away a tear. "I don't know what I'd do without you." She whispers. I kiss her for a long time then we get in the car, heading to her hometown.