Liam's Letters • Part 2

12

The years passed and Eveleen, true to form, being that the three adults in her life were very intelligent, she was also. She excelled at everything that she attempted.
One day she emailed her parents.
"Mom, Papa, I met someone! We have been dating for a few weeks now. It feels so right. He is wonderful. I want you to meet him. During the spring break I will bring him down to Gaborone to meet the two of you. I think you will love him too. He is intelligent, wonderful, kind, gentle, caring. I can't wait to see you. Love Eveleen."
Renée sent an email back.
"Send pictures."
Eveleen didn't send anything to them. She wanted to surprise them. It seems that pictures are many times, deceiving. They make rooms look bigger than they are. They make people distorted. We draw conclusions about people when we see them in one dimension. Eveleen was counting on the three dimensional approach!
Renée and Sébastien were anticipating this spring break, like no other spring break, before.
Eveleen didn't even want to be picked up at the airport.
She arrived at the front door. She rang the door bell on purpose and just waited.
Sébastien and Renée came to answer the door. Eveleen was standing there alone.
She jumped into Sébastien's arms and then Renée's. Tears of joy springing from all.
Then from around the corner, came Eveleen's man. Eveleen wanted to surprise her parents.
Renée and Sébastien just stared at him.
The young man came face to face with Sébastien.
There, standing in front of Sébastien, was the spitting image of himself!
Both men were shocked. It came as a surprise to everyone, except Eveleen. It was like Sébastien was looking in a mirror.
"Mom, Papa, I would like to present, Justin."
Sébastien, silently, in slow motion, put out his hand to shake Justin's hand. Renée did the same.
Finally, it was Renée that spoke.
"Nice to meet you Justin. Please come in."
They all went into the living room and sat down.
Sébastien was, in fact, thrilled.
There is an old belief that girls marry men just like their fathers. This was the greatest compliment that Eveleen could have paid Sébastien. Justin had Sébastien's mannerisms, his laugh, his attitudes, his opinions, even his cough. It was remarkable. How could Eveleen have gone all the way to Europe and found someone that was identical to Sébastien? Amazing!
The four of them hit it off, marvelously. They stayed up all night talking. Catching up with Eveleen and how her university was going. They were full of questions for Justin also. He too was from Nigeria. He was raised in England. Also wanted to be in the culinary world.
When they were all exhausted, they all began to go to the bedrooms. Sébastien led Justin to his own room.
"Um, Mr. Djimbilth!" Justin started.
"Sébastien, please!" Sébastien said.
"Sébastien, I just want you to know, I haven't had sex with Eveleen!" Came the confession, spouting out, in a shy way.
"I know!" Sébastien said.
"H-How do you know?" Justin stuttered.
"I raised Eveleen."

•••••

On September 20th, Justin Oton married Eveleen O'Neil Djimbilth, at a beautiful ceremony on the edge of Lake Ontario, overlooking the entire city of Toronto.
Gareth and Renée's parkette.
Sébastien and Renée stood there beaming.
Gorgeous bride and groom. Gareth was the best man for Justin.
After the ceremony everyone congratulated the couple. As Renée was kissing Eveleen, Eveleen asked, "Mom, who is that man standing over there, by the tree?"
Renée turned to look at him. He was watching them, he made no indication that he knew, they were looking at him.
"Oh that is your father's lawyer." Renée answered.
"Um..I didn't invite him." Eveleen said in a questioning voice.
"Yes, Darling I know, your father did." Renée said as a matter of fact.
"My father? ..........My father invited his lawyer to my wedding?" Eveleen asked again.
"Yes, that was one of the stipulations in his Will." Renée explained.
"Pardon?"
Just then the lawyer approached them.
Greeted Renée.
Introduced himself to Eveleen. Congratulated her.
Handed Eveleen an envelope.
Turned and disappeared into the small group of people that were there.
Eveleen was perplexed. "What is this?"
"No idea." Renée said. Shrugging her shoulders. Then added, "That is so strange, your Papa and I have an envelope for you, too."

•••••

That night, in their hotel room, Eveleen opened the envelope from the lawyer.
It was a large brown envelope. Inside that, was another envelope.
The envelope within, was cream colored, with a red wax seal that looked like a family crest. Large letter 'O' in the middle of the seal. The envelope was handwritten. Eveleen's breath caught in her throat. She recognized the handwriting.
She carefully opened the envelope, preserving the wax seal. She carefully unfolded the letter. She started reading,

"My Dearest Eveleen,
This is your father, Gareth O'Neil.
Congratulations! You are finally married. I wish you, with all my love, all the best, on your exciting future, with your husband. I am sure that he is a wonderful man. He will take very good care of you.
The man that handed you this envelope, was my lawyer, or his agent. I entrusted this letter to him all these years. His instructions were to give this to you, on your wedding day. I want to be able to share, something, with you, this day.
I am sorry, that I was not able to be there, in person.
I would like you to read all the letters that I sent to your mother and to Sébastien. I want you to know me, as best you can. You see, I loved you long, ago. Your mother got pregnant. I didn't tell her that I knew about you. She didn't tell me that you were there already. She was worried that it would be stressful on me. I loved your mother and knew her so well. She didn't have to tell me, that you had come into our lives, I knew already.
I entrusted Sébastien to marry your mother and to look after you! As you know by now, I am sure, I even named you. You were loved from the beginning of time by me and your mother and then Sébastien.
I would like you to contact my lawyer again. He will explain something to you.
I have left, in trust, to be given to you, upon the day of your wedding, my restaurant,
Auberge du Pommier.
I am sure that it is a thriving business. I made sure of that, for you. It is my legacy. I entrust it to you now. To carry on with it. To continue it's success.
I am sure that you are a very intelligent young woman.
I am sure that you are very beautiful.
I am sure that I love you with all my heart.
I am so very proud of you.

With all my heart and love,
Your Father
Gareth O ' Neil"

Eveleen had tears in her eyes.

•••••

Then she picked up the envelope from her Mom and Papa. It was bulky. She opened it and pulled out a letter and a key fell out into her lap.

"Our Dearest Eveleen,

You could not have made us any happier than you have.
We are so proud of you.
We love Justin. We are so happy for both of you.
We love you, Eveleen.
We are giving you and Justin, "O'Neil Cottage" as our wedding gift to you. Where your mother and father began. Where you began. We want you to continue the legacy that was started there. We know that you will treasure it.
It is your history.
That house was full of nothing but love. Each and every day that it was occupied, it was full of love. Please treasure it and fill it with your love. Certainly it is what your father would have wanted. We want that for you too.
We are sure that your father Gareth would be well pleased to know that you will carry on his memory there.
Congratulations and God bless your future.

Love,
Mom and Papa"

•••••

Eveleen unlocked the door of the cottage. Justin wanted Eveleen to go in by herself. She walked in. She stood still and just began looking around. As though it were a shrine. Everything was in it's place. Everything was pristine. So much history there. So much love. So much caring. So much passion.
There was where it all began.
It was her responsibility to continue their history in that cottage. She was determined that that is where their children would be born and they would learn all about the tremendous love of the four most important people in her life. Her father Gareth, her mother Renee, her Papa Sébastien and her wonderful and loving husband Justin.

And so it continued................