This is the eighth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, and Part VII before continuing.
“Hello?”
“In here!” Madison called without getting up.
“Where’s here?”
“In the library.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I’m not kidding. It’s a legit library. It has a rolling ladder and everything.”
“Marco.”
“Polo.”
They continued playing Marco Polo until Tolbert found his way to the library.
“Whoa,” Tolbert said as he stood in the doorway to the library.
“Told ya,” Madison said from the floor.
Tolbert looked over and down at her. “What are you doing down there?”
“Reading.”
“On the floor?”
“Yeah. I started to sit at the desk, but then I saw all these pillows and it looked way more comfy. I definitely made the right choice.”
“What are you reading?”
“It’s a novel Aunt Alison wrote. It’s totally about Mom.”
“What?”
Madison cackled gleefully. “I mean, all the names are changed, but you can totally tell it’s about Mom. And Dad. But mostly Mom.”
“How could she have written a whole book about Mom and yet not even know us?”
“Well, it takes place before we were born. At least, so far it does. Obviously, I haven’t had time to finish it.”
“How long have you been reading?”
“Pretty much since you called. I spent a few minutes exploring her closet before I found this gem.”
Tolbert looked down and saw the whiskey glass Madison had brought in with her. She had drunk all but a few sips. Tolbert reached down, picked up the glass, and emptied it in one swallow.
“Hey!” Madison protested. “That’s really good whiskey! You can’t just chug it like that.”
Tolbert smiled at her in a way that was meant to be an apology, but conveyed that he wasn’t really sorry. It was a look he had learned from their mom.
Madison snatched the glass from him and announced she was going to get a refill. She poured herself a couple fingers’ worth, but poured just a splash into a second glass for her brother. Hopefully the smaller amount of liquid would force him to slow down and appreciate it.
When she got back to the library with the two glasses, Tolbert reached for her glass, but she pulled it out of his reach and gave him the glass with the smaller amount.
“Seriously?”
“You can go pour yourself some more, but first you have to learn to appreciate what you’re drinking.”
Instead of responding, or even taking a drink, Tolbert just stared into the glass.
“You OK?”
“Yeah. I just need some time to digest all this. It’s a lot to take in.”
“Tell me about it.”
There was a beat of silence as Tolbert considered his sister and she pretended not to notice. “What was in her letter to you?” he finally asked.
“Not much. She said she stalked me on social media, that she had a really great aunt when she was growing up, and she wanted to be that for us, but Mom wouldn’t let her. Oh, and she said I get all her jewelry.” Madison shoved the hand with the emerald ring on it into her brother’s face so he could see.
Tolbert just nodded, barely looking at the bling.
“What was in her letter to you?”
“Pretty much the same. Except for the part about the jewelry.”
“All mine, baby!”
“You’re way too excited about that.”
“You haven’t seen her jewelry collection.”
“Well, let’s see it! Give me the grand tour!”
“Right this way.”
To be continued…