Claudia forced herself to relax and ease in the tension building in her shoulders. Abe’s letter was sitting on her knee, silently demanding to be read. Claudia felt the tension, the longing, the need to read the letter but knew that continuing to read the letter would mean accepting, once and for all, that Abe was really gone and would never again be walking through the door.
Sighing, she picked up the letter and forced herself to continue reading.
I know how hard this is for you but I also know you are stronger than you think and that with time you will be fine. I wrote two letters, one for you and one for Jared as is family tradition. Stop wrinkling your brow, there is one secret I kept from you all these years and this letter will explain it. Had life turned out differently, Jared would have received the letter explaining all of this so that he could pass on the tradition.
Before I explain further, I need your promise that once you have read this you will make similar provisions leaving the contents of this letter and your addition to it, to Jared. Family tradition is clear, that it passes from husband to wife or oldest son. I fulfilled my obligations when I left you the family tradition and I will admit that it is a puzzle I know you will enjoy.
Now enough of being secret and obtuse. For the last five hundred years, the oldest male member of the family has hidden and passed on a cache of wealth to be used in case of a threat to the safety and stability of the family as a whole. The cache has been used and rebuilt many times, most recently in the Revolutionary War.
Since then, after the family was moved out of New York and to Philadelphia, the cache has grown in value and wealth. It is never kept in a bank and is never kept in the form of liquid cash or stocks. It must always be kept in a commodity that can be liquidated if necessary regardless of where the family ends up. The only other stipulate placed on the cache is that it must be a mix of assets that can be liquidated so that the cache is insulated from fluctuations in value.
I learned of the cache when my father passed fifteen years ago. If you remember, I went on a business trip after Dad passed. I had to find the cache and make sense of the contents thereof. It felt like an unnecessary wild goose chase when I got my letter and I freely admit I was pissed off at my dad. However, now I understand the value of the cache and the necessity for secrecy.
Now for the puzzle part of the tradition. In an abundance of caution, the family tradition is that the location of the cache is never written down. Each must find the cache left to them without a clue. All I can say is that the cache is located on the property and that it is something you use every day almost.
It will not be easy to discover and will undoubtedly cause you to swear at me loudly in the coming weeks. There is an unintended side benefit to the tradition, the search helps you work through the grief, anger, and loneliness. Well, that’s what I discovered as I mourned Dad and searched for the cache.
I know, Claudia. I can hear you think and grumbling at me without even being aware. I promise love if I didn’t think you were strong enough to see this through then I would have broken tradition and passed the cache directly to Jared. Please don’t seek help from the children and please don’t fret if you don’t find it immediately. Unlike my dad, I think I hid it so well it will take much longer than a couple of weeks to find.
You are the love of my life and not even death can deny how deeply I love you. I am still there, standing beside you every day. You will never be alone. Don’t give up on life because I am not there to share it. Please remember that I love you but I do not want you to give up on life because I passed first. Be happy, laugh every day, go outside and tend the garden. If you find new love, then embrace it with open arms and my blessing. I am gone but I will always be with you. You made my life complete and made me a better person my love.
Abe
Claudia felt the letter slip from her hand as the tears poured down her face. Subconsciously, she reached a hand up behind her search for Abe. Finding nothing, the tears intensified and the sound of her screaming in agony echoed through the house.
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