a watch or a ring or a lantern or an old unopened letter.”
Granny looked down at the letter again. “I would love to know what is in this letter, young lady. Yes, indeed I would.”
Eve’s eyes came to the letter.
“Maybe we should open it now?” Granny said, conspiratorially. “Maybe we should read it together?”
Eve nibbled on her lower lip. She slowly shook her head. “I don’t think so.” Eve struggled for words. “It seems personal somehow. I’d like to buy it and then open it alone. Would you mind?”
Resigned, Granny bowed her head. “All right then. You found it and you want to buy it. So you shall have it.”
Eve sighed, audibly. “Thank you, Granny. How much?”
Granny laughed a little. “Give me $30 for the lantern. The letter I’ll give you free, on one condition. You must promise to call and tell me what’s in it. Will you do that?”
Eve nodded. “Of course. Yes, of course I will.”
Granny pointed a stern finger at her. “Be sure you do. I want to hear everything and anything you might learn about these people, because I am sure you will try to find out who they were. I think I can read that much in you.”
Eve reached for one of the shop’s business cards. She smiled. “I promise I’ll let you know everything.”
“All right then. I suppose you’ll be paying by credit card?”
“Yes.” Eve fumbled in her purse for her wallet.
Granny Gilbert gave the envelope one last, longing look and then handed it back to Eve.
“Did you see any other letters back there?” Granny asked, her voice filled with hope.
“No, just this one.”
Granny took off her glasses and gently wiped her eyes. “I wonder where it came from and how long it’s been here. I should know that. I should have known it was here. Well, I am time grown old and that’s what happens.”
Granny pushed herself up. “Okay, let me run your card.”
Granny stood in the doorway and waved as Eve drove away in the bright autumn sunshine. After Eve’s car had drifted away under the distant red and yellow leaves, Granny Gilbert strolled out into the parking lot, turned, placed her hands behind her back and took in The Time Past Antique Shop . Her eyes misted as she recalled old conversations, old transactions and old memories. It would be gone soon, just like she would.
That young lady had taken a piece of the shop with her and that was a good thing. She knew Eve appreciated the items and would make good use of them. Perhaps the items she’d purchased, the heart-shape pendant watch, the lantern and the letter, would live on for many more years. Perhaps that mysterious letter would even wind up in a museum someday. Who knows?
Granny Gilbert turned to face the empty road. She hoped the young woman would call and tell her what was in the letter. Granny laughed. She felt girlish again. Maybe it was a love letter?
Then something struck Granny. Something that had been gnawing away at her for several minutes. What was it? When the realization struck, Granny stood bolt erect. She arched an eyebrow, feeling her breath catch in her throat.
“It was the name,” she mumbled to herself in astonishment. “The name on the credit card. Evelyn Sharland, the same name as the name on the old envelope. Evelyn Sharland.”
Granny shivered. It had taken her old brain too long to realize the coincidence, and now the woman was gone forever. No wonder Eve had felt so strongly about owning that letter and opening the envelope in secret.
Granny turned back to face the shop and focused on it, as if she’d awakened from a nap.
“Imagine that,” she said into the cool autumn wind. “The same name. How could that be? My word, what a wonder this world is.”
CHAPTER 3
Eve arrived back in New York a little before 6pm, seeing the great city rise up in glass, steel and stone. After returning the car to the
Granny looked down at the letter again. “I would love to know what is in this letter, young lady. Yes, indeed I would.”
Eve’s eyes came to the letter.
“Maybe we should open it now?” Granny said, conspiratorially. “Maybe we should read it together?”
Eve nibbled on her lower lip. She slowly shook her head. “I don’t think so.” Eve struggled for words. “It seems personal somehow. I’d like to buy it and then open it alone. Would you mind?”
Resigned, Granny bowed her head. “All right then. You found it and you want to buy it. So you shall have it.”
Eve sighed, audibly. “Thank you, Granny. How much?”
Granny laughed a little. “Give me $30 for the lantern. The letter I’ll give you free, on one condition. You must promise to call and tell me what’s in it. Will you do that?”
Eve nodded. “Of course. Yes, of course I will.”
Granny pointed a stern finger at her. “Be sure you do. I want to hear everything and anything you might learn about these people, because I am sure you will try to find out who they were. I think I can read that much in you.”
Eve reached for one of the shop’s business cards. She smiled. “I promise I’ll let you know everything.”
“All right then. I suppose you’ll be paying by credit card?”
“Yes.” Eve fumbled in her purse for her wallet.
Granny Gilbert gave the envelope one last, longing look and then handed it back to Eve.
“Did you see any other letters back there?” Granny asked, her voice filled with hope.
“No, just this one.”
Granny took off her glasses and gently wiped her eyes. “I wonder where it came from and how long it’s been here. I should know that. I should have known it was here. Well, I am time grown old and that’s what happens.”
Granny pushed herself up. “Okay, let me run your card.”
Granny stood in the doorway and waved as Eve drove away in the bright autumn sunshine. After Eve’s car had drifted away under the distant red and yellow leaves, Granny Gilbert strolled out into the parking lot, turned, placed her hands behind her back and took in The Time Past Antique Shop . Her eyes misted as she recalled old conversations, old transactions and old memories. It would be gone soon, just like she would.
That young lady had taken a piece of the shop with her and that was a good thing. She knew Eve appreciated the items and would make good use of them. Perhaps the items she’d purchased, the heart-shape pendant watch, the lantern and the letter, would live on for many more years. Perhaps that mysterious letter would even wind up in a museum someday. Who knows?
Granny Gilbert turned to face the empty road. She hoped the young woman would call and tell her what was in the letter. Granny laughed. She felt girlish again. Maybe it was a love letter?
Then something struck Granny. Something that had been gnawing away at her for several minutes. What was it? When the realization struck, Granny stood bolt erect. She arched an eyebrow, feeling her breath catch in her throat.
“It was the name,” she mumbled to herself in astonishment. “The name on the credit card. Evelyn Sharland, the same name as the name on the old envelope. Evelyn Sharland.”
Granny shivered. It had taken her old brain too long to realize the coincidence, and now the woman was gone forever. No wonder Eve had felt so strongly about owning that letter and opening the envelope in secret.
Granny turned back to face the shop and focused on it, as if she’d awakened from a nap.
“Imagine that,” she said into the cool autumn wind. “The same name. How could that be? My word, what a wonder this world is.”
CHAPTER 3
Eve arrived back in New York a little before 6pm, seeing the great city rise up in glass, steel and stone. After returning the car to the
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