As I shut the book, the eerie sense that I was part of this story sunk in. Ms. Grasmere came in and escorted me out of the room, leaving my class to chatter insanely.
"Are you all right dear? You look ever so pale?" She coos wrapping a gentle arm around my shoulders.
"I…I..." I begin but stop as she hands me a letter.
She smiles and I open it and read it to myself.
Sam,
I know our past was interesting and that I do not deserve your kindness but I have a favor to ask of you. My child. Please take care of her. I am unable to where I am. I can not do much where I am.
Please,
With Love,
Nicole Rose
I re-read the letter many a time before it finally sunk in. That when I looked up to find Ms. Grasmere staring at me with a solemn smile.
"The name, Ms. Grasmere, Nicole's last name? It is smudged." I finally say.
"Yes, I know." She replies.
"Then how will I… We… Know what her child's last name is?" I inquire like a frantic school girl.
"Read this. It is a letter from your father. It will give you better answers than I can. He told me to give it to you." She said, a tear sliding down her cheek.
I take the letter hesitantly and then begin to read,
Rose,
As you know, this letter means that the time of my passing has come and that a few secrets must be known. What this letter contains may be a shock to you, it was for me. But I assure you, it will all make sense soon. Rose, you have always been told that you are your mother's daughter. Well everyone that has told you this is correct. You are, more and more each day. But your mother was not my wife…
If you do not know, the story of The Great Phantess is true. Every word of it, and I was Sam. Nicole left me the book after the fire. There were pages blank left within the book and I filled in my part of the story. That is why each part has different handwriting. She also left me with an even greater treasure… You…
You are the child mentioned in the book and in the letter that Helen should have given you. I realize how intelligent you are and you have probably noticed that Nicole's last name is smudged. She did that to every letter she sent me. She must have done that so I would not figure out if you were my child or if she really loved me more than Christian and or if Christian was whom she truly loved. She wanted me to take care of you and to not neglect you as her father did to her.
The story of which you have read depicts Nicole's life from the very beginning to her demise. Her death is still a mystery. I know she had to have survived the fire in order to have you, but there were records of two bodies found in the rubble of the church fire.
Christian's death is a mystery as well. If he and Nicole were still in the church then they would have both burned, but I know that they escaped, and my proof is you. Even though I have received letters from Nicole over the years, she may have died long before. She was so clever she could have left them with people over the years and instructed them to send them at a certain time.
She was very clever, as you are.
I know this is quite a shock and I wish I could still be there to answer your questions, but I thought it best that someone else did.
My sweet Rose, the woman whom you have called Ms. Grasmere is not your mother's sister; she is Melissa's twin sister and my wife. We met soon after the fire. She agreed to help raise you and to keep your true past a secret until the time comes. We married but I never told you she was your mother, she isn't…
Nicole is…
And as for your father… Well no one truly knows, but I raised you as my own… Nicole though knew, or she supposedly knew. And the answer was kept inside a locket. The very same locket that is depicted on the book cover. She found it at the church.
"I began to walk silently and cautiously to the alter where a glimmer or something caught my eye."
I assumed that is where she found it. Why there I am unsure but that is the only explanation I have found. It is said that inside the locket contains a picture of her true love and the father of her child, or whom she believed was the father.
I hope this answers some of your questions and remember Rose, Nicole loved you and she only wanted you to be safe. And I love you as well even if you aren't my daughter, which I consider you to be. And if I ever met Christian, I believe he would feel the same way.
With all my love,
Sam Clark
I stare at the letter until the ink feel as though it seeping into my mind through my eyes. I finally look up to find Mrs. Grasmere, my adoptive mother staring out the window, tears streaming down her face.
This must be so hard for her.
She notices that I am finished and I fall to her in a tight hug that was so long ago needed.
"Why didn't you tell me before? Why now?" I inquire between tears.
"It wasn't time yet my little Rosie." She smiles using the affectionate nickname she had given me when I was young.
"But… There is so much I don't understand…" I sigh as she releases me.
"I know… And I can not answer those questions." She replies starring back out the window.
"But Father… I mean Sam said… I…" I stammer, not knowing what to call the man I had known as my father.
"I know he said that someone else could answer your questions better than he, but that is not I my sweet Rosie." She says with a smile as a carriage pulls up outside my door.
"Now it is time for you to go… Sam may have an answer or two to your questions." She says as she opens the front door and a open carriage waits.
The driver is hooded; the only visible sense that he is alive is the steam from his breath. The driver did not ask where to go, he had already been instructed I suppose. I struggle to get into the carriage; a hand appears to help me up.
"Where are you off to my love?" my husband inquires cheerfully as he notices my smile.
"I do not know… But Mrs. Grasmere will fill you in on everything." I say as I kiss him goodbye.
"Mrs.? You don't know?" he inquires as the carriage pulls out.
The ride did not take very long yet is seemed like years had passed before we arrived. The cool air wraps around me like a scarf as we pull into the cemetery. I am shivering, not only with the cold but with excitement and nervousness as well. I finally arrive at the freshly dug grave of the man I knew as my father.
I read his gravestone as the chilling wind picked up. My stomach suddenly began to throb as the icy wind tore against me. I fell to my knees in front of my father's gravestone, my hair falling in my face. I could only see the snow as it began to covet the earth that sheltered Sam from the rest of the world.
That's when I feel a hand upon my shoulder and a gentle voice cooing in the wind.
"Rose? Are you hurt?"
"No Madame, I am fine… Just my stomach." I reply as she helps me to my feet.
"Well be careful… That treasure of yours is very valuable."
"Treasure… What…" I begin but stop.
That's when I turn to thank her… He eyes glimmer like rubies and her hair flows long and white like pure sugar or silk.
I stare at her breathless and she smiles.
"My, you have become a very beautiful young woman." She smiles.
"Nicole? Mother?" I inquire, my whole body shaking.
She smiles and a tear rolls down her cheek. She hugs me tightly and I do as well.
We stand for what seems forever in a hug that I had always longed for. The hug from a mother. We part and she takes my hand in hers. I feel something cold fall into my palm. As she removes her hand I see a gorgeous silver locket with the initial N.C. on it.
"The locket!" I gasp as I finger over it gently.
"So you know everything…" she giggles, "Well open it."
"Are you sure?" I inquire, very hesitant.
"You are just as curious as I was, only I never asked if I could do something." She laughs.
I open the locket slowly and see a small picture inside. As the picture comes into view in the sun, the wind becomes even stronger and blows the picture out of the locket. My mother and I watch it fly away into the sky until it melds into the snow.
My mother and I look at each other and then laugh together.
"Well I guess that is that. I can't tell you who your father is my sweet Rosie." She smiles as she kisses my forehead.
I look down upon the open locket in my hands and notice an inscription.
"Mother! There is something written inside." I say.
I look up and see that I am alone in the cemetery and no foot tracks can be seen in the snow. It was as if she was never here.
I look up at the sky to see the clouds part and the sun shines through. That's when something remarkable happens. I see my mother's glowing face. She is young and very happy. Then I see what appears to be a man beside her. His hair is black as night and his eyes gleam like the blue sky in summer. Christian… He is hugging my mother tightly. That's when I see another face. It is Sam. He is smiling and says something to Christian and they both smile.
That's when another figure appears in the sky. He is tall and very shy. Nicole seems shocked to see him. She says something to him and he replies. Then they hug and tears stream down Nicole's face.
I wish I knew what they were saying.
The rays from the glow warm me and I read the inscription once more.
Some secrets are best kept.
