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Authors: Darcie Chan
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on a ring, a business card, and a handwritten note, which she opened and read aloud.
Dear Josie
,
I have recently learned of your arrival in Mill River and the reason for it. Let me first express my condolences for the loss of your beloved husband
.
I understand that a house fire took your husband’s life and most of your belongings. The keys that accompany this note are for the house next door to the home of Ivy Collard. Itis a modest house, but it is in very good condition. If you find it to be a suitable home for you and your daughters, I would be honored if you would accept it, along with a modest sum for the purchase of some new furnishings, as my gift to you
.
Paperwork to transfer ownership of the house to you has been prepared by the Gasaway law office in Rutland, listed on the enclosed card. You may schedule a time to sign the appropriate documents at that office at your convenience
.
I wish you and your daughters a very Merry Christmas
.
Best wishes
,
A resident of Mill River
Josie stared at the note, blinking.
This can’t be real
, she thought as she turned the keys over and over in her hand.
“Well, I’ll be dipped—” Ivy started to say, but Josie was already heading through the kitchen. Even though she was still in her pajamas, she slipped on her boots and exited through the side door without her coat.
The Bookstop was on a corner lot with only one neighboring house, so Josie plowed through the snow in the front yard until she stood before the home next door. It was white with green shutters and about the same size as Ivy’s. A Realtor’s FOR SALE sign protruded from the snow at the edge of the lawn.
The walkway leading to the front door of the house was freshly shoveled.
Josie went to the front door and inserted one of the keys. As she turned it, the lock opened with a quiet
click
. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Someone had obviously been by to turn on the heat, because it was comfortably warm inside. The entryway opened up into a living room on the left and faced the bottom of a staircase on the right. Josie slipped off her wet boots and walked cautiously acrossthe living room carpet. On the far side, there was a fireplace and a door to a small room that could be used as an office or for storage. Toward the middle, the living room connected with a dining area, which led, in turn, to the kitchen. A door under the staircase on the right side opened to reveal a small bathroom.
Josie backtracked to the entryway and climbed the stairs. The second floor was much smaller, consisting of two bedrooms, one larger than the other, with a bathroom in between. The whole house was painted and carpeted in neutral shades and seemed immaculately clean.
She came down the stairs and went back through the living and dining rooms into the kitchen. Through a sliding glass door, Josie could see a nice yard surrounded by a white privacy fence. The kitchen already had a refrigerator, dishwasher, and range.
It’s not huge, but there’s room for more than one butt
, she thought to herself with a smile. Finally, Josie opened the door at the far end of the kitchen and entered a small mudroom. A new-looking washer and dryer were there, as well as a utility sink and a built-in ironing board. An exit from the mudroom led into the small attached garage.
Could someone have really given her this house?
It was perfect. Not too big, but with plenty of room for the girls to grow up. Rose and Emily could share the big bedroom upstairs, and she got teary-eyed when she realized that they would be able to play to their hearts’ content in the fenced backyard. It was close to Ivy, in a safe little town where amazing things happened for no reason. Josie felt a little light-headed.
With one hand against the wall for support, she went back to the living room and noticed a small Christmas card propped open on the mantel of the fireplace. Inside, in the same handwriting as that of the letter she had just opened,
Dear Josie
,
I have recently learned of your arrival in Mill River and the reason for it. Let me first express my condolences for the loss of your beloved husband
.
I understand that a house fire took your husband’s life and most of your belongings. The keys that accompany this note are for the house next door to the home of Ivy Collard. Itis a modest house, but it is in very good condition. If you find it to be a suitable home for you and your daughters, I would be honored if you would accept it, along with a modest sum for the purchase of some new furnishings, as my gift to you
.
Paperwork to transfer ownership of the house to you has been prepared by the Gasaway law office in Rutland, listed on the enclosed card. You may schedule a time to sign the appropriate documents at that office at your convenience
.
I wish you and your daughters a very Merry Christmas
.
Best wishes
,
A resident of Mill River
Josie stared at the note, blinking.
This can’t be real
, she thought as she turned the keys over and over in her hand.
“Well, I’ll be dipped—” Ivy started to say, but Josie was already heading through the kitchen. Even though she was still in her pajamas, she slipped on her boots and exited through the side door without her coat.
The Bookstop was on a corner lot with only one neighboring house, so Josie plowed through the snow in the front yard until she stood before the home next door. It was white with green shutters and about the same size as Ivy’s. A Realtor’s FOR SALE sign protruded from the snow at the edge of the lawn.
The walkway leading to the front door of the house was freshly shoveled.
Josie went to the front door and inserted one of the keys. As she turned it, the lock opened with a quiet
click
. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Someone had obviously been by to turn on the heat, because it was comfortably warm inside. The entryway opened up into a living room on the left and faced the bottom of a staircase on the right. Josie slipped off her wet boots and walked cautiously acrossthe living room carpet. On the far side, there was a fireplace and a door to a small room that could be used as an office or for storage. Toward the middle, the living room connected with a dining area, which led, in turn, to the kitchen. A door under the staircase on the right side opened to reveal a small bathroom.
Josie backtracked to the entryway and climbed the stairs. The second floor was much smaller, consisting of two bedrooms, one larger than the other, with a bathroom in between. The whole house was painted and carpeted in neutral shades and seemed immaculately clean.
She came down the stairs and went back through the living and dining rooms into the kitchen. Through a sliding glass door, Josie could see a nice yard surrounded by a white privacy fence. The kitchen already had a refrigerator, dishwasher, and range.
It’s not huge, but there’s room for more than one butt
, she thought to herself with a smile. Finally, Josie opened the door at the far end of the kitchen and entered a small mudroom. A new-looking washer and dryer were there, as well as a utility sink and a built-in ironing board. An exit from the mudroom led into the small attached garage.
Could someone have really given her this house?
It was perfect. Not too big, but with plenty of room for the girls to grow up. Rose and Emily could share the big bedroom upstairs, and she got teary-eyed when she realized that they would be able to play to their hearts’ content in the fenced backyard. It was close to Ivy, in a safe little town where amazing things happened for no reason. Josie felt a little light-headed.
With one hand against the wall for support, she went back to the living room and noticed a small Christmas card propped open on the mantel of the fireplace. Inside, in the same handwriting as that of the letter she had just opened,
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