Chapter 14 - CHARLES ASKED ME A QUESTION I DIDN’T EXPECTA year after the deed transfer, Charles visited the Buckhead house.
By then the divorce was final.
The foundation investigation had largely stabilized.
Vivian was gone from governance.
Derek was making scheduled repayments under agreements negotiated through counsel.
The Christmas house had become the flagship venue for the expanded Alder & Finch.
I restored two rooms.
Added discreet commercial kitchen upgrades.
Limited events so the property still felt like a home.
Charles walked through the dining room slowly.
The same table was there.
I had almost sold it.
Then decided furniture did not deserve blame for people.
He stopped beside the chair where Derek had sat.
“Do you hate Christmas now?”
I thought about it.
“No.”
“Good.”
Then he looked uncomfortable.
Charles Mercer rarely looked uncomfortable.
“What?”
He took a breath.
“Was giving you this house another form of rescuing?”
The question surprised me.
Maybe because he was applying his own lesson.
“I don’t know.”
He nodded.
“That’s fair.”
I looked around.
“I would have survived without it.”
“I know.”
“I might have been better off if you had paid me properly for three years instead.”
He laughed.
“Probably cheaper.”
Then he grew serious.
“If you ever decide you don’t want it, sell it.”
I looked at him.
“It was your mother’s.”
“It’s yours.”
“That easy?”
“No.”
He smiled sadly.
“That necessary.”
That was the biggest change in Charles.
He stopped making sentiment someone else’s obligation.
Before leaving, he handed me a small velvet box.
I opened it.
My wedding ring.
Recovered from storage after Christmas.
Apparently a staff member had poured Derek’s soup into a disposal container and found it later.
I stared at the ring.
“What am I supposed to do with this?”
Charles shrugged.
May you like
“For once, Emily, I am making no plan for you.”
Perfect answer.
