FULL” in red.
My knees buckled.
Holt grabbed my arm. “Are you alright?”
My knees buckled.
“I, I don’t understand,” I murmured, breathless. “How…?”
He nodded towards the letter in my trembling hands. “Let’s open it together.”
My fingers fumbled on the flap. Papers slid out: legal forms, the deed, and a folded note with my name on it. I passed the note to Holt, unable to read through the blur of tears.
“May I?” he asked softly.
I nodded, my lips pressed tightly together.
Holt carefully unfolded the note, then took off his hat and turned slightly towards me, lowering his voice.
“Let’s open it together.”
“I’m not usually the one who does this kind of thing,” he said, almost apologetically.
“Ariel —
After you left, I noticed that one of your letters had slipped out of the pile you were carrying. I know I shouldn’t have read it, but when I saw the word foreclosure , I couldn’t ignore it.
After you went home for your nap, I called my banker and brought Walter’s emergency fund directly to the bank. I signed the papers myself.
” I couldn’t ignore it.”
You showed me kindness when you had nothing left. You treated me like a person. That’s why I also wanted you to be safe.
You don’t owe me anything. Just promise me you’ll be as good to yourself as you’ve been to me. Women look out for women, especially when no one else does.
Be brave. Be kind. And always remember that what you did is important.
