He lowered his head and caught my lips in a breathtaking kiss that actually left me weak in the legs.
“I’m keeping you as well,” he said, a bit breathless when the kiss ended.
His words were music to my ears. Was that me feeling romantic? I wasn’t sure but I scored one for myself anyway.
“How about I grab a bottle of wine for us to enjoy while we go through some of this stuff?” I suggested.
“I’ll get it,” Ian offered.
He kissed me quick, and I could feel his reluctance to let me go, but then I felt the same and hugged him tight.
I closed the suitcase with the gloves and placed it with the luggage set excited about sharing the gloves with Amy. She will be thrilled to know my aunt wanted her to have some of them and my aunt was right, Amy would wear them with flair and style.
I smiled when I heard Ian’s heavy footsteps on the stairs. He was making sure I heard him this time. Though this time it was Ian who grew startled and called out.
“Oh my God, that’s a vintage Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk!”
“Which one?” I asked.
He shook his head. “That’s right, fashion isn’t your thing. You wouldn’t know. Has Amy been up here lately?”
“Amy would have been young when last she saw this trunk. I’ve been the only one up here in years.” I was surprised to see Ian sending off a text on his cell and before I could ask him who he’d sent it to, my cell rang.
“OH MY GOD!”
Amy had screeched so loud that I moved my cell away from my ear.
“You have a Louis Vuitton vintage wardrobe trunk? Do you know how much it’s worth?”
“It’s a trunk,” I said, unimpressed.
“Vintage. Wardrobe. Louis Vuitton,” she emphasized. “I read that one sold for over seventy grand.”
Now that impressed me, but… “It’s more valuable to me than that.”
“I figured that and knowing you you’re probably already thinking about where you can showcase it in the cabin.”
“I’m thinking since it’s a piece of history it should go in the library,” I said.
“Good idea since you don’t want it where someone might spill something on it or think to sit on it.”
I cringed. “Like one of my brothers.”
Amy laughed. “You got that right.”
I went on to tell her about the suitcase of gloves that we were to share.
“I LOVE YOUR AUNT!” Amy squealed and I moved the phone away from my ear again.
“Let me know when you have free time, and we’ll go through the gloves together.”
“Will do,” she said. “Have to rush. Talk with you later.”
“It’s a beauty,” Ian said, looking over the trunk. “Can we open it?”
I nodded.
“Wait,” he said and hurried to pour us each a glass of wine. After handing me one, he raised his glass. “To your aunt and her amazing travels.”
I smiled and raised my glass to the toast.
Ian helped me open it slowly. We wanted to be careful with it, though the trunk was in beautiful shape. I wasn’t surprised to see it held clothing. This type of trunk stopped traveling many, many years ago. One side of the trunk held an area to hang clothes and the other side held drawers. There was also a section that resembled a suitcase beneath the section for the hung clothes that was removable.
Much of the clothing were lingerie, full slips, half-slips, various negligees that were stunning, though some had faded with time. One drawer held nothing but beautiful handkerchiefs, but it was the bottom drawer that I found what I was looking for… two journals wrapped in a silk scarf. And, of course, a note addressed to me.
When I opened it I felt as if my aunt drifted out of the envelope a hint of her perfume drifting out with it.
Read, learn, enjoy, laugh, cry, dear one, and know it was a life well-lived. And know you always have my heart. You were the daughter I never got to have.
Love you much!
P.S. There are several journals for you to find and numerous notes.
Of course, I started crying again and Ian held me, and I could almost hear my aunt say… He’s a keeper.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry,” Ian said.
My stomach grumbled in response and we both laughed.
The terrible stench hit us just before we entered the kitchen.
“Oh my God, what is that?” Ian asked, squeezing his nose tight.
“MO!” I called out.
Mo strolled out of the stockroom his head hanging low as he licked his lips and with every step he took, he farted, and the smell could knock you over.
Ian actually gagged and squeezed his nose tighter.
“How did you get in my stash of beef jerky?” I demanded as if he could answer me. “I went to the stockroom and was shocked to find… “You moved the step stool to reach it?”