"I won't pretend to understand, but I have to know something. Why did you risk your life for that trunk?"
Caitlin swallowed hard. "That trunk holds the keys to my past. These are my grandparents' things. Jen and I spent many long winter days looking at everything in this trunk. Grandma Emmaline loved sharing stories about dances and her childhood with us. If I lost this trunk and all that is in it, then I would have lost me."
"May I see them?"
They went inside and headed to the den. Garrett took his seat on the dark brown leather chair while Caitlin sat on the floor beside the trunk. Nothing else seemed important. Why Scott left did not matter. Who burned her house would eventually be solved. Tonight she needed to reminisce and hold dear to her memories.
Upon opening the trunk, Caitlin cried at seeing Emmaline's jewelry box. "I put this in this morning."
"Why?" Garrett asked.
"After you left, I really looked at the place. When I saw Grandma's jewelry box I knew it belonged in the trunk. It had never been moved off the dresser since Grandma died, but it was almost as if she were sending me a signal to move it." Caitlin swallowed hard, talking becoming more painful, so she took a long drink of iced tea. She did not know how she would tell Garrett about everything in the trunk, but she would talk until her voice gave out.
Opening the jewelry box, Caitlin sighed, relieved nothing had been lost. She took out a cameo brooch that had belonged to Emmaline's mother. "My great-grandfather gave it to my great-grandma on their wedding day. She, in turn, gave it to Emmaline on her wedding day. She wore it on special occasions and we girls were not allowed to play with it." Caitlin held the brooch hoping she would wear it on her wedding day, if Garrett ever asked.
Caitlin coughed a few times, took another drink of tea, and showed Garrett her mother's engagement ring, a necklace, a good luck penny, and other jewelry.
Next she removed the veil and wedding dress. Emmaline had designed and sewed her dress. It was made from cream linen, lace, and pearl buttons. Caitlin had wished her grandmother had designed a wedding dress for her, but knew that dream impossible. Tears fell at their own accord. She swallowed hard wishing to rid her body of the acrid taste that lingered.
"We can save this for another time," Garrett said touching Caitlin's shoulder. She cringed. "What is it?"