Rosa nodded quietly.
“I’m fine… really.”
Without drawing attention, she placed the envelope inside her purse.
The mystery of it stayed with her throughout the rest of the day.
The Letter Waiting Inside
That evening the house finally grew quiet. The guests had left, the family had returned to their homes, and the silence following the funeral settled over everything.
Rosa sat at the kitchen table alone and took the envelope from her purse.
Her hands moved slowly as she opened it.
Inside she found a folded letter written in Harold’s familiar handwriting. A small brass key slipped out and landed softly on the table.
The sound echoed in the still room.
Rosa unfolded the letter carefully.
“My love,” it began. “I should have told you this long ago, but I never found the courage. Sixty-five years ago I believed I had buried this secret forever, but it followed me throughout my life. You deserve to know the truth. This key opens Garage 122 at the address below. Go when you are ready. Everything is there.”
Rosa read the letter once, then again.
Questions began forming in her mind, but there were no answers.
Although she told herself she needed time, curiosity and unease pushed her forward.
Within the hour she had put on her coat, called a taxi, and given the driver the address from the letter.
A Forgotten Storage Garage
The taxi carried her toward the outskirts of the city.
The destination turned out to be a long row of metal garages. The buildings looked unchanged for decades, their faded doors lined up side by side.
Rosa walked slowly along the row until she found the number written in Harold’s letter.
