Love over Desire

Chapter 7 The Brown Envelope

SADIE’S POV

“Sadie, sweetheart!” Aunt Macy called out, her voice warm and inviting as she descended the wooden staircase. My heart raced, a nervous flutter in my chest, as I quickly set down the plastic bag filled with pasalubongs and personal items I had carefully chosen at the department store in the city yesterday. I hurried to meet her, I can even hear my heart pounding as I saw her coming down the sloping staircase.

"I think we need a caregiver for you, Aunt, someone to help you, especially with going down the stairs," I suggested, my voice laced with concern. The steepness of the stairs always made me nervous for her.

"No need, I have Annie," she replied, her voice firm, a hint of defiance in her tone.

I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "You and Nanay Annie are the same age!"

"Don't underestimate our old age!" she said, her eyes twinkling with a playful defiance. "I'm still strong, I can manage, don't you worry about me," she added, her voice holding a hint of pride, a touch of feistiness that I always admired in her. Earlier, she had mentioned needing to grab something from her room, and I had taken it upon myself to walk Uncle Alejandro to his car, where his bodyguards waited. After that, I rushed to my van to collect my things and the gifts.

“Thank you, sweetie,” Aunt Macy said, settling into the old wooden antique chair in the living room, a comforting sight that always made me feel at home. My eyes were drawn to the thick, brown envelope she held in her hands. “For you, Sadie,” she said, her voice soft but filled with significance as she handed it to me.

“What is this, Aunt?” I asked, my curiosity piqued and a hint of worry creeping in.

“Find it for yourself, sweetheart,” Aunt Macy replied, her eyes sparkling with a mix of seriousness and tenderness.

“To our Dearest Sadie!” I read aloud, my heart skipping a beat as I recognized my adopted father’s familiar handwriting. The words hit me like a wave, and tears began to blur my vision. I glanced at Aunt Macy, who was watching me with an intensity that made my heart swell. She nodded gently, encouraging me to open it.

A letter… and a… bank book! I gasped, my breath catching in my throat as a rush of emotions flooded through me.

"This was given to me by your parents before they left for that business trip," she said, her voice heavy with sorrow. "But they never made it home. The plane crashed..."

The memory of that day, the day my world shattered, flooded back. The news, the disbelief, the overwhelming grief. Im young by that then, ten years old, and my brother, Alex, was only five. We were both left orphaned, our lives turned upside down in an instant. It was Aunt Macy who had taken us in, who had become our anchor in the storm of our grief.

"I kept it for twenty years," Aunt Macy continued, her voice trembling slightly, a hint of sadness lingering in her tone. "Waiting for the right time to give it to you. I knew it would help you make the right decision, the decision you needed to make."

She paused, her gaze meeting mine, a flicker of understanding passing between us. "From what I saw and heard during your conversation with your Tito Alejandro earlier, I knew it was time to give this to you."

"Aunt Macy, w----," I began, my voice thick with emotion, a mix of anticipation and apprehension.

"Let me talk first," she cut me off, her hand gently resting on mine. "I see myself in you, Sadie. Just like you, I loved and cherished this farm and farmhouse. I dreamed of it being passed down to me. I gave up a family, having my own family, just for this farmhouse and farm. But I got nothing. My parents left it all to my brother, your father.

My heart ached as I listened to Aunt Macy's words, each syllable a reminder of the pain and sacrifice she had endured. I don't want you to end up like me. You're in your 30's, but you haven't had a boyfriend, no one to share your life with. You've dedicated your life to this farm, to caring for others, and you've sacrificed so much."

Her words pierced me like a sharp knife, revealing the truth I had tried so hard to ignore. I had poured my heart and soul into the farm, into the lives of the people who relied on it. But in doing so, I had neglected myself, my own needs, my own dreams. A wave of sadness washed over me, a feeling of regret for the years I had spent putting my own happiness on hold.

"Sweetheart it's your turn read the letter left by your parents, what may decision you make, I'm always here to support you but promise me one thing don't give up on having a family a family that you could claim yours." Aunt Macy's voice softened, a hint of pleading in her tone. She knew how much I longed for a family of my own, a family that I could call my own.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew that whatever decision I made, it would be a difficult one. But I also knew that I had to make the right choice for myself, for my future, for my happiness.

I looked at Aunt Macy, my eyes filled with gratitude for her love and support. I knew that no matter what, she would always be there for me.

"I promise," I said, my voice firm, a newfound determination shining in my eyes. "I won't give up on having a family."

I reached for the envelope, my fingers trembling slightly. I knew that the letter inside held the key to my future, to my happiness. And I was ready to face it, to embrace whatever it held.

HAPPY READING ♥️

_TAGAILOCOSNAK