Hannah looked at the legal document. “I do not want to own a building just because she was robbed.”
“You would not be taking something that belongs to another person,” the attorney said. “You would be receiving what was taken from your mother.”
Hannah folded the pages again.
“I need time.”
“You have it.”
The attorney gathered the evidence and left.
Luke remained seated.
Charles looked at Hannah. “There is one more thing.”
She almost laughed. “Of course there is.”
He reached for the key.
“It opens the safe deposit box. I want you to take it.”
“You should give it to the attorney.”
“I will give him copies. The originals belong to you.”
Hannah took the key but did not close her fingers around it.
“What else is in the box?”
“Your mother’s ledger. Her original recipes. Photographs. A letter she wrote to you.”
“Why did you keep those?”
“Because they were hers. I could not bear to destroy them.”
“You could bear to hide them.”
“Yes.”
“Do you understand that giving them to me does not make you generous?”
“Yes.”
“Do you understand that I may never forgive you?”
“Yes.”
Charles nodded. His face had become very old.
“I hope you do not forgive me because I ask. I hope one day you forgive me because carrying this anger becomes heavier than putting it down.”
Hannah looked at him.
That was the first thing he had said all night that did not ask anything of her.
She placed the key in her pocket.
Luke stood. “I will drive you home.”
