LEGACY
Chapter Ten
The next morning, Rose awoke
early, the sound of birds chirping amid the blooming blossoms rousing her from
sleep. Pulling a silky white robe around herself, she made her way into the
kitchen.
She stopped dead in her tracks as
she saw a gleaming blue sparkle resting on her kitchen counter. Edging closer,
she gazed down and nearly cried out when she saw the Heart of the Ocean
gleaming with its immortal glow. It rested on a thin sheet of white paper, a
note lightly written in immaculate penmanship across the front.
My dearest Rose,
I nearly threw this accursed
stone into the ocean for an eternal slumber. However, I felt it was much more
necessary for my last act upon this earth to be an unselfish one. Sell it. Pawn
it. Trade it. I don’t care, just as long as Tom benefits from this ludicrous,
gaudy, heart-wrenching jewel. Let him go to any school he wishes and pursue any
dream that comes to him, whether it may be a bohemian artiste or the ruler of
an empire. I wish you and your family infinite joy.
Love,
Cal
Tears streamed down Rose’s cheeks.
My last act upon this earth. She gripped Cal’s note in one hand and the
diamond in the other. "Jack! Jack! Jack!" she screamed. He came
running out, still half-asleep. "What is it?"
"Cal...he...oh, God. Did a
driver come to pick him up?"
"What?"
"A driver. Did you actually
see a driver come to pick him up for the train station?"
"No. He just said he heard a
car outside. I tried to walk him out, but he refused."
Tom rushed into the room.
"What’s the matter? I heard yelling." Suddenly, he caught sight of
the flashing jewel in his mother’s hand. "What is that?"
"Well, it’s yours, actually.
It looks like you’ll be getting Harvard after all. It’s a gift from Cal,"
said Rose as she handed the blue stone to her son.
Tom gripped the cold diamond,
confused. "Why didn’t he give it to me before he left? How can I thank
him?"
"I don’t think you
can." She handed the note to Tom and watched earnestly as he read through
it.
"My God," he uttered.
"It can’t mean what I think it means, can it? Cal couldn’t have..."
Tom’s heart pounded. "I have to go." He ran out of the room toward
the front door, still clutching the diamond.
"Tom, wait! Where are you
going?" Jack called after him.
"I have to go!" Tom
pulled his shoes on. "Now!"
His feet crashed against the
pavement. The streets of Santa Monica whizzed by. Tears and sweat clouded his
vision, and still he kept going, not stopping for a single breath until he
smelled the familiar salty Pacific scent. He stopped when he heard the surf,
chills running through him.
Policemen already polluted the
beach. Two suitcases full of fine clothing and toiletries were left discarded
on the sand and were being investigated for identification. Near the shore, a
group of people was being asked to clear out.
"But I want to see the
body!" Tom heard one man shout.
He groaned. The tears began to
stream faster, hotter, more intense than Tom had ever cried before. He bowed
his head and collapsed onto his knees. "I’m so sorry, Mr. Hockley,"
he uttered, holding the diamond to his heart.
The End.