The Life List Read Online Free Page B

points to LEARN FRENCH . “See?”
    My mother had slashed a line through the goal and beside it written Très bien!
    “But ten goals on the list haven’t been accomplished yet.”
    “No kidding. These are nothing like the goals I have now.”
    He shakes his head. “Your mother thought these goals were valid, even today.”
    I scowl, stung to think she didn’t know me better. “Well, she was wrong.”
    “And she’d like you to complete the list.”
    My mouth falls open. “You’ve got to be joking.” I shake the list at him. “I wrote these twenty years ago! I’d love to honor my mother’s wishes, but it’s not going to happen with these goals!”
    He holds out his hands like a traffic cop. “Whoa, I’m just the messenger.”
    I take a deep breath and nod. “I’m sorry.” I sink back into my chair and rub my forehead. “What was she possibly thinking?”
    Thumbing through the file, Mr. Midar removes a pale pink envelope. I recognize it at once. Her favorite Crane stationery. “Elizabeth wrote you a letter and she’s asked me to read it aloud to you. Don’t ask me why I can’t just give it to you. She was insistent that I read it aloud.” He gives me a smart-aleck grin. “You do read, don’t you?”
    I hide a smile. “Look, I don’t have a clue what my mother wasthinking. Before today I’d have said that if she asked you to read it aloud to me, there’s a reason. But today all bets are off.”
    “I suspect that’s still the case. She had her reasons.”
    My heart quickens at the sound of the tearing envelope. I force myself to sit back and fold my hands on my lap.
    Midar positions his reading glasses on his nose and clears his throat.
    “ ‘Dear Brett,
    “ ‘Let me begin by saying how very sorry I am for everything you’ve had to endure these past four months. You were my spine, my soul, and I thank you. I didn’t want to leave you yet. We had so much living and loving left, didn’t we? But you are strong, you will endure, you will even thrive, though you don’t believe me now. I know today you are sad. Let that sadness sit with you a bit.
    “ ‘I wish I were there to help you get through this time of sorrow. I’d grab you into my arms and squeeze you until your breath catches, just like it did when you were a little girl. Or maybe I’d take you to lunch. We’d find a cozy table at The Drake and I’d spend all afternoon listening to your fears and sorrows, rubbing your arm to let you know I feel your pain.’ ”
    Midar’s voice sounds a little thick. He looks over at me. “You okay?”
    I nod, unable to speak. He clutches my arm and squeezes before he continues.
    “ ‘You must have been very confused today when your brothers received their inheritance, and you didn’t. And I can only imagine how angry you were when the top job was given to Catherine. Trust me. I know what I’m doing, and everything I do is in your best interest.’ ”
    Midar smiles at me. “Your mother loved you.”
    “I know,” I whisper, covering my trembling chin.
    “ ‘One day almost twenty years ago, I was emptying your Beverly Hills, 90210 wastebasket and I found this crumpled ball of paper. Of course, I was too nosy to let it go. You can imagine how delighted I was when I unfurled it and discovered you’d written a life list. I’m not sure why you chose to throw it away, because I thought it was lovely. I asked you about it later that night, do you remember?’ ”
    “No,” I say aloud.
    “ ‘You told me dreams were for fools. You said you didn’t believe in dreams. I think it may have had something to do with your father. He was supposed to have picked you up that afternoon for an outing, but he never came.’ ”
    Pain grips hold of my heart and twists, contorting it into a wretched knot of shame and anger. I bite my bottom lip and squeeze shut my eyes. How many times had Father stood me up? I’ve lost count. After the first dozen times, I should have learned. But I was too