Chapter 9 - REBUILDING THE FOUNDATION
By late May, the dust had settled.
My parents’ house in White Plains was sold to a young family for $1.8 million.
After satisfying the lien for June's trust, paying off their remaining mortgage, and settling their legal fees, my parents moved into a modest two-bedroom townhome in New Jersey. They lived quietly, far away from the country club crowds they had spent thirty years trying to impress.
June’s trust fund was fully restored to $2.1 million, managed by an independent wealth management firm in Boston with Sarah Klein serving as legal overseer.
June moved into a bright, airy apartment near the Boston University campus, where she had been accepted into the Fine Arts program on a full academic merit scholarship.
On a warm Saturday afternoon, June and I sat on the patio of a café near my Boston apartment, eating lunch under the sunshine.
Her sketchbook lay open on the table, filled with vibrant, beautiful charcoal drawings of the city.
"How are you feeling about starting college in September, June bug?" I asked, sipping my iced tea.
June looked up, a soft, genuine smile spreading across her face. Her eyes were bright, clear of the anxiety that had shadowed her for three years.
"I feel... normal," June said gently. "For the first time since my mom died, I don't feel like I'm waiting for the floor to fall out from under me."
She pulled a small, velvet box from her bag and slid it across the table toward me.
"What's this?" I asked, surprised.
"Open it," June smiled.
I unlatched the box. Inside was a simple, delicate silver comb for my hair—smooth, polished, and set with a single, tiny blue sapphire.
"I made it in my jewelry design class," June whispered. "I wanted you to have something silver to wear in your hair... something that was made with love."
May you like
Tears pricked my eyes. I reached across the table and took my niece's hands in mine.
"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," I said, my voice thick with emotion.
