Don’t Poke the Luna Chapter 270

Xena’s POV

Ryder nodded and typed in the address. 318 Mountain View Boulevard, Destin, Florida. The address popped up automatically. We were only fifteen minutes away from my dad's biggest secret.

Ryder grabbed my hand that was tapping nervously on the center console. "Relax, baby."

"I'm trying." The traffic was heavy. I'd never seen palm trees before, and watching them sway in the wind was amazing. The air carried a salty scent that told me we weren't far from the ocean.

My heart was beating like it wanted to jump out of my chest. The GPS told us to turn into a gated community. After stopping at the window, an older gentleman leaned out. "Unit number?"

"Oh, um..." I wasn't sure what the number was.

"Should be on the key. Do you have a key?" The guard seemed a bit impatient.

"Yes." I opened the envelope and the key fell into my hand. There was only a number four on it. "Um, four." I told him.

"Four?" He looked shocked.

"Yes, four." I handed the key to Ryder to see.

"Damn." The man disappeared into his little brick building and came back quickly with a clipboard and pen. "Please sign here."

Ryder handed me the clipboard. It was a basic notification confirming I had received the attached envelope. "What is that?" Ryder asked.

"Don't know. A few years ago we got instructions that when someone came to access that unit, they would receive this letter. We just need a signature confirming delivery and to provide assistance if you need it."

I took the letter and signed the paper, then handed it back to him. "Thank you."

"Your unit is all the way to the left at the end. Let me know if you need anything." He bowed to us and then opened the gate.

"That's weird." I said once we were out of earshot. This place was very upscale. White brick walls at least fifteen feet high with cameras everywhere.

"Very weird." Ryder drove slowly along the road until we saw number four. Ryder turned off the car but didn't get out immediately. Instead, he reached out and cupped my chin, making me face him. "Breathe, baby."

I immediately took a deep breath that I didn't realize I needed. "Sorry, I don't know why going in to look around makes me so nervous."

"I'll be right beside you." Ryder looked directly into my soul through my eyes. "Ready?"

I didn't speak, just nodded. "Should I read this letter first?" I asked.

"Yeah, let's read it first." Ryder put his hand on my leg.

Somehow I managed to open the envelope without cutting my finger on the paper. The paper was very fine, and I carefully pulled it out. The handwriting was elegant.

My Dear Daughter Xena,

If you are reading this letter, it means I didn't make it out of the delivery room alive. When I told your father I had concerns, he thought I was crazy. Even the doctors didn't believe me. So I took matters into my own hands and wrote this letter.

I had so many expectations for your life. I wanted to watch you grow up, find your mate, and become the best version of yourself. I hope you always remember that you are my precious little girl.

I have given your father instructions on what to do with these items if I die and these things are no longer safe in my home. Florida has always been a special place in my heart. The beach was a place my parents took me, and I hoped to take you too. So by moving all this here, I'm ensuring you'll get to go to the beach at least once in your life. I hope you'll fall in love with it like I did.

There are many things in this storage unit that I hope you'll treasure, but there are also some priceless items. Family heirlooms are irreplaceable and very valuable. I had everything appraised a few years ago. Depending on when you find this, you may need to have them re-appraised. But I hope you won't sell them and will keep them in your family.

Know that I'll be watching over you from heaven. I'm proud of you, and I love you.

Love, Mom

"If we have a daughter, can we name her Greer?" I asked. My tears were gathering in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

"Of course. That's a beautiful way to honor your mom." Ryder kissed my forehead. "Ready to see what's inside?"

"I'm ready." I set the letter down and opened the car door, stepping into the humid Florida air. By the time I walked around the car, Ryder already had the key and was working on the lock. After years of weathering, the lock was a bit rusty, but he managed to open it.

Click. The lock opened, and Ryder pulled the door up. Everything was covered with sheets. Ryder grabbed the first sheet and pulled it off. It was hand-painted artwork in gold frames. They were of different people or landscapes. Ryder and I looked through the paintings until he stopped.

"Look at this signature." He pointed to the bottom. In the bottom right corner, Greer Harris was signed.

"Mom painted these?"

I had never known Mom could paint. These paintings... they were beautiful, with smooth lines and perfect use of color. Did I inherit her talent?

"I think this is where your artistic talent comes from." Ryder smiled. He let me continue looking through the paintings while he continued pulling sheets off other items.

Behind the paintings were more art supplies, easels, and many different art books. It looked like Mom had studied art in college.

She had so many secrets... I knew so little about her. If she were still here, we could paint together, and she could teach me techniques. Now I could only learn about this other side of her through these remaining items.

"Xena, look at this." Ryder called from the back.

Walking to the back, there was a huge mirror. When Ryder opened it, it was filled with jewelry. "What's that envelope?" I asked, seeing an envelope taped to the top.

Ryder took the envelope and opened it. "These are appraisals for each piece of jewelry." Ryder flipped through them. "That ring is worth a million dollars." Ryder pointed to a particularly beautiful ruby ring set in a gold band.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Yeah, twenty years ago it was worth a million. Today it would be worth much more than that." Ryder sounded shocked.

"What are these?" I looked at another stack of manila envelopes in a box next to the mirror. Opening the first one, it contained bonds.

"My God." Ryder looked at the one in my hand. "She hid a fortune here."

"Now it's all ours."

Ryder started opening more boxes. Some were just clothes or different vases. There were fur coats and collectibles. "Basically, everything valuable from her family is here." Ryder said.

There were about a hundred different paintings Mom had done, and some that were definitely done by her mother or aunt. "What are we going to do with all this stuff?" I asked.

"Take it home. Hang up some of them. Give Logan some. Keep the jewelry safe. We don't need the money. I put away the five million that went into the bank after your father died. We can do whatever we want with it. Save it, build the house you want, or use it for something else."

"We need to keep it secret so no one comes to steal." I said.

"We could buy a bank to store them in." Ryder joked.

"That's really not a bad idea."

"I was joking, but we actually could do that." Ryder looked at me.

"Let's go to the beach to talk about this. That was my mom's last wish, and I want to fulfill it."

The beach... the place Mom wanted me to go. Maybe there, in the sound of the waves, I could feel her presence and better understand the meaning of all this.

"Anything for you." Ryder picked me up, kissed me, and carried me toward our car. Watching Ryder lock up the storage unit, I realized all my dreams had come true. I didn't need to travel to find happiness. I already had it.

Yes, I had it. Not because of this wealth, but because of Ryder, because of our upcoming child, because Mom had left me not just money, but love and memories. These were the real treasures.

Ryder got in the car. After starting the engine, he put his hand on my belly, and we drove toward the beach.

THE END. THANKS FOR READING!