Aunt Camille

Catherine had always been close to her Aunt Camille. Despite their 25-year age difference, their relationship was more than a family one, they were the best of friends. Now with one phone call it was all over. Her aunt had passed away.

Catherine’s head swirled with disbelief. She had just talked to her that day and they were planning to get together on the weekend. Even though she knew her aunt was getting older, she was still vibrant and full of life at the age of 75. The tears started to overflow, and she never knew she could experience such pain.

She considered Camille her rock and lifeline since she had lost her parents at a young age. She, like her aunt, had no children, had never married and had preferred it that way. Whenever she had a problem it was Camille she ran to. How would she ever manage without her?

Her aunt had been bigger than life with a wicked sense of humor. She had travelled the world and had seen so many fascinating places. Catherine had lived vicariously through her as she told tales of visiting Versailles, touring Egypt and the pyramids as well as her exploits on the numerous cruises she had been on.

Since she was young, Camille had always encouraged her to keep a journal. Every Christmas Camille bought her a black Moleskin leather journal and told her it was important to write in it every day even if it was only a few words. She was about to make her daily entry and instead of a trivial paragraph about her routine she would write about the loss of her aunt. This little black book had been such a constant in her life that it seemed strange to be writing about Camille’s passing instead of about some fun exploit they had indulged in together. Catherine had been on a few short vacations with Camille when she could afford the time off work. The memories she made on those trips were precious. They had planned a trip to Paris for their birthdays as they were only a few days apart. It was Camille’s favorite city and she had always wanted to take Catherine there but Catherine always had a reason why she couldn’t go. She could never bring herself to tell Camille of how she had fallen into debt. She owed about $16,000 and was facing bankruptcy, but her pride stopped her from sharing it with her aunt.

But now, at 4pm on a cold February day, she was at the attorney’s office to hear the reading of the last will and testament of her beloved deceased aunt. She trembled as she opened the door.

Doug Wilson had been her aunt’s lawyer and confidant for decades. He knew how devastated her niece would be as he escorted her to his office.

“Catherine please accept my sincere condolences; I know how close the two of you were,” he said with a quiver in his voice.

“Thank you Doug. It came as such a surprise. She seemed fine only a few days ago”.

“She had been told she had a complicated heart condition a short while ago and was advised she had maybe a few months at best. She never wanted to be pitied or to burden you”, he added.

“I wish she had but knowing how proud she was I can understand why she didn’t,” Catherine responded.

“Catherine, your aunt was anything but conventional. Since she had no children or a husband, you are her sole heir. She had, however, no liquid assets to speak of, only a few hundred dollars in the bank. She did leave this box which she said contained important information for you.”

Catherine’s head was still spinning when she took the wooden box and left the attorney’s office. Everything was happening so fast; the death was so sudden that she had no time to adjust.

She poured herself a tall glass of Merlot and pondered whether she was ready to reveal her aunt’s last message to her. After a few hours, she decided she could no longer wait and needed to explore what her aunt had wanted her to find in this mysterious box.

She turned the key in the antique lock. As she slowly opened the small treasure, she could see there were many things inside.

The first item on top was an envelope. Catherine’s heart skipped a beat knowing that it was likely a letter to her. It was.

“My dearest Catherine,

If you are reading this then of course I am now gone. Please do not be saddened for me for too long. I have lived an incredible long life and accomplished so many wonderful things. I have no regrets. I do hope you are not upset with me for not telling you of my illness. When I found out I was sick I only had months to live. I wanted them to be filled with joy and not pity and sadness. Please forgive me for not sharing.

Inside the box, you will find my last journal which I knew would be my farewell to you, my dear. In it you will find my last thoughts and some details of my life which I have kept from you.

Catherine, you were like the daughter I never had, my sweet, and I hope the small things I am leaving you will bring you as much joy as they did me. Live life to the fullest, honey, and explore this big, beuatiful world as I have. I love you so much. If the hereafter is what I always thought it was, a continuation, then I will continue to look out for you.

Goodbye.

Love always, Camille”

Catherine wiped away her tears and took out her aunt’s little black Moleskin book. For hours, she read the various entries of the last months of her life until she came to the very last entry.

“Dear Catherine, today I found out that my heart has deteriorated and have about 3 months at best to live. Forgive me for not sharing this with you but I wanted our last months to be happy. I hope you will understand.

In the box you will find a small silver wedding band which might surprise you. It was given to me by a man called Guillaume which I met in Paris when I went abroad to study at the age of 18. I was on one of the most romantic bridges in Paris, the Pont D’Arcole, staring out on the Seine when this tall and handsome boy tripped and fell at my feet. When I looked down at that freckled face, I fell in love with him right away. We stood there for the longest time together as if we were meant to be and had known each other for years. We had lunch at the cutest café called the Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole which was just a short walk from the bridge. It was so romantic with its red silk wallpaper and quaint small velvet chairs. We had a 4-hour lunch and for the next 3 weeks we had the grandest time. We spent long hours talking in the Jardins de Luxembourg. We cuddled at the top of the Eiffel tower and started to make plans for the future.

The Pont D’Arcole was the same bridge that was in the movie “Something’s Gotta Give”. Now you know why I love that movie so much. The bridge is where Jack Nicholson tells Diane Keaton he loves her. I could never watch that movie without crying. You thought it was because of the story but it was because it reminded me of Guillaume.

One night on our bridge he gave me the small silver wedding band and asked me to marry him. I said yes so fast and jumped in his arms; it almost knocked him over. We were deliriously happy. He was working as a gendarme police in Paris and had been saving his money for the longest time. He shared a bank book which he put in my name for our future. That future came to an end when he was killed while on duty a few weeks later. My whole world crashed around me and I left Paris not to return for over thirty years. I never loved anyone again like Guillaume. I felt that if I kept the secret of our love, somehow he was still alive.

You will find an open ticket for you to go to Paris, my dear, as we planned for our birthdays. I would like you to drop my ashes from the Pont d’Arcole. Please find enclosed the bank book which I am sure has accumulated some funds by now. I never looked how much it was and really had forgotten all about it after I left Paris.

I want you to enjoy Paris as much as I did, my dear, and I know you will love it. I wish I could have left you more in my will but I lived life to the fullest and loved the finer things in life and was now living off my pensions so I hope you understand and will not be angry.

Live your best life today since tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Keep me in your heart as you have always been in mine.

Love, Camille”

In the following weeks Catherine prepared for her trip to Paris. She packed her bags, she had Camille’s ashes, was wearing the silver band and had the bank book as she headed for the airport.

She was excited but sad. She would have loved to see it with Camille but God works in mysterious ways. When she finally arrived in Paris she could see why her aunt had loved it so much. The architecture, the quaint cobblestoned streets, all the magnificent bridges which cross the Seine were splendid. She could hardly wait to explore it all.

After getting some rest after the long flight, she headed for the bank. The teller brought her into the manager’s office since the account had been untouched for so long. After much documentation review, they ascertained that the funds could be released to her. She was hoping it was at least a few thousand to help with her mounting debt and she was astonished to see they had drafted her a check for $20,000! She could not believe it. She could clear all her debts and would have extra as well. She was both stunned and thankful.

Her next stop would be to have dinner at the Aux Vieux Paris d’Arcole café which surprisingly was still there. The decor was even the same as her aunt had described it. It was all so beautiful. She could just picture her aunt and Guillaume sitting and eating their lunch while gazing into each other’s eyes.

Then came the moment when she walked onto the famous Pont d’Arcole. It was just like in the movie and as romantic as Camille had described. She walked to the middle of it and watched the pink-hued lamp-posts come on. She could see the bateaux-mouche boats glide on the Seine and under the bridge, it was magical. She felt a rush of excitement and sadness at the same time. She waited for most of the people to pass before she opened the urn with Camille’s ashes. They fluttered down onto the Seine and disappeared under the soft waves. Catherine smiled as she watched them disappear and softly said “Happy Birthday Camille, you’ll be in my heart forever.”