Palmer's Books

The room was cold, dim, and quiet as the Palmer siblings looked at each other with disdain. None of them had spoken to each other in years, not because of a falling out, but because they were all so selfish, greedy, and caught up in their own privileged lives.

As their dad’s trusted attorney, Mr. Fitzgerald began reading from their father’s will, a frazzled yet beautiful young, mixed-race lady walked in and apologized for being late. Everyone looked annoyed and could not believe she had even shown up at all. They had only learned of their half-sister, Naomi’s existence several months earlier when their dad fell ill and none of them had any interest in getting to know her much less sharing any inheritance with her.

There were several assets equally distributed among the first 3 Palmer children, including the profit from the sale of the estate, but they were all there for the same reason…their dad’s royalties from his published novels, but there was no mention of any such fortune. As they fought among themselves, Mr. Fitzgerald pulled out a box from behind his desk of the late Mr. Palmer’s belongings.

Everyone grew quiet wondering what was in the box. They began rummaging through it looking for anything of value that might be in it. The box, according to Emily, the oldest palmer daughter was “full of a bunch of junk,” including old movie tickets, family photos, a few Christmas ornaments, and a mysterious, worn, black leather notebook.

The family disbursed angrily leaving behind the box, but Naomi asked Mr. Fitzgerald if she could have the box and its contents. He grinned and told her that Mr. Palmer had hoped one of his children would want the box because it had more value to him than any of the jewelry or art divided among them. Naomi was thrilled, even if she had been left out of the division of the other property and estate. She did not expect anything of monetary value and was thrilled to have access to the box and hopefully learn more about the father she barely knew.

Weeks passed and Naomi could not bring herself to open the box. While anxious and eager to learn more about the man about whom her mother told her so many interesting and endearing stories, she could not help but hesitate. What if she learned he was not this perfect image she had created in her mind? What if her mom had only told her kind things to protect Nomi’s feelings? What if her father had known about her when she was born and chose not to be in her life instead of learning of her existence 5 years prior?

Thinking of the man she had grown to love, respect, and admire, Naomi decided it was time to open it. After a couple of over-poured glasses of wine, she dove in. Admiring the trinkets and ornaments as she pulled each item from the box, she could not help but feel an overwhelming connection to her father and the contents of the box.

When she got to the black notebook, she paused. It was as if she new the contents were going to impact her greatly. She dusted off the front with her hand and opened the book. She could not believe as she started reading. It was a journal documenting the last few years of her father’s life. This was the most valuable item she could have received. All she ever really wanted was to know her dad better.

As she began reading, Naomi became overwhelmed with emotion and she could not help but think of her own son. Between the wine and emotions, she fell asleep on her sofa with the book on her chest. She awoke in the morning to her husband cooking breakfast. He knew she had been under a lot of stress so he did not push or ask questions.

While she wanted to share with her husband what she had been learning about her father from the book, she was late for her shift at the local diner. Naomi had recently been pulling double shifts at the diner and going to night classes at the local college. She had hopes of opening her own bookstore one day, but those dreams were put on hold when her husband was laid off last year. Although he had found a new job quickly, he was forced to take a pay cut. Naomi did not have the luxuries of the other Palmer heirs but appreciated her life nonetheless and was extremely grateful for the chance to get to know intimate details of her father’s life.

Another week passed before she had time to pick up where she left off. She decided to skip the wine this time for better mental clarity. Through laughter and tears, she learned of her father’s love for her and frustration with his other children. She learned he had never quit thinking about her mother, who had died several years earlier. She learned he was terrified of birds but extremely fond of horses. Mr. Palmer also told detailed accounts of a couple of his vacations and Naomi had fun envisioning and imagining the beautiful scenery described in his journal entries.

Then there was a single sentence on page 223, “My doctor says I only have a couple of months to live.” What started as a journal shifted on the next page to notes to his children. She could not believe what she was reading. She reached out via text message to her half siblings because she felt guilty keeping this treasure for herself. None of them showed any interest and hastily asked her not to contact them again.

She decided to finish reading even if she stayed up all night. Finally, on page 337, she read the words.

Naomi, my dear child. I know you are the only one reading this. I am happy to have shared some of these memories with you. Now, I need you to do something for me. Please call Mr. Fitzgerald and reference this note. He will be expecting your call. The only thing you need to remember is that I love you and have since the moment I found out about you.

The next morning, Naomi was shaking but gathered her composure enough to call the attorney’s office. The office assistant asked if she could get there within the hour. Without hesitation, she agreed, kissed her husband and son, and then headed out the door.

Mr. Fitzgerald was standing there with a lockbox. He asked her to open it. Puzzled, Naomi could not recall her father leaving a code for the box. She kept hearing her dad’s voice saying, “I love you and I have since the moment I found out about you” and then it clicked. She entered 10-23-17, the date she first contacted her birth father, and the box magically opened.

Inside the box was a final note addressed solely to Naomi. Tears streamed down her face as she read the note. He told her how proud he was of her heart and the way she selflessly gave herself to others. He thanked her for their meaningful conversations and wished he had more time with her; however, perhaps the final words were the most compelling, “Good luck with your new bookstore.” Confused again, she looked up at Mr. Fitzgerald who was holding a check addressed to Naomi for $20,000. He told her she would be collecting royalty checks each month and that was just the first of many. He also let her know a college fund had been set up for her son.

Naomi could not believe it. $20,000 was enough for a down payment to buy the local bookstore downtown. Her mind was in overdrive as she thanked Mr. Fitzgerald and rushed home to share the news with her family. On her way home, she stopped to buy a small black leather notebook so she could start recording her own memories for her son. After all, it was a small, black notebook that changed their lives forever.

Palmer’s Books became became their community and Naomi franchised her business. Once her business began turning profit, she donated royalty checks to literacy programs.