Chapter 5 - The Carriage House
The sun rose over the Boston harbor, casting a pale, golden light through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the newly renovated carriage house.
Sophie sat on a plush cream-colored sofa, a thick woolen blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She looked around the living room in utter disbelief. There was a fireplace, a television, a small kitchen with a refrigerator stocked with fresh fruit, milk, eggs, and three different kinds of cheese. Upstairs, she had her own bedroom with a white wooden bed frame and a comforter that felt like sleeping on a cloud.
Anna stood by the kitchen window, holding a hot cup of tea. She was no longer wearing her grey uniform. She wore a pair of clean, comfortable sweatpants and a sweater that Kathleen had lent her. For the first time in two years, the lines of tension around her eyes had smoothed out.
"Mama?" Sophie called out softly.
"Yes, baby?" Anna walked over, sitting beside her on the sofa and tucking a stray lock of blond hair behind the girl's ear.
"Are we allowed to stay here? Really?"
"Really, Sophie," Anna smiled, her eyes tearing up. "Mr. Blackwell's lawyers brought over the paperwork this morning. It’s a formal lease. We pay one dollar a year. It’s ours for as long as we want."
"And the money?"
"The money is in a bank account in my name," Anna said, her voice shaking with awe. "The eighty-five thousand dollars. I went to the bank with Ms. Jenkins this morning. She helped me set up a savings account for your college fund, Sophie. You can go to any school you want now. You can be a doctor, or an artist, or anything."
Sophie looked down at her feet. She was wearing a pair of brand-new, bright pink sneakers. Harrison had ordered his driver to go to a local department store at 7:00 a.m. to buy her shoes, clothes, and a winter coat in her exact size.
"Mr. Blackwell is very nice," Sophie said. "But he looks very sad, Mama. Why does he live in that big house all by himself?"
Anna sighed, looking toward the main mansion visible through the trees. "He lost his wife, Eleanor, a long time ago. They say he built that house for her, and when she passed, he just... closed the doors to the world. Sometimes, Sophie, when people have too much money, they forget how to connect with the rest of humanity. They get lost in their own high walls."
Just then, there was a soft knock on the door.
Anna opened it to find Harrison standing on the porch. He was no longer wearing his navy robe; he wore a comfortable grey cashmere sweater and trousers. He looked rested, his silver hair neatly combed, though he still carried the quiet dignity of his age.
"Good morning, Ms. Miller. Sophie," Harrison said, holding a small wooden box in his hands.
"Mr. Blackwell, please, come in," Anna said, stepping aside.
Harrison walked into the warm living room, looking around with a sense of satisfaction. "Is everything to your liking? If you need anything else—books, a desk for Sophie’s schoolwork—you only have to ask."
"It’s perfect, sir. More than perfect," Anna said.
Harrison walked over to Sophie and knelt down, placing the wooden box on the coffee table in front of her. "I brought you something, Sophie. It belonged to my wife, Eleanor. She used to collect these when she traveled."
Sophie opened the box. Inside sat a beautiful, hand-painted porcelain music box shaped like a carousel. When she turned the key on the bottom, a sweet, clear melody began to play, and the tiny porcelain horses began to spin.
Sophie’s eyes lit up with absolute wonder. "It’s beautiful. Thank you, Mr. Blackwell!"
"You are very welcome," Harrison smiled, and for the first time, a genuine, warm smile reached his eyes. "And I have one more thing for you, Anna. You are no longer on the cleaning staff."
May you like
Anna blinked. "Sir?"
"Starting Monday, you are the director of the Blackwell Foundation’s local outreach program," Harrison said. "I have decided to redirect twenty million dollars of my personal assets to establish a fund for families facing sudden homelessness and food insecurity in the Boston area. You know what they need, Anna. You have lived through it. I want you to help me run it."
