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I’ve never begged anyone for anything in uardian for Linnie after my sister and her husband were killed in an accident last year Tore me up, but there was no real time to mourn because Linnie needed someone and that someone turned out to be me My sister was a saint, she married as was expected to a fored bybattle and doubled our net worth in the process

Only thing, he was a total asshole Personally, and professionally God rest his soul

The only saving grace for me is Linnie’s nanny, Renata has stayed on here at the estate after the accident She’s been with Linnie since she was born and worked for the family here at the house as a cook and housekeeper for over twelve years before that

A couple days ago, she asked if she could go visit her mother for a few days and of course I said yes She was supposed to drive back earlier today in time for me to fly to New York

Only, the lake effect of the snowstorht, so she’s snowed in and I’s worse, I’m supposed to be on a plane in an hour and a half, headed to finish up a deal with soht-thousand acres of land that abuts our own current ten-thousand-acre claim It’s a deal that’s been in the works for alet on that plane

The only thing that’s worked in o to say Bria’s best friend Alice was almost stuck on the road about five miles from here I trust Martel with my life and any friend he backs, I trust

She’s headed this way, and if all goes as planned, she should be here any et in my Suburban, turn on the four-wheel-drive andflights

Here at the estate, we have a service that keeps all the driveways and such plowed, and it’s only a quarterto the airport, so I shouldn’t have too much trouble if only Alice materializes

Linnie’s voice is now echoing through the s O Mio Babbino Caro at the top of her lungs

God, give th

Family loyalty and support was always important But, our familyelse My father wouldn’t hesitate to skip out on Christ a profit Was just hoas and I didn’t question it growing up

I’le suiteda distraction and it’s been years since I craved any distraction Listening to Linnie singing,to be the stand-in father figure she deserves

Trying to honor my sister Anita and raise Linnie into a wouiding force I’ve also kept up with my sister’s other passion, which was our fa she could find related to our ancestors

There’s a shrine of sorts, starting in one of the guestrooms where all the documents and trinkets and treasures she collected over the years are gathering alongside the ones I’ether We search for information and artifacts online mostly and she’s fascinated with the stories of our Scottish ancestors and folk tales about clans and the highland life they lived I think it makes us both feel like Anita is still here with us in her oay

I step down the hall and into the kitchen as my phone buzzes in my pocket I retrieve it to see it’s an email update on one of the artifacts I recently found in an online auction Someone else has placed a bid and I’ll outbid them in the end, but the dude who has the piece listed has been a prick to deal with, so I close the notice on my phone and stuff it back in my pocket I’ll deal with that later

Inside the kitchen, I look out toward the rear of the estate The leaded-glass s facing the expanse of property are already full of white snowflakes as big as popcorn The glass enclosure over the heated pool is stea off the diving board, surrounded by the house staff, gather into a mixture of warmth and melancholy