When the doctors told me that the ugly mass in my head could explode at any time, I stayed up all night, trying to figure out what to do with my money and my things. I had a million dollars in the bank, plus what I had in my checking account. The quilting business has been very good to me. Finally, I made the decision about the house and land. You know that, of course. Then right after Thanksgiving I donated my money to a research lab that is studying bipolar disorder. Maybe my mood swings are what made your grandfather start cheating on me, or maybe his cheating happened and then my system went out of balance. At this point it doesn’t really matter.

I hope you weren’t expecting to find money in the hope chest. I want you to make your own way and find your own happiness. Don’t depend on someone else like I did to make you happy. Be content and complete within yourselves. Then, when and if one of you finds someone to love, you can give them your whole heart. I gave you each a little seed money and a place to live. If you decide to live in Blossom, you’ve got that much. If not, then you’ve got a vacation place. I do hope that you spend some time there each summer and rekindle that closeness that you kids had back when you were young.

That said, I’ll move on to the quilt. I hope you recognized the fabric I used in the quilt top and remembered the good times you all had in the summer when you got to be together for a couple of weeks. I tried to make those times happy for all of you.

Now, to each of you individually.

Flynn, I’m sorry I didn’t offer to take you in and raise you when your mama died. Sometimes I felt as high as the clouds in the sky. Other times I was so low that I couldn’t lift my head off the bed. I couldn’t bring you into that world. It was tough enough on April to have to live in it. It wasn’t until April left home that Stella and Vivien made me go to the doctor, and I got medicine for my problem. I still got bouts of sadness when I thought about the wrong choices I’d made in life, but I did get better than I was.

Nessa stopped reading and focused on Flynn. He was blinking back tears, and his voice cracked when he spoke. “Maybe I did have it better with my dad than I would have if I’d stayed here.”

“You did,” April said. “At least you knew exactly where you stood with him. I never knew from one minute to the next what to expect out of Nanny Lucy. Go on, Nessa.”

Nessa found her place and read: