“I knew he was stubborn,” I admitted. “I didn’t realize how far that went.”
"It took them years to figure out how to communicate with each other, especially when he felt he had been wronged. There's a lot that you see as a housekeeper. You learn a lot about the people you work for, and let me tell you this - your grandfather was a good man. As stubborn as he could be about the ideas in his head, he was always more stubborn about protecting his marriage. He eventually learned that listening to his wife was one of the best-kept secrets of being a successful businessman. He loved your grandmother enough to set aside his pride and be wrong now and then."
“What happened when he wasn’t wrong?”
"He listened to her anyway. And then, they work up a solution together. They both did a lot of apologizing throughout the years. And while their arguments never got any quieter, they did grow fewer and further in between."
I brushed my fingers through my hair, trying to absorb what Asta told me. I was unsure how to move forward, but I knew I needed to find a solution.
"You are a man a lot like your grandfather. I see him in how you run your business and treat your employees, but mostly, I see him in how you love people. If you love Agotia, you must follow in your grandfather's footsteps again. You will have to listen long enough so that the two of you can find a way through this."
The conversation I had with Asta rang in my head for the rest of the day. After the third time, I had retyped the same email; I decided to take the day off from work. I almost stopped in the library, wanting to curl up with a good book at the fireplace so I could lose myself in the story for a few hours, but as I walked in, all I could see was Agotia sitting next to me the way she had two nights ago.
I decided to go on a walk instead.
Asta’s words rolled around in my head repeatedly. I knew there was merit to the things she had said. I knew how much my grandparents loved each other. And for the first time, I was beginning to think that I wanted the same things they had. The only issue was that the woman I wanted was already my wife through a fake marriage, and I had just shot her off and told her so.
I realized I wanted Agotia to be my life partner and business partner. I wanted to work through this with her and start everything over again. If only I could trust her.
The fresh mountain air did little to clear my thoughts as it usually did. I walked for a long time, reviewing the details in my head-the wedding, the envelope, and Agotia. It was a hopeless endeavor. Eventually, I gave up on walking and returned to the lodge.
The tricks I would use to refocus didn't work. A shower did little besides washing away the sweat from my hike. The accumulated emails did nothing to hold my attention for the first time. So, I decided to give in to the misery clawing through my head and went into the library.
What was once my favorite room in the house suddenly became borderline unbearable. Knowing that Lucas had stolen from me here gave the whole space a feeling of invasion. The few memories I had of Agotia here were bittersweet. I wished I could wash them from the walls and my mind as much as I wanted to bottle them up and keep them forever.
Despite my angry words earlier, I wasn't ready to annul the marriage. Rushing into this situation without thinking it through first got me into this mess. I needed to get all the facts before making more decisions.
With that in mind, I went back to researching the snuff boxes. I pulled out every file, determined to read each page this time. I wanted to know the history of the snuff boxes, when my grandfather first purchased them, what they were worth now, and who else knew about them. It took me a few hours before I closed the last files. Tired of thoughts swirling in my head, I drifted to sleep thinking of Agotia.
Sunlight streamed through the windows and into my eyes, rousing me from sleep. My neck and back were stiff from my uncomfortable position, and I realized I had slept on the couch. After all the reading last night, I felt like I had gotten a better understanding of why my grandfather did the things he did. The snuff boxes were not to accumulate wealth but to protect the history of his homeland. He did a lot of things to protect what he valued most. It was a character trait I hoped to develop, starting with my wife.
I dressed quickly, not slowing down for breakfast, and raced out of the house. I had a conversation with Agotia that needed completion.
Yesterday I had done all the talking; today, I intended to listen. I decided that I was okay with being wrong and would listen openly to whatever Agotia had to say.
The drive to her farm passed quickly; as I got closer, I became nervous. I couldn't pinpoint what made me nervous, so I decided not to think about it as I pulled into her driveway. Another car was already there, and the angry knot began forming like yesterday.
I eased out of my car, running my hands through my hair, unsure that this was a clever idea. Seeing the front door was wide open, I walked toward it. As I got closer, voices drifted out, it took a few more feet before the words started to make sense, and then I froze, listening to the conversation.
“How could you do this, Lucas?” Agotia berated. "He gave you a job, trusted you with his home, and you betrayed him."
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but it would be better for both of us if you would stop yelling.”
The unchecked edge in Lucas’s voice made my heart start pounding. He was threatening Agotia.
"I am not yelling, but I will be soon if you don't admit it. I know you took the snuff boxes, and so does Alex. You left a fingerprint of paint on the letter opener you used to snoop through his mail. He has enough evidence to charge you."
“You don’t know anything.”
“Then tell me. The Lucas I knew would never do this. Why?”
"Because of you," Lucas exploded. "You were and still are so infatuated with him from the first time you saw him. I knew what kind of person he was. I just had to find a way to prove it to you. So, when Asta helped me get a job there, I knew that if I could get inside, I could find proof that he was not a good man. When I found the letter from the museum, I saw my chance and took it. He cares more about his money than anything else. Losing those precious stupid boxes was sure to make him reveal his true colors. And it did, didn't it?"
Agotia’s silence rang louder than anything she could have said. This entire situation had brought out the worst in me, and she and I both knew it. I only hoped I would get the chance to make amends.
“But why did you do it, Lucas?” Her question came out in a whisper.
“Because you are mine. You have always been mine. Everyone used to tell us that we were meant to be together, and they were right. Can’t you see, I did this to protect you from him. I did this because I love you.”
