Mirage

Kaci slid her key card into the slot and waited for the green light. A soft click, a flash of green, and she pushed down the handle. Stepping inside, she flipped up the light switch. Muted light filled the living room. Kaci slipped off her shoes and leaned back against the door. Her gaze immediately went to the large window directly in front of her. The wall of glass faced west, giving her an incredible view of Puget Sound and the Olympic Range. Gray clouds filled the sky today, but on a clear day, the sunset over the Olympics literally took her breath. All the comforts of living in the large suite on the twenty-third floor of the hotel pleased her, but she loved the view most of all. It never failed to calm her, no matter how upset she might be.

Not even the incredible view had made her feel better this past week.

Her mood definitely called for a glass of wine. She needed the artificial courage before she opened the envelope from Nana.

Kaci poured herself a glass of Chardonnay and carried it to the couch. After taking a large sip, she set the glass on the coffee table and opened her purse. She removed the small box first and lifted the lid.

Kaci gasped.

It was stunning. Approximately the size of a nickel, the three diamond-encrusted gold knots intertwined with each other. A delicate gold chain, a bit dull, passed through the top knot. Kaci touched it with the tip of her finger. It felt...warm.

It definitely belonged in her safe. Wearing something this valuable would be stupid and irresponsible.

Yet she wanted to. She wanted to feel the necklace against her skin. Surely trying it on here in her suite would be safe.

Carefully, Kaci lifted the necklace from its black velvet nest. She located the small clasp and opened it. Her hands trembled as she placed the necklace around her neck and fastened it.

Warmth flowed from the gold knots. Kaci touched them with the tips of her fingers. A feeling of contentment, of serenity, washed over her. Her ancestors had worn this very necklace. It made her feel closer to them, to her Irish heritage.

Nana would've liked that.

Kaci sipped her wine then drew her great-grandmother's envelope from her purse. She touched the scrawled "Kaci" written on it. A tender smile touched her lips. Nana's hands had become so shaky and painful in the last year she could barely write, yet she'd ignored that pain to write this.

The ringing of her doorbell stopped Kaci from opening the envelope. Laying it on the table, she rose and went to the door. A glance through the peephole showed two of her employees with a large, slim crate on a rolling cart.

The mirror.

Kaci opened the door and stood to the side so they could enter. "Hi, guys."

"Hi, Ms. Montgomery," Sal said, smiling. His name fit him perfectly. He looked Italian, with dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin wrinkled from too much time in the sun. "Delivery for you. Where do you want it?"

An excellent question. Kaci had been expecting the mirror, but she hadn't expected it to be taller than she. Perhaps it was simply packed in a larger box to protect it. "The bedroom, I guess."

She led the way to her bedroom and watched them open the large crate. As the plywood and protective wrapping fell away, she saw that the mirror definitely needed a crate that large to hold it. A thick, ornate silver frame surrounded the glass. Kaci guessed it to be at least six feet tall and three feet wide, and in desperate need of a good cleaning.

She had no idea where to put it.

"Do you want this hung up?" Sal asked.

"No, not yet. Just lean it against the wall for now."

"Will do."

The guys secured the mirror and Kaci walked them to the door. Once they were gone, she returned to the couch. She forgot about the mirror for now and picked up the envelope from Nana. After taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she slipped her finger beneath the flap.



My darling Kaci,

If you're reading this note, it means I've passed on.

I had a wonderful, incredible, exciting life. My only regret is not having more time with my darling Barry. Ah, what a man. We had 65 glorious years together, and I loved every one of them. If every woman could marry a man as considerate and loving as your great-grandfather, there wouldn't be any divorces.

I want that kind of happiness for you, Kaci. I've watched you fall in love and have your heart broken more than once. Whenever you were hurt, I was devastated. You were the most wonderful thing in my life, the one who brought me the greatest joy. There simply are not words to describe how very much you meant to me.

I lost my son and daughter-in-law many years ago. I hope you never know the pain of losing a child. Having you close to me made losing Riley easier to bear. If I hadn't already treasured you, that alone would have made me love you.

I know you are saddened by my death. I don't want that. Remember my life, and all our times together, and be happy that I'm finally with Barry again. True love never dies, Kaci. Sometimes it has to be put on hold, but it's always there, in your heart.

I want you to experience the kind of love I had with my husband. That's why I left you the necklace and mirror in my will. They've both been in the Montgomery family since the late 1500s. Together, they'll help you find the love of your life. Trust me on this, my darling. That necklace and mirror led me to my Barry. They'll help you too.

You'll meet him on St. Patrick's Day. Appropriate for us Irish, don't you think?

Your name means brave, Kaci. Never forget that. You're a strong, independent woman, and I was always so proud of you for that. But you need love, as does everyone. Don't turn your back on the gift when it's presented to you.

Until we meet again,

Nana



Tears streamed down Kaci's cheeks as she carefully folded the letter and replaced it in the envelope. The large sum of money her great-grandmother left her didn't mean nearly as much to Kaci as this hand-written note.

Oh, Nana, if only it were true. If only the necklace and mirror could actually bring me the love of my life. But I know that won't happen. I've given up on love.

Kaci laid the envelope on the coffee table. The tight lump in her throat refused to go away. Past experience had taught her that once she started crying, she wouldn't be able to stop for hours.

She had way too much to do to give in to a bout of self-pity.

The first thing she should do was decide where to put that huge mirror. It should be here, in the living room, so any visitor could see it. She certainly didn't have many visitors who saw her bedroom. Kaci couldn't remember the last time she'd made love. After her last disastrous relationship ended, she'd sworn off men forever...although she wouldn't mind one visiting her--and her bed--every now and then.

Kaci rose from the couch, picked up her wineglass, and headed for her bedroom. She sipped the last of the Chardonnay as she turned in a slow circle at the end of the bed, studying the spacious room for a possible place to put the mirror. It either had to hang on the wall, or it needed some kind of brace put on the back so it could stand on its own. While all Montgomery hotels were built with the finest materials possible, she had no idea if any of the walls would hold such a large and heavy item.

Maybe it really would be better in the living room. She could call Sal and a couple of the other maintenance guys back to hang it for her.

Stepping closer to the mirror, she studied the ornate frame. She couldn't make out a definite pattern in the swirls and curls of silver, but some kind of design existed. Kaci set her glass on her desk and returned to the mirror. She peered closer, trying to make out the pattern. It almost looked like...

Kaci's eyes widened. Surely she hadn't seen what she thought she'd seen.

Once more stepping close to the mirror, Kaci studied the design. It looked like a couple entwined. No, it looked like several couples entwined, in many different positions. Her great-grandmother had left her an X-rated mirror!

Kaci covered her mouth with one hand to hold back her laughter. Nana had often told her stories of their wild family. Apparently, those stories had been true.

"My ancestors were perverts. You never told me that part, Nana." She chuckled again. "So much for hanging this in the living room."

It was the first time Kaci had laughed in two weeks, and it felt wonderful. The long work hours, along with Nana's death, had made laughter impossible. Normally a cheerful person, the lack of joy lately had been hard on Kaci. She didn't like feeling sad.

No more. Nana didn't want her to be sad.

First things first. She had no silver polish, but she did have glass cleaner. At least she could clean the mirror.

Another benefit of being the manager of The Seattle Montgomery included never having to do any cleaning in her suite. Still, Kaci liked to have a collection of her own supplies. She returned to her bedroom with a small bottle of Windex and a lint-free cloth. Beginning at the top, she sprayed a generous amount of cleaner on the mirror and began wiping it off.

The accumulated dirt and film melted away, letting her see the beauty of the mirror. Her family had obviously taken exceptional care of it over the centuries.

Centuries. Kaci had a hard time accepting that this mirror was hundreds of years old.

As she cleaned the spot directly in front of her, her gaze fell to the reflection of the necklace around her neck. She'd forgotten all about putting on the necklace before she read Nana's letter. The light from the small lamp on her desk shone on the piece of jewelry. The sparkle of the diamonds took her breath, they were so lovely. Kaci touched the necklace, awed by its beauty.

Warmth radiated through her fingers and up her arm. The mirror seemed to shift, blur, before her. She blinked to clear her vision. It didn't help. Instead, the blurred effect intensified. Something began to form.

Eyes. Vivid blue eyes, surrounded by dark eyelashes.

Kaci gasped. She stumbled back and sat down hard on the end of her bed. Grasping the bedspread with both hands, she stared at the mirror, trying to see again what she thought she'd seen.

Nothing.