An Unknown Secret
When Charlotte and John heard the news, they were completely devastated. This was something that they had not expected, and this was going to change things for the worse. Everyday that passes, John was getting weaker and Charlotte realized this.
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The fact that Charlotte knew that her husband was dying, this kept her up and she would cry in the middle of the night. A few minutes before John died, he whispered to her that there was something he hid in the painting that he had given her.
The Tale of Charlotte
Charlotte’s whole life has been revolving around the hospital. Working as a nurse day in and day out, she helps people in need. This gives their family the best advantage as she can also take care of her husband John, and their three children.
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As soon as her working shifts were over, Charlotte would call on some of her friends and would hang out with each other. On weekends, they would get together and hang out somewhere to take a chill pill. John and Charlotte’s relationship began to blossom, and she had no clue as to what lies in her future.
Puppy Love
Charlotte and John crossed paths with one another for over 50 years ago while hanging out on the local bar down town. Exchanging sentences, gazes, and making each other giggle and chuckle, the two love birds fell in love. Shortly after, the two were like chains, having the tightest of bonds.
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Years have gone by, and they decided to get married. John felt like marriage was the best thing that has ever happened to him since he felt safe. “She was a wonderful wife!”, he said. Everyday was like heaven, being taken care of with ease together with their children.
Ain’t It Fun
Money was never really a problem for them. As long as they had each other, their love will never die and the memories will never fade. Their family life was great, they lived happily and with the least of worries in life.
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But alas, not all fairy tales have happy endings. As the years have gone by, John had kept something within him that he wanted to share with his wife. He then revealed this mystery of his, knowing that it would change Charlotte’s discernment of him.
The Skeptical Encounter
Their life was like a series of roller coaster rides. At times, Charlotte would burst with joy and laughter just because she was within his presence. Other times, she would feel skeptical. She would doubt things and she felt that something was not right with John.
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John had this attitude of his wherein he would just flee for no reason. As Charlotte began to doubt even more, she asked John where he went. John would frequently respond to Charlotte, but most of the time he would try to change the subject. He would state that the reason behind his errands was work related. As he explained, he also told Charlotte not to question him further.
An Affair?
There are times that John would hang out with his friends for dinner. Although he did not do anything wrong, when Charlotte asks what it was all about, John would always respond his go to phrase, “It as work related”. Charlotte felt that his reason was not entirely the truth.
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She doubts and has second thoughts like what if he has been seeing another woman behind her back. She wondered day after day, reason after reason, and it made her feel really uncomfortable. Her urge of wanting follow him emerged. Although when she did follow him at one point, she was confused as everything looked normal.
A Hidden Compartment
She thought to herself that she could not find anything wrong if she kept on tailing at him. She then remembered that John had a drawer, the drawer of secrets, wherein no one was allowed to look nor access the drawer. Looking high and low, she tried to find the key that would eventually open the drawer. But after several failed attempts, nothing worked.
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Her journey to finding the key to the treasure has ended. And with that, there was nothing she could do. As there were no evidences, she started to look at the other side of the coin. She thought to herself that what if, all of these were untrue; that it was just all in her head.
I Am Nothing Without You
Yes, there were times that Charlotte felt something was up with John, nothing could change the fact that she loved him with every ounce of her body. She just can’t bare the image that he would be gone, that she’s going to end up all alone with no one to love. Even if he was seeing another woman, she could just not leave him.
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She would think to herself everyday what have I done wrong, what am I lacking. She thought deeply as to what was her fear in life. After several meditations and reflections, she came to a conclusion that losing her only husband would scar her deeply.
John’s Medical Results
As Charlotte kept wondering what is really going on with John, little did she know that he had been diagnosed with an illness that was quite unbearable. It turns out that he has been having health problems for the past few years, but chose to not have himself checked.
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The years have gone by, and his illness grew worse. It came to a point that he felt uncomfortable, that if he would not go to the doctor, his story would be over. It was then that as he got diagnosed, the bad news finally got revealed.
No Where To Go
John was really saddened by the diagnosis, but there was more to the story than meets the eye. His diagnosis lead to the discovery that he had an extremely rare illness with no cure. This really took John’s devastation to the next level.
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As John felt speechless, the doctors then told him that he does not have much time to live, that his final chapter if the story would soon unfold. He begged them on what could they do to cure or at least prolong his life. Sadly, since there was no cure, there was nothing they could do.
Critical Health Condition
Days before heading to the hospital, the couple had dinner. They chatted for hours and felt like they had the time of their lives. They felt like there was no illness anywhere, until it sparked. John had symptoms, alarming symptoms that should be dealt by the hospital.
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Alarmed by this, Charlotte then rushed to call the emergency hotline 911. His health condition was critical and was hospitalized in an instant. Things really got out of hand that John could not prolong his pride, he decided that it was best for him to go.
Farewell
Understanding more about John’s condition, Charlotte find time in taking care of John. Ultimately Charlotte needs to call their children in a way she can express about John’s condition. When their children arrived in the hospital, no one seems to know what their mother would like to reveal.
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Saying goodbye is so difficult. But sooner or later we will all face it at some point in our lives. Charlotte and John were not ready to say what needed to be said. Charlotte struggled in finding appropriate words in order for their children to know the condition of their father.
Looking back on Memories
Saying goodbye is the most painful part to express to a loved one. Their children was able to express their saddest feelings toward John. Though Charlotte is feeling miserable having the thought that John would leave them at any time, Charlotte stayed right beside John until his last breath.
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Remembering all the memories they had together, their past experiences in their married life and quality time with their children, it brought joy and feeling of happiness to John and Charlotte. In the middle of their conversation, John gave Charlotte the gift he gave way back in their early marriage. It just feel so sad that once upon a time the life they shared together will become a memory.
Unusual present
No one has ever become like John. Even though in their early married life and through the years that passed by, John kept on bringing items or gifts for Charlotte. However, Charlotte has no idea about the precious gift John ever planned to give her.
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John was too vocal in expressing something or when expressing his feelings. It’s nothing new for John being creative. It brings a lot of perks, but for John painting was his passion. Painting something as a wedding gift. It can be the most beautiful way to say that Charlotte will always be very special to him.
Don’t Mind Us
Through painting John can express his emotions, showing Charlotte that she is everything to him. Charlotte never knew that the painting John was making, it would be the most precious present for her. And John hid that surprise very well, making sure she would not be suspicious of him.
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At the time when John was making the painting, Charlotte did not think much about the piece, thinking it was going to be just one of his hobby pieces. John tried his best to be nonchalant about it because he knew that if he showed extra enthusiasm about the painting, Charlotte would suspect that something was going on.
Last Words
Because of John’s illness, he was deteriorating and was always feeling tired. As time passed by he made it a point to tell Charlotte that the painting was special and meaningful. For John, he gave more expression to Charlotte saying that the painting was worth to have a second look.
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Charlotte had no idea what John wanted to express to her. She kept quiet and was thinking what it was that John wanted to communicate to her, until such time Charlotte would look over the painting. Much to her surprise, she saw something that would forever change her life.
Enigma
Charlotte had absolutely no idea and she was left stumped and speechless because this was not what she imagined she would be dealing with after losing John. She did not know what to do next and she clearly did not know anybody who could help her solve her dilemma.
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She did not know what he said about hiding something in the painting. She looked at it, flipped it over and over but there was nothing unusual about it. After a few days of getting stuck at the thought, she finally came up with an idea which could help her.
Secret Message
Charlotte was in deep thought for many days because she could not figure out what to do with the painting and how there was something inside of it according to John. She then remembered she had a friend who worked as an art restorer for 40 years and she was on a mission to find him no matter what it took.
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It wasn’t long after that she was able to track down her friend and was relieved that she was able to find him. She contacted him right away and explained her predicament. When Charlotte’s friend got to work on the painting, he removed the top layer of the painting’s varnish, he made a shocking discovery.
John’s Code
Charlotte’s friend immediately called her over and when she did, she laid eyes on the secret message written on the painting. There was an address she was not familiar with and a set of codes in John’s handwriting leading her to question what it was that he wanted her to do.
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She thought of the address over and over again to figure out what it was for. It was obviously not their home address or anything that was meaningful to both of them. She then remembered, that it was the local bank’s address where she and John opened an account together. She knew she had to go and visit the bank.
Secret Is Out
When Charlotte arrived at the bank, she immediately handed the the paper containing the codes to the bank teller. To her surprise, the teller looked as if he already knew what it was for. This prompted her to ask what was going on because she felt as if she was the only one who had no idea.
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Without any other questions asked, the bank teller proceeded to lead her to a receiving area and told her that it was the code to one of the oldest safety deposit boxes in the bank and had not been opened for nearly five decades. He told Charlotte that he always wondered whether anyone would bother to come and collect the belongings inside and the day had finally come.
Worth The Surprise
Before Charlotte was allowed inside the vault to open the safety deposit box, she had to follow bank protocol and had to sign several documents in order to prove her identity. She was also escorted by two security guards plus the teller who she had initially spoke with.
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The teller brought with him the keys to the safe. Charlotte was shaking and was breaking sweat as she does not know what to expect or even make out of the whole scenario. When the teller finally opened the safe, they were all stunned. The safe was full of money. Charlotte cannot believe her eyes. John had always led a life of frugality even before their marriage. So what was this all about?
More Than What Meets The Eye
Next to the money on the safe was an envelope. It was still not sinking in with Charlotte as she’s having a hard time believing that this was all John’s doing. So she reached out for the envelope and opened it. Reading the contents, she was brought to tears.
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The letter was written by none other than John himself, that much she was sure. She cried because John had expressed in that piece of paper the things that he wanted to tell her for the past 50 years. Charlotte then realized that the John she knew was just scratching the surface.
Inheritance
In the letter, John poured his heart out. He was only 4 years old when his father passed away. It was shortly after that his wealthy uncle had supported the family financially. His uncle had no other family and so being that his brother passed away leaving his wife and child, he did what he could.
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When his mother did not have the financial means to support their day to day needs, his uncle stepped in to help. And in the process, he grew closer with him. So when his uncle grew older and passed away as well, the inheritance was left to John. But this had posed a lot of problems for him.
Charlotte’s Awakening
Understandably so, John did not want to tell people about the inheritance he got because of the way the people that knew about the whole fiasco treated him. He saw how this had affected the way people thought of his uncle learning that he had a lot of money and he did not want this to happen to him too.
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He explained himself in the letter making sure that Charlotte would not misunderstand his intentions and that there was no way that he would disgrace her by telling his secret far too late. He mentioned how thankful he was for her for being so loving and caring to him and their children, understanding and respectful.
Rainbow After The Rain
Charlotte was sobbing by the time that she finished reading John’s letter to her. She was overcome with so many emotions that she did not know where to start or how to move forward. Deep in her heart, she knew that she needed to make good use of the money John left. So she decided to take matters into her own hands.
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This was going to be a tribute after all to her late husband. So, with his ashes, she and her children travelled all around the world to spread his ashes, and saved some for themselves for future use. But there was still so much to go around. One day, she decided to offer a large portion of the money to fund research of the disease that took John’s life and she also donated the paintings John left to a local museum as this was where she knew best that her husband’s talents would be honored. In the end, it was love that prevailed. Despite the storm of negative circumstances, Charlotte managed to witness the rainbow at the end.