the box

“Shelly found a box in one of the second-hand cupboards she sells. She took the box down and saw some things. One of the names she saw was Templeton. She knew that was my last name so she thought she would look at it. Now it was my grandfather’s name and about him. She hasn’t gone through it all, but I want to know what it all says. It might tell me why my grandfather never felt he could come back.”

“So how did his stuff get into a wardrobe?”

“It isn’t his stuff, but he is mentioned. We haven’t decided what to do with it all yet. Shelly and Toby have looked through a little bit, but I didn’t even know about it until today. Would you mind if we cut tonight early so I can look through some things?”

“Do you want some help? Another person might shed some ideas, my family came from Bendigo originally.”

“What if my grandfather really did something bad, are you going to hate me?”

“Have you done anything really bad? You are not your grandfather. And I don’t think I could hate you.” Mary Anne looked into his face. “I rather like you.” She pulled his head down and kissed him.

Jet didn’t know much about his grandfather’s life in Australia, that was obvious. This box Shelly had, held maybe a fraction of what his life in Australia had been like. She knew that Jet was worried that it would affect her own feelings for him, but she knew it wouldn’t be like that.

J

Shelly came out and said, “So Toby told you about the box?”

“Yes, Mary Anne thought she could help as her family did come from Bendigo. It would nice to find out what this box says about my grandfather. He never really liked to talk about what happened.”

“Well, Toby and I aren’t exactly sure what this box means and what all the information is about.”

“I am glad you saved it, before passing it back to the previous owners.”

“I saw your last name and I didn’t think there would be too many Templetons around. What if the information is bad? How will you deal with that?”

“I don’t know Shelly. I really admire my grandfather, but I think I do need to know. I don’t know if I am going to stay here and I don’t really know what the family wants to do with the farm.”

“Would you consider staying here?”

“Maybe, I mean I have right to work here, but the US is my home. It all depends on what we find out and what my family wants.”

“A couple of hundred years ago it wouldn’t have been an issue. We would mainly just stay in the one country. “

“That would be so much easier. I wonder if I should get my brother to come over, I mean if there are legal issues in the box, he could work them out.”

“What is your brother like?”

“He looks more white than I do. But he doesn’t really like that he has Indian heritage. His middle name is Bear, after my uncle, he died a few years before Cameron was born. They ended up sharing the same birth date, and Mom really missed her brother. I guess she was hoping there would be something there to remind her of him.”

“But there isn’t?”

“No, maybe it might have been different if he looked more Indian. If he was the oldest, if he had my middle name of Eagle. My parents can’t believe two brothers can be so different and have such different attitudes.”

“What would do you think your brother would do?”

“He would see what money we could get from the farm. He also would never have considered falling in love with an Australian. Right now he is quite intent on his studying. Law is his life, it has ever since he decided to be a lawyer, and he hopes to make lots of money. He knows one reason he got a place in such a prestigious school is because of his Indian heritage, but he won’t admit it to anyone.”

“You do sound quite different?”

“He has never brought a girl home to meet my mom. He had a couple when we were younger but they all knew he was half Indian. I guess we just looked at our backgrounds differently.”

Shelly nodded, “My family have never really looked at our background. There was someone who came over on a convict ship, but that is about all we know. I know my mum was thinking about it, but never got around to it.”

“For us, it’s my mom’s heritage.”

“Yes, that was quite unexpected. I found out it whose it was, but I think there was something about Jet’s grandfather. If I was Jet I would want to know everything before passing it over. “

Jet said, “It might be easier if you bring the box out here. I will clear the table and we can work on it up here.”

Toby went with Shelly to bring the box. Jet took

the box and said. "The sooner I know the truth the sooner I can work out what happened with my family.”

Shelly sat down and said “We have seen a few things, something that you may not want to hear, but need to know.”

Jet took a deep breath and said “Okay, what is it?”

“We found a bullet in the box, looking at journals and things we think it was your grandfather that may have shot it and hit Anton Merrick. This is all his stuff.” Shelly said softly, she didn’t know what’s Jet’s response would be.

Jet stared out the window, he couldn’t believe his grandfather would ever shoot someone. His grandfather actually hated guns and was such a gentle man, it didn’t seem possible. “Are you sure?”

“It definitely seems that way. I mean from what the journals say.”

“My grandfather hated guns, he didn’t like it when my father got one. That is why this just seems so unlikely.”

Toby said, “Maybe because this happened is why he hated guns. All I know is that most farmers need them at some point.”

“Yeah, he didn’t need one in America as he worked in an office. I always wonder did he miss farming. I know he helped a neighbour out a few times.” Jet got up and walked to the window facing the backyard. It was hard not having his grandfather around to ask all these questions. He hoped one day he could get all the answers.

“I just wish my grandfather was here while we look through this box. He would know a bit of background or maybe the story that these papers and journals hold.”

“I know your grandfather has never come back here, do you think he might consider it again? Have you thought about inviting him?”

“He said he never really wanted to come back here, more like couldn’t. Maybe if I tell him about the information he might change his mind.”

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