The Little Black Book

As Cashmere picked up the small package, she looked around and wondered who could have left it at the entrance of her townhouse. Tucking it under her arm, she unlocked the door, entered and placed it with the daily mail and her keys on the kitchen counter. Removing her layered clothing on the way to her bedroom, she wanted a hot shower to wash away the tension of the day from her body and mind after working eight hours as a claims adjuster for CitiData. Toweled-dried and feeling somewhat refreshed, she wrapped her body in a soft robe, then poured herself a glass of wine and sat on one of the cushioned bar stools at the counter.

Picking up the small package again, she turned it over looking for clues of its origin. Finding nothing other than her name, Cashmere Wilder written on it, she softly shook it and heard a slight muffled sound. Cashmere's curiosity was getting the best of her as she tore the wrapping to reveal her name was also engraved on a blue box. Slowly lifing the lid and peering in, she was shocked to see a wad of cash and a little black book. Gulping some of the wine, she exclaimed wide-eyed, "Oh my goodness, who in the world could have left this," because there was nothing else in the box!

Baffled but intrigued by its contents, she moved to the couch with the box in one hand while taking a sip of wine from the glass in the other and put them both on the coffee table. She stared at the box for what seemed like a long time and then proceeded to remove the wad of money with trembling fingers to count it. Cashmere counted out two hundred, $100 bills! After getting over that shock, she slowly layed the twenty thousand dollars in bills aside and retrieved the little black book which looked a little worned. Fanning the alphabetized and slightly discolored pages did not reveal anything hidden so she went back to the beginning and found an amazing clue. "Charlotta Adams" was the first name written on the first page of the little black book and it was her mother's maiden name!

Dropping the little black book, Cashmere jumped up from the couch to get her cell phone from her purse and speed-dialed her mom. It rang and rang and finally went to voice mail, "Please leave a message after the beep." Mom! it's important you call me back when you get this message. I'm on my way over to you. I need to talk to you!" Cashmere hung up the phone, picked up the little black book and money, put them back in the box and was on her way to get dressed when her cell phone rang. Caller ID showed it was her Mom's number, "Mom?" "Cashmere, don't come over, I'm not at home. Don't worry, I'll see you soon. Hold on to the package." The line went dead. "Mom!" Cashmere cried.

Cashmere frantically called her back but instead got voicemail again and she knew something was wrong. Her Mom's voice didn't sound right and she did not call her "Cassie" as she has done all her life. Questions flooded her mind. Where is she and what's going on? There was only the two of them and at twently-five years old, she hadn't seen or talked to her father since she was ten. Her Mom didn't talk about him but she knew he was alive. Where was he and could he be involved in all of this? She was alone and there was no one else she knew to call for answers. Nothing prior to receiving that package could have prepared her for this.

Cashmere went back to the little black book, searched it from the beginning to the end and found a number to call in case it was lost and found. She hesitantly dialed the number and waited as the phone rang a few times before an unfamiliar voice answered and said, "Hello daughter." She was speechless, and he further said, "Please don't hang up!" "I am Charles Wilder and I am your father." Cashmere found her voice and angrily asked, "What do you want?" "And where is my mother?" "What I want is my family back." Her father went on to explain that he had sent someone to pick her up and bring her mother to him. She is fine but was upset at his return and now knows that he had been falsely imprisoned all these years. I was also responsible for having the package with your name on it, left at your front door for safekeeping."

"From the beginning to the end, you and your mother were all I thought about Cashmere, hoping that someday we would be together again. The money is yours and aside from your mother, the little black book has all the answers and is my ticket to freedom."