As the sun began to rise over a small coastal town in North Carolina, the sky was painted with orange, pink, red, and purple hues. Maye Hudges rolled down her car window, letting the sea breeze blow her dark brown hair across her face. Her eyes, as blue as the sea, shone in the light that passed through her sunglasses.

It had been almost a month since Maye's grandmother had passed away. After weeks of waiting, the lawyer finally contacted her to discuss the will's contents. Maye was surprised that it took him so long to get in touch with her, but she was relieved to finally hear from him. Unlike most people, Maye wasn't interested in inheriting any of her grandmother's valuable possessions. All she wanted was the old photographs of her and her grandmother together.

As she arrived at Nearpoint, she couldn't help but notice that the town looked the same as it did when she was a child. The air was filled with the salty scent of the sea, and seagulls flew above, searching for food. As she turned into the parking lot, she noticed that the signs on the shops were faded, and some were even missing letters. 

The lawyer's office was situated between a grocery store and a barbershop. She parked the car where she could see the door and noticed a small sign above it that read "Harold & Sons."

Maye scanned the parking lot, hoping to spot relatives heading toward the office. But the area in front of the entrance was nearly deserted, with only a handful of cars and an orange tabby cat lounging on the hood of a black SUV, basking in the sun.

Maye reached up with both hands and pulled her hair into a ponytail. After getting out of the car, she straightened her skirt and slowly approached the single glass door adorned with divorce signs. As she walked through the door, she stopped momentarily to allow her eyes to adjust. The lighting in the front office was dim compared to the blazing sun outside.

A wooden desk was positioned neatly in the center of the room, surrounded by plants. In the background, music from the Beatles played softly, and an older woman with large-framed glasses and even larger hair sat behind the desk, painting her nails.

Without looking at Maye, the woman asked, "How may I assist you?"

   "Hello, I'm Maye Hudges. I'm here to meet Mr. Harold about my grandmother's will."

"Oh, my stars! You're Olive's granddaughter!" The lady dropped her polish, stood up, and walked around the desk towards Maye.

Maye was taken aback; the lady was approaching her with open arms. She then embraced Maye tightly. Maye was confused but chose not to resist. The lady released Maye from the hug and looked at her with tears in her eyes and a warm smile.

"Your grandmother spoke so highly about you. She was a dear friend and an amazing woman. I am so glad to meet you." Her southern draw shook.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Miss?". Maye hinted that she needed the lady's name to avoid being rude.

"Please call me Star; no need for 'Miss,'" she said as she patted Maye's shoulder. Then, she returned to her desk and pressed a small red button on her phone. "Mister Harold, Maye Hudges is here to see you," she informed him. After nodding, she placed the phone back down. "Head straight through that door, sweetie," she pointed to a dark cherry wood door on the left side of the room. "It was a pleasure meeting you," she added before returning to resume work.

Maye pushed open the heavy door, which had a swinging motion, and entered a spacious room filled with books and papers, illuminated by the sunlight streaming through the windows. Sitting on the other side of the desk was a small, elderly man who stood up to greet her with a gentle handshake and offer his condolences for her loss.

       "Now, shall we begin?" He spoke in a raspy, kind voice.

"Where is everyone, Mr. Harold?" she asked, looking around the room with her brows pinched.

"It seems that the will is directed only towards you," he said while shuffling some papers on his desk. "Your grandmother spoke only about you and your parents; may their souls rest in peace. I must say that this is a very unusual will. Your grandmother was quite an interesting woman. It took me a while to get everything in order."

He pushed a pair of black-framed glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Let's take a look," he said, clearing his throat. "To my dearest granddaughter, Maye, I've left behind all of my possessions: your grandfather's truck and our beach house, the same one you grew up in."

As Mayes gazed down at her skirt, she became restless and began to fiddle with her hands.

"On one condition." She looked up with a questioning expression on her face. He continued, "You must complete and report the requirements I have left for you. Each day an envelope will arrive at the address, in that envelope will be a note to find a personal letter from me, hidden in the house. The letters will contain instructions on what you must do that day."

Harold paused and glanced up at Maye through his glasses. Seeing the expression on her face, he smiled. "As I mentioned, your grandmother was quite an interesting woman. She had many adventures in her life and wanted you to experience them as well."

Maye went silent for a moment before finally speaking up. "Let me clarify: I must stay here and finish this project to keep my grandmother's house, right? But what about my job and my fiancé?" She shook her head and gazed out the window overlooking the parking lot.

"Your grandmother knew that you were not interested in the money. So, she set aside enough funding to cover your monthly rent in Connecticut. As for the fiancé, he is not allowed to be a part of this. Looking here, she set aside a weekend for him to visit."

She looked down while nodding her head, lost in thoughts. She knew how her grandmother felt about Sean. Grandma loved to call him a Boring suit and tie.

"Miss Hodges, it is not possible for you to sell the property. If you reject this offer, the house will remain vacant, or even worse, it may be subject to condo developments being constructed all around the area. The community makes all possible efforts to prevent this, but an unoccupied house may still be vulnerable to such developments. Moreover, Mrs. Olive explicitly mentioned to me that you are the rightful owner of this house." He spoke in a firm tone this time.

"May I know when the time frame begins?" She asked while still gazing out of the window.

"Next week. Do you still work online?" He asked.

She looked at him and replied, "I can bring my work. Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

"I'm not seeing anything else here at the moment. Once the letters begin next week, we will meet once every two weeks to discuss them and your findings." He looked back up at her. "She loved you very much, Maye."

Maye wiped her eyes, nodded, and smiled at Mr. Harold.

"Let me know when you are back in Nearpoint, and I will send Ms. Star over to get you situated in the house." He softly smiled and stood up from his chair. They shook hands, and Maye left the building, saying goodbye to Ms. Star on the way out.

The drive back to Connecticut was filled with many thoughts for Maye. She couldn't help but think of her parents, whom she had lost at a young age due to a car crash on the Masspike. Memories of her first time moving in with her grandmother flooded her mind. The house was always filled with the delightful aroma of baked goods and salty sea air. Her grandmother had raised her and shaped her into the person she was today. Maye wondered who she would have been if she hadn't moved north.

After moving, Maye worked at many odd jobs before starting her online business. She became an online book author and blogger, writing stories that resonated with people worldwide. Her tales were about love and self-discovery, inspiring hope in her readers. Despite her lack of experience, she was able to craft compelling stories that her readers loved, even though she called it "fantasy."

Maye met Sean, her fiancé, the "boring suit and tie" at Christmas. Although her grandmother initially liked him, Maye could tell she was merely pretending.

Sean was a businessman who was climbing the ranks at a finance firm. He started his career there by delivering mail, but within a year, he had his own office. Sean's relationship with Maye could have been better, but Maye believed that a successful couple must work twice as hard to reach their goals. As a result, they had little time to focus on their relationship.

Just after midnight, she arrived at their apartment to find Sean still dressed in his work clothes, with papers scattered across the coffee table and his laptop illuminating the room.

He was a good-looking man. Tall, with brown eyes, a strong posture, and a brilliant mind. His blonde hair was frazzled from his fingers running through it.

He looked up when Maye entered the apartment. Not getting up from his seat, he spoke, "Hey, honey. How was the trip?"

          Before speaking, she rubbed her face. "I have to leave for a month next week. My grandmother has requirements for me to complete to obtain the house," she said. She looked at him and saw him begin to smile.

Sean chuckled quietly, then shifted his gaze back to the papers before him. "Naturally, she does. She was always the one to go above and beyond." She stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "And what happens if you fail to complete these requirements?"

"Then the house will just sit there or worse, be developed." She said while picturing that in her mind.

"A month, huh? Just let it go. It's just a house," he said while tapping keys on the keyboard.

"It's more than a house; it's where I grew up. The place that helped me heal. My grandfather built that house with the help of friends in the community."

Sean put down his papers and tapped the side of the couch, gesturing for her to sit next to him. She walked over and settled down, resting her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and drew her near for a hug.

"Hey, listen, a month is not that long. I was actually going to tell you in person when you came back, but I have to leave for a business trip in a few weeks anyway," he said in a softer tone. "I'll be back soon, and I promise to visit you when I return."

"The will states that I have to do this alone, but she set aside a weekend for you to visit." Maye sighed.

Sean chuckled once more and responded, "Alright. Do whatever you need to do."

She was uncertain about how to react to his response to the news but ultimately decided to proceed with the plans. Her grandmother had done so much for her during her upbringing that she felt it was only fitting to keep her house in the family to honor her.

Little did she know that Ms. Olive had many plans and tricks up her sleeves.