189 - White Treasure Chest

189 - White Treasure Chest
You were the first for us on everything. The good, the bad, the funny, and all the what the fuck now moments. - Becks

August 2026

Priscilla stood in the room that she and her men had at the Shack with a towel wrapped around her body. There was another soft knock and Michaela called her name. Shaking off the heavy feeling that she knew came from her postpartum depression, she moved to the door and let her mother in with her rolling tool cabinet.

Michaela smiled at her and opened her arms, allowing Priscilla to decide if she wanted to be touched. Moving into the warm embrace, she lay her head against the darker woman’s shoulder. Kissing her temple, she wrapped her arms around the oldest of Molly’s many children.

“Are you okay?”

“I will be.”

Talking about her depression was still a new thing for Priscilla. She had always felt like it was her problem and her problem alone. Carly and Anthony still encouraged her to express what she was feeling. Especially when her medication had been cut back during her pregnancy and now while she nursed her newest daughter.

Holding her close, Michaela whispered, “Tell me what you need.”

“Not to cry over everything…”

Chuckling, she warned her daughter, “As long as you keep having babies, and then raising children, you will cry over some of the stupidest things.”

They shared a laugh as Michaela indicated that herself was who the crying over stupid things statement was about. Less than a month ago, only days before they learned that she was pregnant again, Michaela had been sitting in the big kitchen crying over a bent spoon that was now stuck in her ice cream. Case ran some warm water over the outside of the carton until the spoon was released. A new wave of tears came as the other woman was declared to be Michaela’s hero.

Looking at her mom, she admitted, “I just want to be normal, and not…” Priscilla sighed, “broken.”

Leaning back, Michaela cupped her cheeks and tipped her head back. “There is nothing wrong with you.” Her voice cracked as her own tears threatened to fall. “Nothing. You are a wonderful mother, a loving wife, a great big sister and I am so damned fucking lucky to call you, my daughter.”

Priscilla gave her a sad smile as her own tears trekked down her cheeks. Reaching up, she swiped at the tears and laughed when her mother gently swatted her hands away. Producing a soft cotton handkerchief, Michaela gently blotted the tears away.

“Quit stretching out your skin,” she told her daughter. “You’ll end up with wrinkles. Time will take care of that on its own, don’t give it any assistance.”

“I have a funny feeling that I’m going to cry a lot today.”

“As long as they are happy or hormonal tears, that is allowed.”

“No sad tears.”

Giving her own sad smile, Michaela shook her head, “No sad tears.”

“I wish Momma Becks was here.”

“We all wish Becks was here, baby. Just like your daddy wishes your momma Jess was also here.” Stepping back, she looked around as she grabbed the handle of her rolling tool cart.

“Where’s your robe?”

“My robe?”

Smiling, she approached the large bed that had a white chest with silver latches and hinges on it. Michaela knew that Molly had planned to bring it up while Priscilla was still in her shower. Obviously, the woman had other things on her mind today and had not noticed it.

Pushing it towards her daughter, Michaela suggested, “You should see what all your daddy got you.”

Ensuring that her towel was not going anywhere, Priscilla sat on her bed to unlatch and lift the lid of the chest. A small envelope with her name in her father’s bold writing sat on top of smooth pale purple tissue paper. Michaela placed the white handkerchief in her lap as she broke the purple wax seal on the back and removed the card.

Priscilla,

You are my first little pretty. You led the way and started the traditions. It’s only right that you were the first to get married. The first to have a baby. The first to do it all.

When you said that you were getting married six years ago, I ordered this. I could have given it to you then when you went to Bam Bam. But I waited for today.

I love you, little pretty.

Your Daddy – Molly

Looking up at Michaela, Priscilla dabbed at the tears and quietly asked, “Is this like what Eliza got?”

“It’s a little different.”

She tucked the envelope and card into the side of the box and tore the tissue paper away. The first thing that she removed was the full-length white satin robe with Bride written in a gentle script with purple stitching. Standing up, she tugged her towel away and slipped the soft robe on.

As she sat back down, she picked up the small square box and slipped the lid off. Turning to Michaela, she didn’t stop the tears this time. “He bought this six years ago?”

“He did. He knew you would not have the traditional wedding dress. Assumed that it would probably have purple in it.”

Lifting the silver tiara with white and purple gemstones and pearls out of the protective box, she dropped the protective box. “Can you…?”

“Make you look gorgeous with it? Hell yeah, I can.”

In a burgundy velvet box from a local jeweler, she found matching jewelry that included earrings, bracelets and three different necklaces. There was a choker, a Y-style, and a long necklace allowing her to choose what would look best with her dress. Taking out the choker and Y-chain, she decided to wear the two of them together.

Continuing to pull items out of the chest, she discovered a travel coffee mug and a large water bottle. Both were purple and had Mrs. Landry written on them in iridescent. She also found two packages of her favorite chocolate candies and a small box of coffee pods.

“Those might need to be replaced,” Michaela said with a little laugh.

“Or not,” Priscilla said as she opened the candy and popped one in her mouth. “Tastes like it should.”

“In that case,” she held her hand out for Priscilla to drop some candies into her hand. Laughing, she obliged.

Continuing to pull treasures out of her chest, there was a small wooden sign that declared the Landry Family was established in 2020. A journal wrapped in white paper with a purple pen and highlighter, a lavender scented candle, satin hair ties, hair clips, and silver picture frame with matching jewelry box. Grabbing the fuzzy slippers, she slid them on and gave a small squeal of excitement at the fuzzy socks.

“You’re going to want those later,” Michaela assured her.

The very last thing in the chest was a white cardboard box. When Priscilla opened it, she found a wooden hanger that had a silver hook and bar running across the bottom. The bar was twisted and shaped to form Mrs Landry.

“Charlotte should use this for pictures,” Priscilla whispered.