The Last Letter

In her 22nd letter, Ella writes to Chaos about her grief over Ryan’s death. Chaos is the only person she really wants to see, and she asks him to come to Telluride.

Beckett moves into the house he was building for Ella and the kids, which is on land at the border of Solitude. He finally reads the last three letters Ella sent him and reflects on how if he had read them earlier, he would have come down sooner, and things might have been different. It has been over a month since their breakup; he hasn’t seen Ella or the kids at all, and he misses them deeply.

Beckett gets a call from Principal Halsen with news that Colt is suspended for getting into a fight at school and needs to be taken home. Ella is in Montrose with Maisie and is not reachable, and Beckett is the next name on the emergency contact list. Beckett leaves Ella a voicemail stating that he is bringing Colt to his place, and he heads to the school.

In the principal’s office, Colt tells him that he hit a boy who was trying to forcibly kiss a girl in his class. Beckett realizes this is the same boy who tried to kiss Maisie against her will the previous year, and Beckett chastises the principal for not taking any action against the boy. He points out that if left unchecked, the boy will be doing worse things as he gets older. Then, Beckett takes Colt home for ice cream.

Colt is sullen in the truck and is surprised to learn that Beckett still lives in Telluride. At Beckett’s place, he erupts, accusing Beckett of forgetting him and Maisie. Beckett apologizes, and at Colt’s insistence, he promises to try and fix things with Ella for Colt and Maisie’s sake. Beckett and Colt talk about the incident at school. Beckett realizes that Colt likes the girl, Emma, who was involved. He advises Colt to work on controlling his anger and strength; it is good to protect those who are smaller or weaker but without using one’s fists.

Ella calls, and Beckett fills her in. She, too, is surprised to learn that he is still in Telluride. She and Maisie will not be back until the next day, and she agrees to let Beckett keep Colt for the night, confessing the kids have missed him.

In his second letter, Chaos answers Ella’s question about the scariest choice he ever made. He reveals that he bought some land sight unseen because the owner really needed the money. He doesn’t know what to do with it; Ryan suggests that he build a house there and settle down, which scares him.

Ella follows the GPS directions Beckett sent across to his place and is stunned to discover that he lives on land from Solitude that she sold off a couple of years ago. Maisie and Colt are thrilled to see each other, and Colt announces that they have to stay for dinner. As the twins rush off to explore the house, Beckett reveals that his finance agent bought the property through an investment company a couple of years ago on Ryan’s advice. He didn’t know it was Ella’s land until he arrived in Telluride. Beckett had the house built as a surprise for her over the past few months. He has also deeded over 21 of the original 25 acres he bought back to her.

Ella agrees to stay for dinner, and the kids are delighted. They fill Beckett in on everything that has happened since they last saw him. After dinner, Ella and Beckett talk. He apologizes for not having read her letters when she sent them, claiming he wouldn’t have stayed away if he had. Ella asserts that they are not getting back together; however, she doesn’t blame Beckett for Ryan’s death, and she apologizes for cutting him out of the kids’ lives as well. Ella asks him to spend time with them again, and they will tell the kids about the adoption once Maisie is completely clear of cancer. The kids are thrilled to hear Beckett is back in their lives again. Beckett promises to show Ella that she can trust him again, and Ella notes she will take small steps toward giving second chances.

In her 23rd letter, Ella writes to Chaos about the pain she feels at having lost Ryan. Chaos has not been replying to her letters, and she hopes it is just because he is too upset to write. She begs him to come visit her in January if he is still alive.

Six months after Ella allows Beckett back into the twins’ lives, Ella and Beckett are co-parenting well but have not resumed their romantic relationship. Beckett gets a permanent job with the search and rescue squad, and their insurance covers Maisie as well, so he quits the military for good. Beckett takes dinner over to Ella and the kids and finds Ella in an especially good mood. Maisie says grace before dinner and reveals that she is officially cancer-free. Beckett is overwhelmed with joy and relief. After the kids are asleep, Ella and Beckett sleep together again.

In his 20th letter, Chaos tells Ella the story behind his name. He was nicknamed Chaos growing up because wherever he went, destruction followed. One evening, he and Ryan were out with some other unit members when Ryan hit on a woman who turned out to be an instructor’s wife. The man got angry, and a bar fight ensued, which escalated when Chaos joined in. The woman turned out to be someone Chaos grew up with, and when she called him by his nickname, it stuck.

Ella wakes up and decides to give Beckett a second chance as he has won her trust back and she still loves him. The kids rush in, having already gotten ready on their own to let Ella and Beckett sleep in. Ella and Beckett pack their school lunches and see them off for their field trip at school, where they are going hiking. Ella and Beckett head into work. Around lunchtime, Ada tells Ella that Beckett has been called in for a search and rescue call on the trail the kids are hiking.

Beckett and Havoc fly down to the trail in a helicopter. At the site, they meet the teachers and students and realize that Colt is the missing child. Beckett asks Havoc to seek Colt, and she leads him to Emma, who is holding onto Colt’s cap in a state of shock. Beckett soothes her and gets her to reveal that she and Colt were eating lunch a little way away from the group when they were caught in a landslide. Colt pushed Emma out of harm’s way but fell off the edge in the process.

Beckett takes Maisie to Ada, who has arrived with the rest of the parents. Maisie touches her belly and tells Beckett she feels that Colt is hurt. Beckett and Havoc get onto a helicopter and rappel down to where the trail has fallen away. Havoc finds Colt, whose lower body is trapped under a sharp rock. Colt is concussed, losing consciousness, and is in pain everywhere except his legs, which have lost sensation from the injury. When Colt stops hurting altogether, Beckett realizes there is a second bleed. He remembers what Maisie said and checks Colt over to discover his stomach bloated: He is bleeding internally.

Knowing Colt only has minutes to live, Beckett tells him he loves him. Colt knows he is dying but feels content because he gets to see Ryan again. Beckett tells him the truth about the adoption, and Colt expresses his joy at having gotten Beckett as a dad. With his last breaths, he tells Beckett that he loves him and asks him to tell Maisie and Emma that he loves them, too. Beckett screams and sobs as Colt passes away. When the rest of the rescue team finally arrives, he decides he must take Colt to Ella.

Ella watches Beckett exit the helicopter with Colt’s body and collapses. She wakes up in the medical center, where Beckett breaks the news about Colt and shares what his last moments were like. Ella dissolves in grief. The doctor tells Beckett and Ella that there was nothing anyone could have done as Colt’s injuries were too severe. Beckett and Ella head home to tell Maisie, but she reveals she already knows: She felt Colt stop hurting and knew he had passed away. Maisie cries about how unfair Colt’s death is, as they had promised to always be together.

Colt is buried on the same island as Ryan. Maisie puts her blue bear into the coffin and hangs onto Colt’s pink one. She tells Ella that they are alike as they both have brothers buried here; Beckett matches them because he has lost both of his best friends. After the funeral, Captain Donahue stops by Ella’s; the unit is shipping out again. He hands over a letter to Ella: Ryan wrote his last letter to Beckett, and Beckett wrote his last one for Ella, which was meant to be sent to her if he died.

Beckett and Ella go for a walk, where Ella rants about the unfairness of having spent so much time trying to prevent one child from dying only to have the other one pass away. She tells him about Captain Donahue’s visit, wondering if Beckett wants to leave after all. Beckett reveals that he has already quit the military. They reiterate their love for each other, and Beckett tells her everything will be okay. Ella is still deep in grief, but the flash of joy she feels when she learns that Beckett is staying reassures her that things will get better.

In his last letter, Chaos reiterates how amazing Ella is as a woman and mother. He is in love with her, and her words have saved him. He reveals he has left his life insurance to Colt and Maisie. He signs off as “Beckett Gentry Call Sign Chaos” (414).

Three months later, Ella and Maisie move into Beckett’s house. As Beckett and Ella set things up, Maisie and Emma, who have become close friends, run outside to play. Ella still misses and grieves Colt, but Beckett and Maisie make life bearable and worth living.

Ella walks across the frozen lake to visit Colt and Ryan’s grave. Colt is buried under the name “COLTON MACKENZIE-GENTRY” (420). Ella talks to both Colt and Ryan, telling them how much she loves and misses them. She thanks Ryan for Beckett, sure that he is her forever.

Once Ella returns, she talks about the idea of fate with Beckett. She thinks that maybe both Ryan and Colt were always meant to die. Ryan’s death brought Beckett into her life and gave him motivation to stay longer than he would have otherwise. His presence meant that Colt wasn’t lonely while Maisie was sick. Without Beckett, Ella might have had to bury two kids. Furthermore, because Beckett taught Colt well, he saved Emma’s life the day he died on the trail.

As Beckett and Ella reiterate their love for each other, she reflects on how she is capable of both immense grief and immense love. She knows she will love her life again one day.

Five years after Colt’s death, Maisie visits his grave. She tells him how she has been cancer-free for five years. She is still friends with Emma, and she now has a younger sister and brother, too. Maisie still misses Colt and promises to live life for the two of them. She hears “Dad” call out to her to join him somewhere, and she leaves to join Beckett.