Chapter 4: The Letter From My Mother
I stared at the envelope for almost a full minute before touching it.
My name was written across the front.
Ethan.
The handwriting was messy but gentle, with letters that leaned slightly to the right.
I had never seen it before.
But somehow, I knew.
It was hers.
My mother’s.
My hands trembled as I picked up the envelope.
I looked around the kitchen.
The house was completely quiet.
Dad was still asleep upstairs.
Melissa was gone for the morning.
And Lily…
Lily was sitting at the table watching me.
“What is it?”” she asked softly.
I quickly covered the envelope.
“Nothing.””
She tilted her head.
“Ethan.””
I looked at her.
She was only six, but she had always noticed things other people ignored.
“Is it about Mommy?””
I froze.
“No.””
The lie came out too quickly.
Lily looked down.
“You always say no when something is wrong.””
That hurt because she was right.
I sat across from her.
“Did you know about this?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Then she whispered:
“Is Mommy still mad at you?””
I frowned.
“Your mom isn’t mad at me.””
Lily played with the corner of her napkin.
“She gets mad when I talk about you.””
My chest tightened.
“Why?””
She shrugged.
“Because she says you remind her of something.””
“Something like what?””
Lily looked toward the stairs.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Something that happened before I was born.””
Before I could ask more, footsteps came from the hallway.
Dad walked into the kitchen.
The second he saw the envelope in my hand, he stopped.
His face changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
“Where did you get that?””
I held it up.
“It was on my chair.””
Dad walked closer slowly.
“Ethan…”
“Why does my mom’s handwriting exist if she’s been gone all these years?””
He looked away.
That was enough of an answer.
“You knew about this.””
Dad sighed.
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t you give it to me?””
He sat down.
“Because I didn’t think you were ready.””
I laughed quietly.
Not because it was funny.
Because I was tired of hearing adults decide what I could handle.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
Dad looked at me.
“Everyone?””
I looked at the stairs.
Then back at him.
“Melissa said I should ask about the night I was born.””
Dad became very still.
“What exactly did she say?””
I repeated her words.
The room felt colder with every sentence.
When I finished, Dad reached for the envelope.
I pulled it away.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Ethan.””
“No. It’s mine.””
For a moment, he looked hurt.
Then he nodded.
“You’re right.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was one folded piece of paper.
The paper was old.
Yellowed around the edges.
And the first words nearly broke me.
My sweet Ethan,
I stopped.
My eyes filled instantly.
Nobody had called me that before.
Not the way she wrote it.
Not like that.
I kept reading.
If you are reading this, it means I couldn’t tell you everything myself.
I swallowed.
I need you to know one thing first. None of what happened was your fault.
My hands tightened around the paper.
You were the best thing that ever happened to me.
I looked up at Dad.
He was staring at the floor.
I continued.
There are people who will tell you different stories about me. Some because they are hurt. Some because they are afraid. But I hope you remember that I loved you more than anything.
My heart was pounding.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
And everything changed.
Michael knows the truth. But he was never the only one.
I stopped.
The same words Dad had said on the phone.
Not the only one.
Then I read the last line.
If Melissa is raising you, be careful. She knows what happened the night I disappeared.
I dropped the paper.
The kitchen went silent.
Dad looked up.
His face had lost all color.
“Ethan…”
I stared at him.
“She knew?””
He didn’t answer.
“Dad.””
His eyes filled with pain.
“I didn’t want you to find out this way.””
“Find out what?””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then the front door opened.
Melissa walked inside.
And the moment she saw the letter on the table…
She stopped.
Because she knew exactly what it was.
May you like
Her expression changed.
“You weren’t supposed to read that.””
