Margaret insisted there was no letter.
Anna insisted there was.
Daniel believed neither of them blindly.
“Show me.”
Anna couldn't.
“I gave it to your mother.”
Margaret laughed once.
“Convenient.”
Anna turned toward her.
“You were standing outside the hospital chapel. Claire had already been admitted again. She made me promise that if she couldn't give it to Daniel herself, I would.”
Daniel's voice dropped.
“Again?”
Nobody answered.
“What do you mean admitted again?”
Margaret said, “Daniel—”
“No. Anna.”
Anna realized he genuinely didn't know.
“Claire had been at that hospital two weeks before she died.”
Daniel felt the room shift.
He had been in Chicago for work that week.
Claire had told him she was visiting Margaret.
Daniel looked at his mother.
“You told me she stayed with you.”
“She did.”
“For how long?”
Margaret didn't answer.
Daniel walked upstairs to his mother's study.
She followed.
“You have no right to go through my things.”
“My wife's letter is not your thing.”
He opened drawers.
Nothing.
Then Ethan, standing in the doorway, pointed toward an antique cabinet.
“Grandma keeps important stuff there.”
Margaret's face changed.
Daniel noticed.
The cabinet was locked.
“Key.”
“No.”
“Mom.”
“There are things in there that belong to me.”
Daniel looked at her for a long moment.
Then Margaret finally removed a small key from her necklace.
Inside the cabinet was a bundle tied with faded blue ribbon.
Seven envelopes.
Every one addressed to Ethan.
Every one unopened.
Anna's letters.
Daniel picked them up slowly.
“You let my son believe nobody from Claire's family cared whether he existed.”
Margaret began crying.
“I was protecting him.”
“From birthday cards?”
“From her.”
Anna looked stunned.
Daniel searched deeper.
Beneath several property documents sat one final envelope.
Different handwriting.
His name.
Claire's handwriting.
FOR DANIEL — IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME.
Daniel couldn't breathe.
Anna covered her mouth.
Even she had never known whether Margaret kept it.
Daniel slipped his finger beneath the flap.
“Don't,” Margaret said.
He looked at her.
She whispered:
“If you read that letter, you'll never look at this family the same way again.”
Daniel opened it.