“About the file. About whatever Dad was afraid of.”
“She tried to send me a letter.”
Christine looked up.
I told her what Jake had revealed.
“Mom has written letters before,” she said.
“What kind of letters?”
“She writes when she can’t say something aloud. Birthdays. Arguments. Apologies she never gives anyone.”
“Did she ever write to me?”
“Not that I know of.”
Jake awakened around noon and smiled weakly when he saw his mother. Christine bent over him, whispering apologies until he lifted his hand and touched her cheek.
“It’s okay, Mom.”
“No,” she said softly. “It isn’t. But I’m going to help make it okay.”
He studied her.
“Did Grandpa lie?”
Christine took a careful breath.
“Yes.”
“About Dad?”
“About many things.”
Jake looked at me.
“Were you a spy?”
Despite everything, Daniel nearly smiled from the doorway.
“Nothing that exciting,” I said.
“Did you catch bad guys?”
