Chapter 5: The Letter Rachel Never Told Me About
I drove home without turning on the radio.
The photograph of Rachel and Emily sat on the passenger seat.
At every red light, I looked at it.
My wife had been standing beside a woman I had never met.
A woman who apparently knew my daughter.
A woman who had promised Rachel something.
And somehow, Patricia Whitmore had turned that promise into a reason to hurt Lily.
When I reached home, Mrs. Henderson was sitting at our kitchen table.
Lily was on the living-room floor, drawing with colored pencils.
"There's my princess.""
She jumped up.
"Daddy!""
I caught her as she ran toward me.
"How was your morning?""
"Mrs. Henderson made pancakes.""
I looked at my neighbor.
"Did she?""
Mrs. Henderson smiled.
"Your daughter requested extra chocolate chips.""
I gasped.
"Without consulting me?""
Lily giggled.
Then she noticed the envelope in my hand.
"What's that?""
I looked at her.
"Something from someone who knew Mommy.""
Her expression changed.
"Someone who knew Mommy?""
I nodded.
"Her name was Emily.""
Lily thought about it.
"Was she a princess?""
I smiled.
"Not exactly.""
"Was she a ballerina?""
"She was a nurse.""
Lily considered that.
"That's better. Nurses help people.""
I kissed her forehead.
"You're absolutely right.""
After Mrs. Henderson left, Lily sat beside me at the kitchen table.
I placed the photograph in front of her.
"Do you recognize this lady?""
She studied it.
Then she touched the woman's face.
"Maybe.""
"Her name was Emily.""
Lily tilted her head.
"She had a blue blanket.""
I froze.
"What?""
"At the hospital.""
I leaned forward.
"Do you remember her?""
Lily nodded slowly.
"She used to bring me stickers.""
I swallowed.
"Do you remember anything else?""
"She called me little sunshine.""
I looked away.
My daughter had remembered.
Not much.
But enough.
"Did she ever talk about Mommy?""
Lily nodded.
"Mommy cried when she talked to Emily.""
My chest tightened.
"Do you remember what they talked about?""
She shook her head.
"Not really.""
Then she looked up.
"Can we find her?""
I took her little hand.
"I'm trying, baby.""
She nodded.
Then returned to her drawing.
I waited until she was distracted before opening Emily's letter again.
There was more written on the second page.
Rachel told me she was afraid of leaving Lily behind. I promised her that I would help keep an eye on her little girl.
When Rachel became too sick to visit the hospital, she asked me to bring Lily a small collection of children's books. I kept them for her.
One of those books contains something important.
I stopped reading.
Something important?
I turned the page.
Rachel wanted Lily to have it when she turned five. She said it would help her remember that she was loved by people she might never get to know.
There was an address beneath the letter.
A small apartment building on the other side of town.
And a name.
Emily Carter's sister, Rebecca.
I called Richard immediately.
He answered on the second ring.
"Mr. Malone.""
"Call me Duke.""
"All right.""
"I need to speak with Rebecca Carter.""
"I can arrange that.""
"Today.""
There was a pause.
"I'll make the call.""
I glanced toward Lily.
She was drawing a little girl surrounded by flowers.
"Richard?""
"Yes?""
"Why did you say Patricia thinks something belonging to Olivia should have gone to her?""
He exhaled.
"Because Emily left behind a financial gift.""
I closed my eyes.
"How much?""
"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.""
I stared at the counter.
"What?""
"Emily had no children. She had received an inheritance from her parents and wanted to create a fund for children whose families were struggling.""
"And Lily?""
"Emily named Lily as the first child she wanted the fund to support.""
I didn't answer.
Richard continued.
"She also named Olivia. She wanted both girls to benefit.""
I looked toward my daughter.
"How?""
"Education, extracurricular activities, medical needs. Whatever helped them build a future.""
"And Patricia?""
"She believes Olivia should receive the entire amount.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Why?""
"She believes Emily's relationship with Lily was inappropriate and that the money should have remained within our family.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Did Emily agree with her?""
"No.""
"Did she leave a will?""
"Yes.""
"Then what's the problem?""
Richard lowered his voice.
"Patricia challenged the original arrangement. She argued that Lily's circumstances had changed and that the fund should be redirected.""
I leaned against the counter.
"Did she win?""
"Not yet.""
I looked at the letter.
"Then why didn't anybody tell me?""
"Because the trust administrator couldn't locate you. Emily's sister had lost contact with your family after Rachel died.""
I rubbed my face.
"Jesus.""
"I know.""
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Richard said, "Duke, I need to tell you something else.""
"What?""
"Patricia didn't just ask the academy to remove Lily from the recital.""
I waited.
"She also asked whether the school could refuse to accept her scholarship application.""
I stared at the phone.
"Scholarship?""
"Emily's fund was supposed to cover Lily's ballet tuition.""
I looked at the pink slippers sitting on the kitchen counter.
The ones Lily had been so proud of.
"How long has this been going on?""
"Several months.""
I felt something shift inside me.
Patricia hadn't simply decided Lily wasn't talented enough.
She had been trying to remove the very opportunity Emily had wanted her to have.
And she had used a child's confidence as a weapon.
"Richard?""
"Yes?""
"Thank you for telling me.""
"I should have done it sooner.""
"Yes. You should have.""
I ended the call.
That afternoon, Rebecca Carter arrived at our house.
She was a woman in her late thirties, with dark hair, gentle eyes, and a canvas bag over her shoulder.
When I opened the door, she smiled sadly.
"You must be Duke.""
"Rebecca?""
She nodded.
"I'm Emily's sister.""
I stepped aside.
"Come in.""
Lily was sitting on the couch.
Rebecca spotted her immediately.
"Oh, sweetheart.""
Lily looked up.
"Do I know you?""
Rebecca knelt.
"Maybe not. But I knew someone who loved you very much.""
Lily thought about that.
"Emily?""
Rebecca smiled.
"Yes.""
She sat beside Lily and opened her canvas bag.
Inside were several children's books.
One had a yellow cover decorated with little stars.
Lily reached for it.
"That's mine?""
"It was meant for you.""
Rebecca turned the book over.
On the inside cover was Rachel's handwriting.
For my Lily, when she is five.
I felt my throat tighten.
Rebecca opened the book.
A folded envelope slipped from between the pages.
She handed it to me.
My name was written across the front.
This time, I recognized the handwriting immediately.
Rachel.
I sat down.
For two years, I'd been living with the belief that my wife had left me everything she wanted to say.
But there was another letter.
One she'd hidden inside a children's book.
May you like
And when I opened it, the first line made me forget how to breathe.
My Bear, if you're reading this, then Emily kept her promise. There's something about Lily's future I need you to understand.
