PART 2
Mom sat down so quickly that her chair scraped against the floor.
I moved toward her.
She held up one hand.
“Don’t.”
I stopped.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the photograph.
“His wife?”
Sophie nodded.
“I heard him.”
Mom looked at me.
I had no answer.
For six months, Daniel had told us he was divorced.
He said his marriage ended almost twenty years earlier.
He said he had no children.
No serious family obligations.
No one waiting for him.
Now his granddaughter-shaped secret had a name.
Evelyn.
My mother whispered.
“He told me his ex-wife lived in California.”
I said.
“I know.”
“He said they hadn’t spoken in years.”
“I know.”
Her voice became smaller.
“He said she remarried.”
Sophie sat across from her.
“I’m sorry.”
Mom looked at her.
“Why are you sorry?”
“Because I followed him.”
Mom’s eyes filled.
“You should never have had to.”
That was the first time she sounded angry.
Not at Sophie.
At him.
Then she looked at the envelope.
Her fingers trembled.
“Did you open this?”
Sophie shook her head.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It had her name.”
Mom stared at it.
Then at me.
I said.
“You don’t have to open anything tonight.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Apparently I have spent six months not opening anything.”
That hurt.
She picked up the envelope.
Then paused.
“What if there is an explanation?”
Sophie looked down.
I understood what Mom was really asking.
What if I can still keep him?
I sat beside her.
“There might be.”
She looked at me hopefully.
I continued.
“But it has to be the truth.”
Not another excuse.
Not another Sunday-night story.
Not another plumber.
Not another client.
The truth.
Mom nodded.
Then opened the envelope.
