“Never mind.”
For
ten years, I remembered that moment as my daughter shutting me out.
Now I wondered if I had been the one who closed the door.Plan Family Trips
I called Trudy.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“You kept this for ten years.”
“I know.”
“Don’t say that like it makes sense.”
She went quiet.
“Meet me,” I said.Track Pregnancy
The next day, Trudy was waiting in the back booth of a small diner.
I placed the photograph between us.
“You took care of Teagan?”
“For part of that day.”
“Then why did she give you this letter?”Study Biology
“She was scared,” Trudy said. “She didn’t think she was going to die, Elizabeth. She was eighteen and about to have a baby.”
That mattered.
Teagan hadn’t written the letter because she knew she was leaving us.
She had simply been frightened.
Trudy continued.
“She told me that if something went wrong and the boy didn’t
come, I should give the letter to you.”
I pointed to the photograph.Plan Family Trips
“Is that him?”
“I don’t know his name.”
“Then what do you know?”
Trudy swallowed.
“He came.”
I froze.
“What?”Find an OBGYN
“After Teagan died, I saw a young man near the maternity floor asking for her.”
“You spoke to him?”
“No. At first, I didn’t realize who he was. Then I looked at him carefully and remembered Teagan’s description.”
My pulse quickened.
“What happened?”
“He saw you.”Study Biology
“Doing what?”
“Leaving with Lucas.”
“And?”
“He left.”
I stared at her.
“You watched him walk away?”
“Yes.”Browse Reference
“And then you kept my daughter’s letter?”
Tears filled Trudy’s eyes.
“I told myself you already had enough grief.”
