At 80, my belly had grown so large that the doctors were left in shock. After an ultrasound, one of the doctors suspected that I might be pregnant! But

I missed him.

I wanted to tell him about the operation, about the pain, and about the relief I had felt when the doctor said the mass was benign.

I wanted to ask him why he had kept the clinic’s reminder from me.

I wanted him to explain why he had believed that silence was kinder than honesty.

But there would be no answers from Samuel.

There would only be the letter, the memories, and the truth I now had to live with.

One evening, Ruth found me sitting at the kitchen table with the envelope beside my cup of tea.

“Are you thinking about Dad?”

I nodded.

She pulled out a chair.

“Michael told me about the letter.”

I looked at her.

“What do you think of him now?”

She considered the question.

“I think he loved you. I also think he made a serious mistake.”

I swallowed.

“That is what I think too.”