Inside were ordinary items: a sweater, family photographs, and a worn Bible.
At the bottom, he discovered a bundle of letters tied with blue ribbon.
Every envelope was addressed to him.
Every letter had been returned unopened.
The oldest was dated twenty-nine years earlier.
Browse Bedroom Furniture
With shaking hands, Kyle opened it.
“My sweet boy,” it began. “Your father says you don’t want to see me. I don’t believe him, but I’ll continue writing until you understand that I never stopped loving you.”
Kyle stared at the rest of the envelopes.
“She wrote every year.”
He pressed one letter against his chest.
“I spent every birthday wondering why she didn’t love me enough to call. All that time, she was waiting for me to answer.”
Mia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“How am I supposed to mourn thirty years I didn’t even know had been stolen from me?” he asked.
“So Grandpa lied?” Mia whispered.
Kyle slowly nodded.
Envelopes
The following afternoon, we drove to Robert’s house.
When he opened the door and saw Gladys sitting in our car, all the color drained from his face.
“You found her.”
Kyle held up the bundle of letters.
