Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“I’m sure they don’t like people asking too many questions.” Yes, I can see that.
“You deserve to know the truth,” she wrote. “He always threatened me. Said he’d kill you if I didn’t go along with his lies. But now he’s gone, so I can tell you what’s been in my heart since the day you were born: I am your mother.”
I don’t realize my body is folding up on itself until I end up plopping onto the sofa. The letter falls from my shaking hands. I’m barely aware of Lucas picking it up off the floor. “I’m sorry I never told you,” he continues, “but it was my way of keeping you safe. I never knew for sure whether he would actually hurt you, but I didn’t want to take the chance. I’m sorry I’m not able to tell you this in person, but I hope I’ll be able to. I hope you come home, and I’m here when you do. But if something happens, I want you to know there was never a day I didn’t love you, and never a day it didn’t break my heart that I couldn’t tell you the truth. Just know I always loved you, and I always will. Your mom.” His voice trails off before he sighs, lowering his arm so the letter dangles in front of my face.
“My mom.” It isn’t real. It can’t be real. But that’s her handwriting. I touched those pages, felt them, and even felt the indentation from the pen like she was pressing hard on the paper. It’s real. I can’t deny it.
“Are you all right?” Lucas crouches in front of me. “Delilah. Talk to me.”
“Lies. So many lies. My whole life, nobody was ever honest with me.” I look around, a bitter laugh tearing itself from my chest. “And this is where he made us live. Where he hid us. He took advantage of her love for me by threatening to kill me if his dirty secret ever got out.”
“I think we should leave.”
I barely remember why I wanted to come anymore. It seemed important, didn’t it? I was ready to stomp my feet and hold my breath until my face turned blue. Now I wish I had never thought of it.
Then again, I wouldn’t have known the truth. I might have come back here one day and found an entirely different family living here. And that would have been it.
“But what’s the point of knowing the truth if there’s nothing I can do about it now?” I didn’t mean to say it out loud, but now that I have, Lucas begins rubbing my back. I wish it didn’t feel so good. I want to brush him off and tell him to spend his sympathy elsewhere. That I don’t need it.
“I will say one thing.” He stands, taking his comfort away. “This all seems a little too convenient. She suddenly takes too many pills? Did you ever know her to take pills?”
“No. She wasn’t on anything I was aware of. But then, who knows, she could have been taking something.” I look up at him, confused. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying there was a reason she felt like she had to hide this letter—and a reason she felt like she had to write it in the first place. Which tells me we’d better get out of here sooner rather than later, just in case.”
I pop up with a gasp. “You think somebody murdered her?”
“I don’t know, but the possibility is there. I don’t like taking chances.” He points me toward the bedrooms. “You better grab anything you hope to see again because we’re leaving right now.”
I don’t care anymore. But I do need clothes, so I go to the bedroom and shove as much as I can fit into the bag Celia lent me for this trip. I add as many books as I can fit before zipping it up. Anything else, maybe somebody around here can give to their kid or use for themselves. I know my mother didn’t have any valuables, or she would’ve sold them before now anyway.
“At least now I know you weren’t lying about this place.” It’s obvious Lucas is trying to break the tension, but I’m not in the mood.
“Do you know how many times I told her she couldn’t tell me what to do because she wasn’t my mother?” Our eyes meet, and I see the discomfort in his.
“We all do things we end up wishing we hadn’t. Wait until you get to be my age. You’ll see how much worse it can get.” He stands by the door and waits while I check the coffee can and inside the freezer, my aunt’s—my mother’s—other favorite hiding places. They’re both empty. Either she didn’t have anything hidden, or somebody took it. I hate that I’ll never know.