Chapter 16 - The Letter in the Mailbox
The autumn leaves had turned a deep, brilliant shade of crimson by late October, crunching satisfyingly beneath our boots as Lily and I walked up the driveway after a long afternoon of grocery shopping.
As I reached into the mailbox to pull out the usual assortment of utility bills and junk mail, a thick, cream-colored envelope caught my eye. There was no return address, but the handwriting was instantly recognizable—unmistakably my mother’s careful, elegant cursive.
I paused, holding the envelope in my hand.
“Is that from Grandma?” Lily asked softly, noticing the hesitation in my posture.
“Yes,” I replied, turning it over in my fingers.
“Are you going to open it?”
May you like
“Let’s go inside first,” I said, offering a reassuring smile.
We stepped into the warm, familiar kitchen, unloaded the groceries on the island, and sat down at the wooden table. With a deep breath, I slipped my finger under the paper flap and slid out a two-page letter.
