I blinked.
“You knew me?”
“I knew who you were after the Saturday workshop.”
She gave Adrian a pointed look.
“He mentioned that Daniel’s daughter had attended.”
Adrian looked mildly uncomfortable.
Evelyn continued.
“I remembered the archived materials and thought you might appreciate them. I selected photographs, campaign drafts, and correspondence.”
“Including the personal letter?”
“No.”
Her expression tightened.
“My assistant misunderstood which folder I meant. She copied the entire digital file.”
I stared at her.
“So there is no mystery sender.”
“No.”
“No secret reason I was supposed to read it.”
“No. Just an administrative mistake.”
I let out a breath that was almost a laugh.
Of course.
The explanation was so ordinary that it felt almost absurd.
Evelyn looked genuinely sorry.
“I hope it didn’t cause you distress.”
“It caused several questions.”
“I imagine so.”
She glanced at the box.
“But perhaps some answers too.”
After she left, I looked at Adrian.
“This is possibly the first time in my life I’m relieved by clerical error.”
“I’ll pass that along.”
I folded Daniel’s letter carefully.
“Can I keep this?”
“The original belongs to you if you want it.”
My eyes lifted.
“What?”
“Evelyn found it this morning. Daniel never asked for it back.”
“I thought it was your letter.”
“It was.”
He paused.
“But it belongs with his family now.”
—
That night, Mia and I sat on the living-room rug surrounded by copies of Daniel’s foundation photographs.
“Daddy had funny hair,” she announced.
“He did.”
“Why?”
“It was 2018. People made choices.”
She held up the picture of Daniel and Adrian painting.
“Mr. Kane looks grumpy.”
“He probably was.”
“Daddy looks happy.”
“Yes.”
She studied it.
“Did Daddy like him?”
“I think so.”
Mia smiled.
“Then I picked a good one.”
I nearly inhaled my tea.
“Mia.”
She giggled.
I pulled her into my lap.
“We need to talk about something.”
Her expression turned serious.
“You’re not allowed to choose grown-ups for people.”
“But I was helping.”
“I know.”
“And you need help.”
“Everyone needs help sometimes.”
She considered that.
“Even you?”
