No one was there.
She breathed a little easier but one unresolved matter remained.
Camilla timidly picked up the letter. She wasn’t surprised by the absence of a return address. She balled up the fear inside and crushed it. She refused to feel like a victim anymore. She learned firsthand that her strength was greater than any cowardly attack aimed at her. She smoothed the letter on the dining table.
Dear Camilla,
I’ve approached your apartment half a dozen times. But each time I try to knock on the door, my body freezes. I want so badly to see you, to hold you and hug you as my daughter.
What must you think of me? You grew up without a mother. That moment can never be replaced by hugs or apologies. I never wanted you to be without a mother. I grieve for every day that was lost to me that I could have spent with you.
Please know that I never abandoned you. As you must know, my absence was not my choice. Despite the ocean of time that separates us, I never forgot how soft you felt in my arms. Your eyes lifted me up in ways I still can’t describe to this day. I never could have imagined something so small and fragile would set me free.
Thanks to the light you shed on the laundries, I’ve known freedom for the first time in twenty years. It took months to find you and arrive in Prague.
I want to see you but I don’t know when the time is right. As much as it pains me, I don’t know when I’ll be ready to meet my own daughter.
I hope we can be together again one day.
Until then, whatever happens, know that you will always be dear to my heart.
I will love you always and forever.
Camilla’s tears ran freely as the emotions swept her away. A wondrous smile creased her lips. She used to smile like this and it felt beautiful to do so again.
One day she would come face-to-face with her mother and hold her. They would laugh, weep, and embrace until their tears burst forth again. They would ultimately be whole, like scattered fragments of souls flying on the wind to reunite. She could wait a little longer for that moment.
Soothing warmth kindled in her heart and she instantly understood what it meant. Somewhere out there, her mother was alive.
Unfortunately, so was her brother.
_____________________________
About the Author
Nathan Wilson was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan. He was inspired by his sister to write fiction at the age of seven. His other publications include The Undying God and Red Widow.
Discover other titles by Nathan Wilson at Smashwords.com:
The Undying God
Red Widow
Connect with me online:
nrwilson.com
Arsenic for the Soul Page 19
