The Woman in the Letter

PART 20

When I arrived at Baku airport, it was about 7 in the morning. There were many people. Some were standing at the exit to greet visitors, while others were sitting with paper cups of coffee in their hands and talking enthusiastically, even though it was early. After talking to Henry at night, I found the ticket for the nearest date to fly to the country. I spent the other day counting the hours. Madeline and Nichole did not answer my questions correctly. They said that my mother was in the hospital and that she was getting better. My father even talked to me briefly, and each of them ended the call with an excuse. It was like everyone had agreed not to tell anything to me.

It was not in my plans to return to the city where it all began. I didn't plan to return for at least the next 2-3 years.

As soon as I came out of the door, I looked around. Henry was not among the crowd at the exit of the airport. I dragged my suitcase behind me and went outside. As soon as I left the airport, the city wind blew my hair. From a distance, I saw him pressed his jacket to his chest and coming quickly to me. When he approached me hugged me tightly. I don't remember the last time Henry hugged me like that.

After saying "welcome" he took the handle of the suitcase from my hand.

When Henry looked at me, I saw that his eyes were swollen. His face looked very tired. "How is mom?"

He put his hand on my shoulder and we walked towards the car together. Henry did not respond. When I looked at him, I saw his face tremble. His hand fell off my shoulder. He closed his eyes and tears fell down from his cheeks. This time I wanted to be wrong. Most of all, I wanted Henry to be a good liar. But still, as always, I was right.

Everyone was waiting for me in the hallway when I walked in the door. Although I had been away for a short time, it seemed to me that everyone had changed a lot. They were exhausted. They didn't seem to sleep for days. There was no trace of Madeline's beauty I always admired. Nichole pulled the sleeves of her black jacket and folded them in her palms. As soon as he saw me, he wiped the tears from his cheeks. Taylor, like everyone else, kept his eyes on me.

When I approached my father, I lost all resistance. Then I went back and looked at my family angrily as if everyone was guilty. Cold sweat covered my whole body.

'Where is mom?' I shouted. I was angry not with my father, but with everyone and everything. My father looked down without moving like a statue. My father hugged me so badly that I couldn't move my body. When I put my head on my father's chest, I started crying again. There were no tears in my eyes. Before coming, I had a strange, illogical hope. It still seemed to me that I might get home and see my mother. I was destroyed. I could not even say goodbye to her. I had never imagined life without her support. My mother was immortal to me. Moreover, she had no disease. How could that be?!. How could my mother die suddenly?!

Taylor approached us and gently touched my back. I kept saying, "It can't be, it can't be, it can't be" I did not even understand what I was saying. "How did it happen? "

I looked into his eyes as my father stroked my cheek. Six years ago, I saw her crying secretly in the grave of her sister, who had died of cancer. My father was always very good at hiding his emotions. But now He could not hide his downfall. But he still did not cry. I could not see the tears, but he was destroyed.

"I don't believe it," I said.

When looked at Nichole, from her stare, I knew that I had to accept the situation.

Then a man appeared from the door of the living room. He was tall, with big shoulders, and his hair was thick, slightly gray. He looked at me and slowly approached the hall. Then I looked at my father when I saw that he was with another man.

Someone I didn't know approached me. "Ms. Natalie" he said.

I looked at my family and waited for them to answer something. But the answer came from a stranger in the house, "Ian Macqueen, Criminal Investigation Department" he said.