The Woman in the Letter

PART 61

NATALIE

This time, Henry and Nicole were tasked with bringing the family together.

After dinner, everyone - Madeline and his husband, father, me, and the owners of the house sat on gray sofas facing each other. The teas on the small round black table in the middle were untouched.

Henry read the letter and looked at me, saying, "There is a message here."

"Everyone says it, but I don't understand," I replied.

Nicole put her head close to Henry's shoulder and read the letter on the phone screen.

Although I was worried that everyone would read it over and over again, I still sent the letter to everyone in the house. But no one found anything.

Taylor said, "Maybe he talks about the place he once met you. Maybe he wants to say something about that date, that day?"

"I don't remember any special place," I said.

Nicole looked at me. "Maybe He expressed his feelings never dared to show you." She took a deep breath. Nicole could not hide her fear. I knew that everyone was worried, but they hid their worries for me. Because everyone in my family, everyone in this room, was likely to be his next target.

I looked at everyone one by one. For a second I thought what would happen if My sister loses Taylor. The image of him lying on the ground with his eyes open on the letter came to life in my mind. My body was trembling. As I tried to divert my thoughts, the scenarios of tragedy in my brain kept spinning. My brain, my consciousness, created its world, independent of me. What about my brother, Henry? Nicole would have to raise her children without a father. Every time I looked at her child, I thought about how I could live with the thought that Henry had been killed because of me. I was ready to sacrifice myself so that this would not happen. I just wanted to face Paul. Nothing else.

"Is the connection between Victor and Paul known?" Why did Paul kill him? " Nicole looked at my father and asked.

My father shook his head from side to side and closed his eyes. "No news yet"

No one broke the silence in the room for a while. When Henry said, "Maybe it is not the right time" everyone looked at him. He bent his back forward, put his elbows on his knees, and joined his hands. First, he looked at Nicole then looked at his father. "Maybe you will." He said to Nicole.

Nicole shook her head shyly. "You better say," she said.

As Henry took a deep breath, I felt the need to breathe with him.

"We went to the doctor," he said. "We should have gone a long time ago," he said, " it is a girl. We will have a daughter."

I smiled to hide the fullness of my eyes. "It's ... the best news I've ever heard," I said.

Taylor took a chilled cup of tea and raised it as if he were raising a glass. "Congratulations, congratulations," he said. Madeline looked at her husband, shook her head in displeasure, and smiled.

"But we want to say something more important than that." Everyone looked at Henry intently again. "It's Nicole's opinion more than mine," he said, stroking Nicole's arm. "We" suddenly his voice trembled. He scratched his forehead for no reason and tried to gather himself. He did not know how to proceed. We eagerly awaited what he would say. "Nicole wants to name our daughter after my mother," he said.

Everyone sat in silence for a few seconds. The tears from my left eye hit my lips. My father suddenly got up and left the room. His voice trembled when he said, "I'm getting some air."

Without saying a word, Madeline took a few glasses and went to the kitchen. Like my father, she was in a hurry to run away alone to cry secretly.This time, Henry and Nicole were tasked with bringing the family together.After dinner, everyone - Madeline and his husband, father, me, and the owners of the house sat on gray sofas facing each other. The teas on the small round black table in the middle were untouched.Henry read the letter and looked at me, saying, "There is a message here.""Everyone says it, but I don't understand," I replied.Nicole put her head close to Henry's shoulder and read the letter on the phone screen.Although I was worried that everyone would read it over and over again, I still sent the letter to everyone in the house. But no one found anything.Taylor said, "Maybe he talks about the place he once met you. Maybe he wants to say something about that date, that day?""I don't remember any special place," I said.Nicole looked at me. "Maybe He expressed his feelings never dared to show you." She took a deep breath. Nicole could not hide her fear. I knew that everyone was worried, but they hid their worries for me. Because everyone in my family, everyone in this room, was likely to be his next target.I looked at everyone one by one. For a second I thought what would happen if My sister loses Taylor. The image of him lying on the ground with his eyes open on the letter came to life in my mind. My body was trembling. As I tried to divert my thoughts, the scenarios of tragedy in my brain kept spinning. My brain, my consciousness, created its world, independent of me. What about my brother, Henry? Nicole would have to raise her children without a father. Every time I looked at her child, I thought about how I could live with the thought that Henry had been killed because of me. I was ready to sacrifice myself so that this would not happen. I just wanted to face Paul. Nothing else."Is the connection between Victor and Paul known?" Why did Paul kill him? " Nicole looked at my father and asked.My father shook his head from side to side and closed his eyes. "No news yet"No one broke the silence in the room for a while. When Henry said, "Maybe it is not the right time" everyone looked at him. He bent his back forward, put his elbows on his knees, and joined his hands. First, he looked at Nicole then looked at his father. "Maybe you will." He said to Nicole. Nicole shook her head shyly. "You better say," she said.As Henry took a deep breath, I felt the need to breathe with him."We went to the doctor," he said. "We should have gone a long time ago," he said, " it is a girl. We will have a daughter."I smiled to hide the fullness of my eyes. "It's ... the best news I've ever heard," I said.Taylor took a chilled cup of tea and raised it as if he were raising a glass. "Congratulations, congratulations," he said. Madeline looked at her husband, shook her head in displeasure, and smiled."But we want to say something more important than that." Everyone looked at Henry intently again. "It's Nicole's opinion more than mine," he said, stroking Nicole's arm. "We" suddenly his voice trembled. He scratched his forehead for no reason and tried to gather himself. He did not know how to proceed. We eagerly awaited what he would say. "Nicole wants to name our daughter after my mother," he said.Everyone sat in silence for a few seconds. The tears from my left eye hit my lips. My father suddenly got up and left the room. His voice trembled when he said, "I'm getting some air."Without saying a word, Madeline took a few glasses and went to the kitchen. Like my father, she was in a hurry to run away alone to cry secretly.