{"id":8424,"date":"2026-11-11T17:30:34","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T17:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/?p=8424"},"modified":"2026-11-11T17:30:34","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T17:30:34","slug":"i-welcomed-my-former-mother-in-law-into-my-home-after-she-broke-her","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/?p=8424","title":{"rendered":"I welcomed my former mother-in-law into my home after she broke her &#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Patricia swallowed. \u201cThat\u2019s what I thought, too. Until I saw what she was doing.\u201d She placed the box on my dining table. I slowly lifted the lid. Inside were several old photographs, a small notebook, a folded envelope, and what appeared to be a collection of handwritten letters. I picked up the first photograph. It showed Elora standing outside a house. My house. But the photograph looked old. Much older than my marriage to Shane.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scontent.fpnh11-2.fna.fbcdn.net\/v\/t39.30808-6\/899270347_122128274013257929_311906926506857379_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_tt6&amp;cstp=mx1087x1447&amp;ctp=p526x296&amp;_nc_cat=105&amp;_nc_map=urlgen_bucketless&amp;ccb=1-7&amp;_nc_sid=127cfc&amp;_nc_ohc=ZhjGjDyexQYQ7kNvwGistBL&amp;_nc_oc=Adp1_F167RDK028TwQ_57FuDd6gEKNzojZlKoTjjj53l_2cV5ea6vU5MQ5bmOBmPA50&amp;_nc_zt=23&amp;_nc_ht=scontent.fpnh11-2.fna&amp;_nc_gid=gRYn7gKBLZvrTkoZvHIbcg&amp;_nc_ss=7b2a8&amp;oh=00_AQTKrVEKFzQUQ6AOYJe06JzmNB05_ujT6jhXT-5oFu_Dfg&amp;oe=6AFA7B2C\" alt=\"No photo description available.\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I turned it over. There was a date written on the back. Twenty-seven years earlier. I frowned. \u201cWhy would Elora have a photograph of my house from before I even lived here?\u201d Patricia pulled out a chair and sat down. \u201cBecause she knew the previous owner.\u201d I looked at her. \u201cWho?\u201d \u201cYour father.\u201d My heart stopped. My father had died twelve years earlier.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">He<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">quiet<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">man<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">who<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">rarely<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">spoke<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">about<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">his<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">past.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">He<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">worked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hard,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">raised<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">alone<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">after<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">passed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">away,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">spent<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">most<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">his<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">life<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">making<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sure<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">worry<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">about<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">anything.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">there<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">one<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">thing<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">remembered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">clearly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">he<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">died,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">he<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">asked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">promise<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">would<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sell<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">our<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">family<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">assumed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">simply<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">because<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">he<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">loved<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">After<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">his<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">funeral,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">eventually<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sold<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">house<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">bought<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">smaller<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">property<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">where<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">lived<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">now.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">known<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">there<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">any<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">connection<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">between<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cPatricia,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">are<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">telling<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">took<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">deep<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">breath.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cElora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">visited<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">many<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">times<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">married<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">know<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">because<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">lived<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">next<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">door<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">them<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">back<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shook<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThat<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">can\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">be<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">right.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mentioned<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cHe<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">probably<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">want<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">involved.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">down<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">photograph<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">noticed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">strange.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">In<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">picture,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">standing<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">beside<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">They<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">weren\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">smiling<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">like<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ordinary<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">acquaintances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">They<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">close.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Very<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">close.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">picked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">up<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">notebook.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">The<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">first<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">few<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">pages<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">contained<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">dates,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">names,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">short<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">notes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Some<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">entries<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">difficult<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">read<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">because<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ink<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">faded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">found<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">one<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sentence<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">written<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">large<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">letters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">If<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">anything<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">happens<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">make<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sure<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">daughter<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">receives<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">belongs<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">felt<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">chill<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">travel<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">down<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">spine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cMy<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wrote<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYes.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">told<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">turned<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">another<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">page.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">There<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">several<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">references<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">bank,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">an<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">inheritance,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">called<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Rosewood<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Trust.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">heard<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhat<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">is<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Rosewood<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Trust?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">toward<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">window.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThat\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wanted<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">find<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">frowned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhy<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">simply<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tell<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cBecause<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wasn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sure<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">whether<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">could<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">trust<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">truth<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">until<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">knew<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">happening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">felt<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">strange<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mixture<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">anger<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">For<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">four<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">weeks,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">slept<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">under<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">roof.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">prepared<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">meals,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">helped<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">bathe,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">taken<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">appointments,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stayed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">awake<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">when<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">pain<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">became<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">unbearable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">All<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">time,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">apparently<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">searching<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">reached<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">into<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">box<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">removed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">folded<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">envelope.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThis<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">is<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">most<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">important<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">fingers<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">trembled<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">as<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">opened<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Inside<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">letter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">The<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">handwriting<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">unmistakably<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">recognized<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">way<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">he<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">formed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">letter<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">M,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">little<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">loops<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">end<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">his<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sentences,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">way<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">he<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">always<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">underlined<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">important<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">words.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">began<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">reading.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">dearest<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">daughter,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">If<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">are<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">reading<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">this,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">am<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">no<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">longer<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">here<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">explain<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">everything<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">myself.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">There<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">is<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">should<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">have<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">told<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">many<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">years<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ago.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">born,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">made<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">promise<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">someone.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">It<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">promise<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">would<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">eventually<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">affect<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">future.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">placed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">important<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">somewhere<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">safe,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">trusted<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">help<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">protect<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">know<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">may<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wonder<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">why<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">chose<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">One<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">day,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">will<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">understand.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">remember<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">this:<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">allow<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">anyone<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">make<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">believe<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">kindness<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">is<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">weakness.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">And<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">give<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">away<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">meant<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">protect<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">future.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">With<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">all<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">love,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Dad.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">read<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">letter<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">twice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">third<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">eyes<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">filled<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tears.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">left<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">important<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">enough<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">involve<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">And<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">somehow,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">known<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">about<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">decades.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">there<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">another<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">question.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Why<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">waited<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">until<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">now?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cDid<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tell<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">where<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">this<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">thing<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hidden?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shook<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">know<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">spent<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">lot<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">time<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looking<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">through<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">house<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">while<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">immediately<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">remembered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">strange<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Why<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">did<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">always<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ask<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">when<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">leaving?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Why<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">did<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">become<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nervous<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">when<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">returned<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">early?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">And<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">why<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">once<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">insisted<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">on<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">cleaning<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">small<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">storage<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">room<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">herself?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stomach<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tightened.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cShe<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">searching<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stood<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThen<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">need<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">know<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">found.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">We<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">spent<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">next<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">examining<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">notebook<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">photographs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">There<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">references<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wooden<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">cabinet,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">an<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">old<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">clock,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">small<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">metal<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">key.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">one<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">photograph<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">caught<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">attention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">It<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">showed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sitting<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">beside<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">an<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">old<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">grandfather<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">clock.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">recognized<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">It<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">same<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">clock<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stood<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">corner<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">living<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">room.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">given<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">when<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">moved<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">into<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">house.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">bothered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">open<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">its<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">lower<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">compartment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">walked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">toward<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">followed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">knelt<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">examined<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wooden<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">panel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">At<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">first,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">saw<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nothing<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">unusual.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">noticed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tiny<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">circular<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">indentation<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">near<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">bottom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">pressed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">A<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">small<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">compartment<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">clicked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">open.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Inside<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">brass<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">key.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hands<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">began<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shaking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">covered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThat\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">whispered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">picked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">up<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">key.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">A<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tiny<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">piece<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">paper<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">attached<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Three<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">words<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">written<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">on<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">paper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">The<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">room<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">beneath.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stared<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhat<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">room<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">beneath?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">an<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">expression<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">couldn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">understand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">told<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shook<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">slowly<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sat<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">down.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThen<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">there\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">else<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">need<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">could<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">continue,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">phone<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">rang.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">The<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">name<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">on<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">screen<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">made<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">heart<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sink.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ex-husband.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hadn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">spoken<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">him<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nearly<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">eight<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">almost<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">let<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">told<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">needed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">answer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cHello?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">His<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">voice<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">unusually<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tense.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhere\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">frowned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cShe\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">home.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">left<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">this<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cDid<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">leave<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">anything<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shoebox.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">There<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">long<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">silence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">said<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">made<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">blood<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">run<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">cold.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cBecause<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">if<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">gave<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">anything,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">need<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">bring<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Immediately.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tightened<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">grip<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">on<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">phone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhy<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">would<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">do<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">His<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">voice<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">became<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sharper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cBecause<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">have<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">no<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">idea<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you\u2019re<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">dealing<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">glanced<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">staring<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">continued.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cMy<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">has<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">searching<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">years.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">belongs<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">our<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">photograph<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">family?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">felt<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">heart<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">pounding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cShane,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">does<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">have<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">do<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">family?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">He<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">went<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">quiet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">he<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">whispered:<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cEverything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">And<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">could<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ask<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">another<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">question,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">he<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hung<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stood<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">motionless.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">For<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">first<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">time<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">since<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">entered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">home,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">began<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wonder<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">whether<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">woman<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">trusted<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">years<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hiding<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">much<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">bigger<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">than<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">could<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">imagine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">gently<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">touched<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">arm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThere\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">one<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">more<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">thing<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">box.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">reached<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">beneath<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">photographs<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">pulled<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">out<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">small<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sealed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">envelope.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">name<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">written<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">on<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">front.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Not<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">married<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">name.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">maiden<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">name.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">The<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">name<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">used<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">meeting<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">carefully<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">opened<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Inside<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">short<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">handwritten<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">message.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">dear<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">girl,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">If<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">have<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">reached<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">this<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">point,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">have<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">finally<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">run<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">out<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">time.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Please<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">don\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">judge<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hear<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">whole<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">truth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">made<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">promise<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">long<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">became<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">part<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">life.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stayed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">home<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">because<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">needed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">protect<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">from<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">people<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">who<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">supposed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">protect<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span class=\"xt0psk2 x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x15eiy0f x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x14rh7hd x1k4tb9n xdj266r\" data-d-component=\"text\" data-d-inline=\"\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">And<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">unfortunately,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">one<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">those<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">people<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">is<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">own<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">son.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">dropped<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">letter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">caught<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhat<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">does<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mean?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stared<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">final<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">former<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">husband<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wasn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">just<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">asking<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">about<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">box.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">He<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">afraid<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">contained.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">And<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">suddenly,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">understood<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">why<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">so<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nervous<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">whenever<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">returned<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">home<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">unexpectedly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hadn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looking<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">valuable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">trying<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">keep<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">out<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">still<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">know<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">That<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">night,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">barely<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">slept.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Because<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">next<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">morning,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">intended<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">find<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">out.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x4gjf66 xce2ely xvmwfg3 x1lziwak x15472z4 xngnso2 xhacrq1 x1lliihq x1s688f x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"title\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">PART<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">2:<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">THE<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ROOM<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">MY<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">FATHER<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">NEVER<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">TOLD<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ME<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ABOUT<\/span><\/h1>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1kw3rcc x104jwf5 x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">At<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">seven<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">following<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">morning,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">called<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">answered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">after<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">second<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cSweetheart?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">voice<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sounded<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tired.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cElora,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">we<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">need<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">talk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">There<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">silence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">asked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">quietly:<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cDid<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Patricia<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">come<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">see<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stomach<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tightened.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Another<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">silence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cDid<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">give<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">box?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cShe<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">heard<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">exhale.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">For<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">moment,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">neither<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">us<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">asked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">question<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">kept<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">awake<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">all<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">night.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhy<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tell<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">about<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">began<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">crying.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cOh,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sweetheart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Please<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">don\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">call<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">avoid<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">answering.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">want<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">truth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">argue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Instead,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">said<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">unexpected.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cCan<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">come<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">over?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hesitated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYou<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">can.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">But<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">this<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">time,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">want<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">answers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cI<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">understand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">An<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">later,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">arrived.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">walking<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">help<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">of<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">cane.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">leg<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">still<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">healing,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">but<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">much<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stronger<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">than<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">when<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">first<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">moved<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">opened<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">door.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">For<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">first<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">time<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">our<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">relationship,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">immediately<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hug<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">simply<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stepped<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">aside.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">entered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sat<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">dining<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">table.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">eyes<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">went<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">straight<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shoebox.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cI<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">see<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">found<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">folded<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">arms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cStart<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">talking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">knew<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">each<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">other<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">long<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">met<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">paused.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cActually,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">we<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">knew<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">each<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">other<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">born.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sat<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">opposite<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cHow?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThrough<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">frowned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cMy<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">very<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">close<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">friends.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stared<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">died<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">when<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">remembered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">very<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">little<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">about<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">life<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">becoming<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYou\u2019re<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">telling<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">knew<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYes.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">We<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">met<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">when<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">we<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">young<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">women.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">We<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">worked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">same<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">place,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shared<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">an<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">apartment<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">while,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">remained<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">friends<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">even<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">after<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">we<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">married.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">couldn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">believe<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">what<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hearing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhy<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">anyone<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tell<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">asked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">not<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">down<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cBecause<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">made<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">promise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">explained<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">years<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ago,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">born,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">parents<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">struggling<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">financially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">inherited<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">small<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">property<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">from<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">an<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">elderly<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">relative,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">but<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tied<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">up<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">legal<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">difficulties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">pregnant<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">future<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">seemed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">uncertain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">At<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">time,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">been<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">working<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">as<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">an<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">accountant<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">family<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">business<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">owned<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">by<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">parents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">helped<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">understand<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">paperwork<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">surrounding<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">property.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Over<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">years,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">their<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">friendship<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">grew.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Then,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shortly<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">before<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mother<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">died,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">she<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">made<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">promise<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">something.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cShe<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">asked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">me<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">look<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">after<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">if<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">anything<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">ever<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">happened<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">felt<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tears<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">gathering<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cAnd<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">did?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cI<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tried,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sweetheart.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">truly<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cBut<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">why<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">secrecy?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">toward<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">window.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cBecause<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">believed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">certain<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">people<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">interested<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">property<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">and<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">money<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">connected<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">leaned<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cWho?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">took<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">shaky<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">breath.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThe<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">family<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">born<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">into.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">sat<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">back.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">For<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">several<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">seconds,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">couldn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">move.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">continued.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">property<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">connected<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">an<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">old<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">business<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">partnership.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">grandfather<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">invested<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">money<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">company<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">with<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Shane\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">grandfather.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">The<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">company<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">eventually<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">became<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">extremely<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">successful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">remembered<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">name<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">in<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">notebook.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Rosewood.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cRosewood<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Trust?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nodded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">grandfather\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">investment<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">never<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">properly<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">transferred.<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">When<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">company<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">became<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">valuable,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">several<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">family<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">members<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">tried<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">claim<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">grandfather<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">had<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">given<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">up<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">his<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">rights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cHow<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">much<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">money<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">are<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">we<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">talking<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">Elora<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">hesitated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cYour<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">believed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">that<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">your<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">family<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">was<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">entitled<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">to<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">a<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">substantial<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">inheritance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cHow<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">substantial?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">She<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">closed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cSeveral<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">million<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">dollars.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">My<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">mouth<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">fell<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">open.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">laughed<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">once,<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">nervously.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThat\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">impossible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cI<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">wish<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looked<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">notebook<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cThen<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">why<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">my<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">father<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">claim<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cBecause<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">the<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">original<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">documents<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">disappeared.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">I<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">stared<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">at<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"x1ghz6dp x1717udv x1wty727 x1pd3egz x4gjf66 x1wwbdsi x86bw1a x1lziwak x15472z4 x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1lliihq x14rh7hd\" data-d-component=\"text\"><span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">\u201cAnd<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">you<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">were<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">looking<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">for<\/span>\u00a0<span data-d-streaming-word=\"\">them?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 data-d-component=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/?p=8425\">CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE NEXT \ud83d\udc49PART 3-I welcomed my former mother-in-law into my home after she broke her &#8230;<\/a><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Patricia swallowed. \u201cThat\u2019s what I thought, too. Until I saw what she was doing.\u201d She placed the box on my dining table. I slowly lifted the lid. Inside were several &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3333,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,21,22,1,5,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aita","category-daily-article","category-reddit-stories","category-story","category-story-daily","category-viral-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8424"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8429,"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8424\/revisions\/8429"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nextstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}