Page 44 of Surge

I unclasped the sides of the box and pulled the lid off. There was a blue envelope with my name on it and that was it.

My birthday was in a few weeks. Maybe this was where she hid smaller presents and I had just uncovered her secret hiding place.

I opened the blue envelope and pulled out the card. It was just a folded piece of card stock. I opened it and inside was a letter to me.

Ri,

If you're reading this, that means something has happened to me to cause you to go snooping. When you're done reading this, you need to destroy it.

I can't put much in this letter, but know that I love you. Anything I do, it's for you, and you're going to have to trust that my decisions aren't from a place of selfishness.

Over the years I've quietly been stashing away money for you. Just enough where your father wouldn't grow suspicious and come back into our lives. Hidden in one of your favorite things is a list of contacts.

Call the first number and tell him the situation. I love you.

Mom

I'd been right all along, something had happened to my mom.

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