“You grew up together?”
He nodded. She went back to her reading. Thomas looked down at his plans again, but didn’t make any further progress because his mother entered the room. “Thomas—”
She’d stopped mid-sentence, staring back and forth between him and Alice, speechless. Her eyes started to water, and Thomas hoped she wouldn’t cry. Alice would be confused.
The girl jumped up and she ran to his mother, hugging her. “Mrs. Louise, I didn’t know you were visiting.”
Now it was Thomas’s turn to be speechless. Generations of his family stood before him. His mother kissed Alice’s head. “It was a surprise. I needed to bring Thomas something.”
Alice frowned. “How do you know him?”
Thomas answered, “She is my mother.”
“You are, Mrs. Louise?” the girl said as if she didn’t believe him.
“Yes, I am.”
Alice looked at him as if that had changed something. His mother carried a small bag, and she pulled letters from it. He groaned silently, suspecting it was more messages fromadmirers. “Alice, would you go retrieve Jeremy for me? I have some sweets for both of you.”
The girl darted from the room, and his mother burst into tears. Thomas rose and folded her into his arms. She sniffled. “I shouldn’t be so overcome with emotion. I don’t think I ever fathomed the two of you in the same room. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you until now. I should have.”
Thomas appreciated her words and squeezed her tighter. “Lisbeth and I agreed to not dwell on the what-ifs. I think that would be good for us as well.”
She cried some more but finally took a deep breath. “I need to stop before Alice and Jeremy return.”
He gruffly said, “You do.”
She pulled back from him and wiped her eyes. “Enough of that. I brought all this ridiculous mail you’ve been receiving at my home, but there is one that I’m concerned about that I wanted to point out.”
Thomas frowned, taken aback by her words. “What do you mean?”
She pulled a letter from the pile and put the rest on the desk. “This one is addressed from your wife.”
He blinked. “From Lizzie?”
“Is it Lizzie now? I hope that means your relationship is improving?” his mother said with a raised brow.
Thomas flushed. “It was a slip, but we agreed to work on it over the next month and go from there.”
“I’m glad,” she said and then handed him the letter.
He frowned and glanced down at it. It was from C. He could tell from the floral drawings and the scented perfume. It was addressed to him, but stated it was from his wife. He opened the letter and read.
Thomas,
You are returning to me. When will I see you? I knew if I were patient, we would be together.
Yours,
C
He handed it to his mother, and she glanced at him, alarmed. “Have you heard from this woman before? Do you get these types of letters often? I’m concerned for Lisbeth.”
He shook his head. “This person sends me letters that are the most intense, but I’ve never met her, and I don’t even know her name.”
She frowned, “Be careful.”
Thomas hadn’t worried about any of the strange letters he received, but now his mind went to Lisbeth, Alice, Jeremy, and his mother. “If I receive any more, I will have someone look into it.”
