My Husband and My Best Friend Betrayed Me on Our Wedding Day. Twice. novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: The Cookie Tin

I did not go to the shop. I went to my mother's house with Luca's printout in my pocket.

He stayed in the car at the end of the street. He had not said a word since I showed him the post, and neither of us had mentioned the couch.

My mother was at the sink with her back to the door.

"I saw it," she said. "The whole street saw it. Valeria, you are living with that man."

"Mama, I need a yes or a no."

"I won't be spoken to like this in my own kitchen."

"Did Luca write to me?"

She put down the dish she was holding.

"After the divorce. Did he write?"

The water kept running.

My mother turned it off and dried her hands on her apron, one finger at a time.

"Sit," she said.

"No."

"Valeria."

"Did he write to me, Mama?"

She went to the pantry. She came back with a flat tin that had once held Christmas cookies and set it on the table.

She took off the lid.

It was full of envelopes.

There were nine of them, with my name in his square handwriting. Three had never been opened.

I stood there for a long time.

"They came to this house," my mother said. "I was getting your mail, because you couldn't get out of bed. I saw his name on the first one, and I couldn't."

"You couldn't what?"

"I couldn't let him do it to you again. You were skin and bones. You didn't eat for a month." Her chin trembled. "I told myself I'd give them to you when you were strong. And then it was a year, and then it was two."

"You told me he never wrote."

"I told you he wouldn't dare."

"That is not the same thing, Mama. You let me say it to his face."

I picked up the top envelope. The flap was soft from handling.

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