Meanwhile, Emily was at work, her mind distracted by thoughts of her mother. The anger that had fueled her words the previous night had dissipated, leaving a hollow guilt in its place. She wondered where Margaret had spent the night and whether she was safe.

That evening, as Emily sat alone at the kitchen table, she noticed an envelope that had been slipped under the door. It was unmarked, but she recognized her mother’s handwriting immediately.

Inside, she found a handwritten letter.

“Dear Emily,