Later that afternoon, Lily sat with Dr. Harris under the same cherry tree.
She pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket. “I found this in my mom’s drawer. I think it’s for me.”
Dr. Harris unfolded it carefully. It was a letter, written in shaky handwriting:
“My dearest Lily, if you’re reading this, something happened to me. None of this is your fault. You are my light, my strength, and the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m fighting to stay with you. If the darkness wins for a while, remember — it’s not because I stopped trying.”
Dr. Harris swallowed hard. “This proves what we always knew,” he said softly. “Your mom never gave up.”
Lily looked at the letter for a long time, then nodded slowly. “That’s what I thought. I just needed to be sure.”
7. The Beginning of Something New:
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