I sensed your frustration when you left again. I’m aware that I was distant and withdrawn when we were alone, and that even when we were making love, I seemed to be somewhere else. You asked me to explain—I couldn’t. Not to your face. That’s why I’m writing you this letter. And if my penmanship’s a bit shaky, it’s because I know that I’m about to hurt you terribly.

Burke, I had an affair. You don’t know the man and never will. He was in my support group, both of us grieving for our lost children, both of us needing comfort, and it just happened. By the time you came home, it was over. He was married and felt just as guilty as I did. We agreed that we would never contact each other again.

Allison laid the pages on the bed. Her eyes blurred with tears. Oh, Kate . . . Kate . . .

Taking a deep breath, she picked up the letter again.

So there it is. You’ve done nothing to deserve this pain. And there’s nothing I can do to make it go away. I am here, prepared to move on with whatever comes next. You can choose to forgive me or not. You can stay and hate me forever, or you can walk away. All I ask is that we do everything we can to protect Brianna. She’s so innocent, and she knows nothing about what her mother did. Please don’t let my terrible mistake destroy her.

I love you with all my heart, Burke. I realize those words won’t mean much right now. You’ll be hurt. You’ll be angry. Take your time. Work out your feelings. What happens next is up to you. I promise that whatever you decide, I will understand.

K.

Allison folded the pages and slipped them back into the envelope. With a ragged sigh, she fell back on the bed, one hand still holding the letter.

How much pain would it have taken to drive Kate into another man’s arms? And how much love would it have taken for Burke to forgive her?

Burke had forgiven her, Allison surmised. Somehow they’d stayed together and made their marriage work. The letter Kate had written after her cancer diagnosis had made that much clear.

But Allison would never know the details of their journey toward forgiveness and healing. After the letter about her affair, Kate had written no more—or if she had, the letters hadn’t been saved.

The next letter, postmarked almost seven years later, was the one Kate had written to tell Burke about her cancer. Allison could only imagine that the years between had been good ones, filled with love and happy family times, and that Kate had fought her illness bravely to the end.