The phone rang while I was sitting in the kitchen looking at a cup of coffee that had already cooled down.
I stared at the screen for several seconds.
I was about to let the call go to voicemail.
Then I saw who was calling.
It was Valentina’s school.
My heart leapt absurdly.
For a fraction of a second I felt an impossible hope.
I answered.
-Hello?
“Mrs. Gonzalez?” a friendly voice asked.
I immediately recognized Professor Elena.
—Yes, it’s me.
—Excuse me for bothering you. We need you to come to school when you can.
My stomach clenched.
Did something happen?
There was a brief pause.
—We’re emptying some lockers that were left closed after the last term. We found something inside Valentina’s locker. It’s labeled with her name.
I felt the air stop in my lungs.
—Something for me?
—Yes. We believe you should see him in person.
The envelope
I don’t clearly remember how I got to school.
I only remember walking through those silent corridors feeling like each step weighed a ton.
Professor Elena and the school counselor, Carlos, were waiting for me next to the row of lockers.
They both seemed excited.
When I approached, Elena held out an envelope towards me.
My hands began to tremble.
On the front it was written in my daughter’s unmistakable handwriting:
FOR MOM
For a moment I was unable to open it.
Finally, I took a deep breath and lifted the lapel.
Inside I found a note.
Nothing else.
It said:
“I hid a promise I made from you. I did it because I love you.”
Below was an address.
And a unit number.
Nothing made sense.
I looked up, confused.
-I don’t understand.
