She felt herself growing impatient as he silently read over the letter. She had read the letter so many times that she was sure she had it memorized. Her entire life she had wondered about her father. She never knew him, never heard her mother mention a word of his identity. She didn't have a photograph, not even a name. Still, she always wondered about the man who gave her half her DNA.

As a child she entertained daydreams about him standing on the porch when she came home from school. She imagined him kneeling down and calling her name as she ran into his open arms. He would lift her up into the air and spin her around the way she saw other girls do with their fathers.

As a teenager she tried to remain hopeful that one day her father would rescue her. He'd swoop in, protecting her from her mothers boyfriends. She prayed that somehow he would just know that she existed and needed protecting. Sadly, he never came. She learned to rescue herself and convinced herself that her father either didn't know she existed or didn't care.

Until now.

A few days ago she received a letter in the mail from a man claiming to be her father. He wrote about how he had no idea until he ran into a mutual friend of his high school sweetheart, Marion who had cut ties with her only daughter. Out of curiosity, he had searched for her online. He knew from her birthday that she was born around the time he had dated Marion. He knew from looking at her that she was cut from the same cloth as him.

Victoria read and reread the letter, feeling hopeful and nauseous and excited all at once. She wanted to refuse to believe it was a hoax. That's why she brought it to her husbands attention.

"Are you finished yet?" She asked as she hopped on the desk and crossed her legs.

"Almost." He said without bothering to look up. He was actually reading it for the third time, trying to buy some time before he answered her. His heart broke for his wife. She tried to keep a poker face, but he knew her. He knew she had always longed for a father. He wasn't ready to break her heart by announcing that it was probably someone's cruel idea of a prank.

"Victoria, I don't want you to get too involved until we do the proper testing."

"Proper testing?"

"Yes. I'll mediate blood tests to confirm he is your father before you meet with him."

"Before?"

"Yes. I refuse to let you suffer an ounce of heartache if this is some twisted version of a joke." She sighed. She hated to admit it, but it was that protective nature that had motivated her to tell Conrad.

"Just schedule the damn blood tests." She said, hopping down from the desk.

He grabbed her arm as she headed for the door. She looked shocked for a moment but didn't recoil. Instead, she stared at him, her expression speaking more than she knew.

"I know, Vic. I know you want this. I want this for you, too." He said. To his surprise, she moved in closer, hugging him. Their marriage hadn't been easy, especially as of late, but she found comfort in Conrad's words. She knew that despite everything he wanted her safe and happy. That was what she was counting on.