This is a sequel to The What Ifs, set ten years after Catherine is attacked by Ray Langston and about seven after he is executed by the state of Nevada. Catherine and her family must look at their roots and the meaning of the word as the time comes to explain the past and look at a different future as they all grow in character and experience.
Disclaimer: As always all rights belong to the franchise, writers and creators of CSI; no copyright infrigment intended
Dear Mrs Vartann,
I know this will seem strange, especially after so many years and yet I doubt either of us has ever forgotten. It isn't fair of me to ask this of you, nor would I blame you for burning my letter.
My name is Molly Rendense, my daughter was Brenda and eleven years ago she was shot and killed in a subway in Las Vegas. She had only moved home three months before, after setting her husband's affairs in order.
They were both so young and full of life; of honour. My son in law, James was proud to serve his country and he paid a great price but as my girl said, he would have had no regrets. But I live with them, shortly before his last deployment they began trying to start their family but it was difficult and as the deadline approached they decided to try alternative methods.
The first time she miscarried was when she heard of James' death and the second was after my husband's heart attack the procedure didn't take; only two months later. When Brenda moved home her father and I offered to pay for her to try one more time, we knew being a single mom would be a hard road but it would be a piece of her husband to hold onto; to love.
That never happened, she was in Vegas and her life was cut far to short. We felt that we couldn't destroy the embryos and so we allowed the doctor to give them to that organization; it was only a few months later that we got a notification that a doctor had taken them. As was customary in the organization we were given your name but it was much later that we found out some of what had happened.
Yet you are raising our only grandchild as your daughter and I have no doubt that you have no great desire to have strangers poking around. Yet I have to ask, if maybe we could met her. She is the only grandchild we will ever have and just to see her.
We live with the fact you didn't have to keep her, she could have been gone before she was born and while I know she will never know my daughter as her mother I would like to see if she looks like my little girl. To see a piece of the baby I should never have lived to put in the ground.
Sincerely
Molly Rendense
