"Dear Andy,

It's been 13 years now. I hope that everyone's alright and that you found the happiness you promised you would look for. I'm sorry life drove us apart and didn't allow me to be part of your world.

I know I have no right to contact you or ask you any kind of favor after all these years, but I believe that I am in great danger. My emergency contact line was cut and I can't seem to reach anyone in the position to help us. You are my last chance.

If you read these words, please, come find us as soon as possible.

But if it has to be my last words to you, know that I've always loved you and always will. You were the love of my life and my biggest regret is that I once let you go. Hopefully, we'll meet again in this life or in the next one.

Forever yours,

S.R."

/

After so many attempts, she still wasn't happy with it. She didn't know what to say after so much time. Was it even a good idea to contact him? Maybe Jack was intercepting her mail anyways. How could she keep her family safe being so far from her home. She had already managed to hide the kids the night she laid eyes on that terrible note. Martha thankfully agreed to keep them with her and took them to a small cabin she inherited from her late mother a few years ago. It was hidden in the mountains. She organized it all overnight to minimize their exposure.

After that, Sharon spent every second collecting all she needed to protect herself from him. If she had to die, she wouldn't do him the pleasure to make it any easy for him to get her. She was going to fight tooth and nail until her last breath, it was a sure thing. Everything was set for either option. Martha had her instructions if anything happened to her. She wanted her kids to be safe no matter what and she knew she could trust Martha on that. She got prepaid phones for both to be able to communicate easily. Of course, Martha was very surprised to suddenly be enrolled in such dangerous mission, but she found all the fun in living a scary adventure worth of the best television thriller pictures. She was definitely a breathtaking lady, always up for any kind of outcome. Sharon would have to do something important for her to thank her properly for her sincere friendship… but only after all this, if she survives it that is.

She had underestimated Jack way too often and she wouldn't do the same mistake over again. The last time, he almost killed them if it wasn't for Andy and this time around she was older and alone, though wiser and stronger. That had to count for something. She sent the letter, a much shorter version actually, probably more clever and low-key. It still did her good to write down the hard feelings she had been bottling up for more than a decade, although she knew he would never read them. She had curbed her feelings a lot over the years, so much that they could be felt physically. The only solution she had found, was to fully ignore them, secretly hoping for a chance to one day fix the mistakes she made a million years ago. Since she still had a few things to fix before leaving this life, she felt determined to fight that asshole and get her life back. Jack could show up anytime now, she was more than ready to welcome him properly.

/

- Hey Louie! Andy should be there in a minute, she opened the door with a wide smile.

- Good morning Charlotte! Of course! Tell Cinderella I'll be waiting for her in the car. We're running late… Provenza was grumpy just like every morning since she had first met him.

- Sure! she gave him a snort laugh. Honey! Louie's here!

- I'm ready! Just a second… he shouted from their bedroom.

After all they had gone through, they were happy – at last. Charlotte felt finally secure in their marriage because she now fully trusted him, not trying to control him anymore. Andy seemed happy with the family they had. The kids were now grown and she could enjoy nights out with her husband which had truly helped with bringing the harmony back into their relationship. They had their routine and it was fine as it was. She would do anything to keep things that way at all costs. She still overstepped the line sometimes by reading his mail or eaves dropping shortly to make sure everything was alright with their relationship.

That afternoon, she came across a funny letter addressed to him. How curious to read just a single word on a fully white paper sheet – umbrella – nothing else. What did it mean? Her stomach felt suddenly torn. What if their happy balance was compromised? What if this was from a woman? Was he unhappy again? She wouldn't take any risks, that was a sure thing. Even if she couldn't make him happy, she wouldn't let anyone else try.

/

Sharon decided to keep living normally. Logically, she would be safer out in the world than home alone. And she wanted to be visible after all. She wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. Moreover, Sharon was not one of those who missed a workday just like that and she wouldn't dare to call in sick when she was perfectly healthy. Nothing could happen to her in a supermarket – there were security cameras in every corner of the store after all. It had been a week now, and still nothing neither from Jack, nor from Andy. Sharon was on her own. But she wasn't scared anymore. If her babies were fine, everything was fine.

As she wouldn't do him the pleasure to hide any longer, she picked a nice outfit and drove to work, her head high. Yes, her emergency contact line was now cut but she wouldn't give up on life just yet. She was armed to the teeth and wearing her best bad ass attitude, determined like never before. Sharon still felt the tension growing inside of her, her stomach clenched, although she wouldn't be an easy prey.

/

Today was a calm day at work. Customers here and there, colleagues arranging the products on the shelves. She was a fast worker despite the lack of demand. It was her third pallet of the morning and she had no intention to go any slower. She pushed the empty cart through the store until she reached the back entrance leading to the warehouse. It was quite a big shop for the area. As she was penetrating the warehouse, Sharon felt her body collapse backwards, a feeling of imminent danger filling her. Something was pulling her harder than she could fight. Her brain was suddenly in a fog and confusion won over. Before she could even understand what was happening to her, she felt herself drift away in a matter of seconds.

/

The years had gone by and Andy had accepted his lot. He considered himself happy. He had made a promise and he would hold it whatever it took. He hadn't forgotten HER, instead he had found a way to deceive himself and surrender. His promise committed him to living his life without his half and as hard as it was inside, he had developed very good acting skills for the world to believe he had moved on. He reached a point where he'd go hours without thinking of her and that was a big victory. She wasn't constantly on his mind anymore. With time, he focused more on his kids, watching them grow. Happily, their relationship evolved into something deeper and he couldn't be prouder of their closeness.

Charlotte had grown too, relaxing more and more. He could feel freer around her and their marriage was safer than it had always been. After all, it was easier when Sharon was not around, he had to admit. He had learnt how to appreciate his wife's big qualities. Her mothership especially touched him. She was an amazing mother to their children and he was very thankful for that. From time to time, he still thought of the baby he once almost had without even knowing about it. What if she hadn't lost it? Would their lives be any different if their baby had lived? It was funny because he had always wanted kids, two, maybe three or more depending on who he'd have them with. While with Sharon he'd have wanted to have plenty of them, with Charlotte he felt totally different about it. His wife brought up the subject sometimes. What about another baby? This was sad to admit, but he knew he didn't want any more children with her because, as much as he appreciated her, he wasn't in love with her. After all, it didn't have anything to do with Sharon, he just didn't belong to Charlotte.

That night he went home feeling surprisingly light. Putting his deep thoughts aside, life was great. They had finally closed their case and saved two poor children from their brutal stepfather. As he opened the entrance door, he was all smiles, whistling and announcing his arrival with his most cheerful voice.

- Honey! You're home! Charlotte shouted from kitchen, surprised to see him home so early.

- Hey! How was your day? he jumped out of his shoes, meaning to come quickly to the living room from where he would be able to see her face.

- Oh well! The usual! Nothing too interesting! she answered from afar. How was yours?

- We finally closed our case! he finally met her, dropping a small peck on her cheek from behind while she was busy finishing their dinner.

- That's wonderful! Were you able to find the kids? she asked without raising her eyes.

- Positive Ma'am! We got there right on time. We just hate it so much when cases involve kids, that the relief is huge when we're able to work everything out without anyone's life being taken.

- I understand! Congratulations to you all for your success! The kids are safe, thanks to you! she turned around touching his chest while complimenting his cop skills.

- Well, I was not alone... he chuckled, but thank you! he felt her very tactile, which wasn't so usual anymore. He continued. It smells delicious! What are we having for dinner? he tried to distract her, not knowing what was up yet.

- Well, we're having onion soup for the starter and then I cooked you a new recipe… you'll have to wait for that one! she grinned.

- Oh huge suspense then! I'm starving!

Andy slowly walked to the dining room, carrying the plates, the knives and forks. When he was done putting them out, he sat down on a chair, waiting for Charlotte to bring the food over. His eyes wandered in the room as he felt like he hadn't even taken the time to look around yet. She opened the cupboard to reach for the soup bowls and an envelope fell out on the kitchen floor. It caught his attention. What the heck was an envelope doing in their kitchen? She quickly tried to distract him.

- I can see you're all ready, she chuckled nervously, would you mind helping me? My hair's in my face, I'd need you to go grab a hair grip please? she forcefully smiled to him as to plead for him to go along with her big comedy.

- Sure.

He obeyed but clearly wouldn't let her get away with it.

- What fell from the cupboard? he asked shouting from the bathroom.

- What?

- Yeah, I saw something fall from the cupboard when you opened it. What is it? Usually, we put the paperwork in the office room…

- Oh! Yeah. It's a note, actually.

- A note? What about? he was suddenly back to the kitchen and handed her the hair grip.

- Why are you so curious all of a sudden? she had trouble looking him straight in the eye without flinching.

- Oh sorry, I just found it weird to put it in the kitchen, he was trying his best cop talk to make her spill the beans.

- No, I simply opened to mail in the kitchen on the other day and I don't know I just put it there to read later, she looked away, trying to hide her face he unfortunately knew how to read only too well.

- What does it read? he sat back around the table, playing it very cool and relaxed.

- Just a word. That's really nothing special.

- A single word? How strange… Who is it from? Show me!

- Nah it's nothing, Andy, she wanted to close the subject but everything she said made him even more curious to understand what that mysterious envelope was about.

- Then, show me! he exclaimed, tired with her little game. You know my job, it's important to check that kind of weird thing could it be from a criminal who'd want to revenge…

- Come on! It's about your birthday gift! You're spoiling everything! Drop it already! Charlotte finally looked him in the eye and sounded convincing.

- Oh, sorry.

Something was definitely up. He just felt it in his gut.