Sara unlocked the front door and Liz rushed in past her, still holding tightly onto her drawings.
She stopped at the hallway leading to the kitchen and looked around for her father; When she didn't see him, it was on to plan two.
"Daddy!" She shouted.
A moment later, Gil emerged from the kitchen with a smile.
"Hey! I'm sorry I couldn't be here earlier; I had to work, but you already knew that. How was school?" He picked Liz up and hugged her.
"It was great! I love it! I made you this," She handed him the drawing of Sara, Gil and herself.
He admired it for a moment, still holding Liz in his left arm, then kissed her on the cheek and set her down.
Sara was leaning up against the door, watching her husband and daughter take turns kissing each other.
"Okay, go sit at the table and I'll make you a snack in a minute," Gil set Liz down on the floor and she took off to the kitchen.
"Hi," Sara smiled.
She walked toward him and kissed him avidly.
The two stood there holding each other for a few minutes until Liz shouted, "Daddy I'm hungry!"
Gil kissed Sara on the forehead then strode away to tend to Liz.
Sara stood there for a moment longer, then followed behind, her thoughts on the letter she had received earlier.
"Want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?" Gil asked Liz.
She nodded happily, still looking at her drawings.
"Sar, who's that letter from on the counter?"
"I'm not sure. I was just going to open it," She replied, picking up the envelope and ripping it open.
She skimmed through it once, eyes darting across the page faster than when she usually read something.
"Sar?"
Gil was now standing behind his wife, hand resting on her right hip; He could tell something was wrong by her breathing.
"What's wrong?"
Sara bit her bottom lip, still glancing at the letter.
"She's dead," She replied in a soft tone, making sure Liz didn't hear.
"Who?" Gil pressed, glancing at the letter.
Sara walked out of the kitchen and into the living room; She was still tightly holding the letter in her left hand. Gil followed her this time.
"Who's dead?" He asked once again.
She sat down on the couch before answering.
"My mother."
Gil joined her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders; He didn't say anything. He still wasn't sure what the best way to comfort Sara was.
"It's from the prison she was in, from the warden. It says she had a heart attack in her cell," She whispered.
She was rereading the letter again. It didn't seem real.
"I don't know what to say, Sara. I'm sorry," Gil whispered.
"I don't know what to think. I haven't seen her since I was twelve," Sara replied.
She felt the hot tears sting her eyes and she sniffled.
"Why is this bothering me so bad?" She whispered.
Gil made slow soothing motions on her back; She was very thankful for that. It always made her feel better.
"Sar, she was your mom," He answered.
She rested her head on Gil's shoulder, tears threatening to fall at any moment; She hated crying, especially in front of other people, even it if was her husband.
Sara hadn't heard from her mother in nearly thirty-two years; Ever since her mother stabbed her father.
That fact shocked her; She always thought mothers and daughter were meant to be close.
"What's the second piece of paper say?" Gil asked, motioning to a leaf of paper behind the one from the warden.
Sara lifted her head off his shoulder and pulled the paper out from behind the letter.
A post-it note was plastered in the middle of this letter; It read, "This was found in your mother's cell; It was addressed to you."
She looked at Gil then pulled the note off the paper and began studying the letter.
It read:
"Dear Sara,
I hope you're doing well. I saw in the newspaper that you had a baby; And got married. I trust both of those miracles are going well.
I want to apologize for that terrible tragedy you saw as a child; You know your father beat me; I just couldn't take it anymore. I honestly never meant to kill him. I just wanted him to know I was capable of violence and that I could protect myself. I just started stabbing him and couldn't stop.
I didn't want you to think I've ever forgotten you. I think about you on your birthday and at Christmas. I wish I could visit you and your brother; Perhaps you two could come visit me sometime.
I really hope you aren't still angry with me; I never meant for you to witness anything violent. And I hope your life continues to be as wonderful as I imagine it.
Love,
Mom"
Sara now had warm tears streaming down her cheeks; She didn't know what to do, so she collapsed in Gil's arms and began sobbing.
"Why am I crying? I hated both of them," She cried.
"Mommy?"
Liz stood in the living room doorway; She was clutching one crayon in each hand and she looked horrorstruck.
"I think mommy needs a hug," Gil whispered.
Liz ran to the couch and climbed into her mother's lap; She twirled Sara's hair between her fingers, something she had done ever since she was an infant.
Sara fought to calm her sobs; She didn't want Liz to see her crying.
"Hey, let's go in the kitchen to color and leave mommy alone for a while, okay?"
Gil lifted Liz off of Sara's lap, looked at his wife with loving eyes and strode off to the kitchen with Liz hanging onto his neck.
Once they were out of sight, Sara pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them.
She hadn't even really known her mother; That wasn't what was bothering her.
The fact that the death was making her cry.
She closed her eyes, only intending to rest her eyes and the next minute, she was asleep.