“I don’t know if you hate me. My mother says you do. I don’t believe her, but I don’t know how to reach you otherwise.”

“Oh no, no, no,” I muttered.

“I know this looks bad.”

Leo moved closer. “What is it?”

“He thought I hated him.”

Gwen let out a shaky breath. “That’s what our mother told him. She didn’t just lie, Heather. She stole eighteen years from all of you.”

I opened the third letter so fast I almost tore it.

“If it’s a boy, I hope he laughs like you do when you’re really happy.”

My hand flew to my mouth.

Leo stared at me. “He wrote that.”

“He thought I hated him.”

I nodded and passed him one of the birthday cards.

“Read it,” I said.

part2