It was long after supper. I was half-watching a movie and folding laundry. Lily was standing in the doorway with a small pink phone in her shaky hands.

She said, “I found it in one of the old closet boxes.” It also contained the charger. It worked, even though I didn’t think it would.

Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. I discovered something else while going through all of these old pictures and games from my childhood.

With my heart racing, I put the washing aside. Sweetheart, what is it?

She continued, “Mom, Dad sent me a video the night before they left and asked me not to show you.”

I looked at her incredulously. Mom, I was only six. At the time, I didn’t grasp it. I received a text from him telling me to hold off on exposing it to you for ten years. After they disappeared, I totally forgot the phone was in that box. He said you might hate him when you saw it, she murmured, her voice faltering as she began to sob quietly.

Continued on the next page