Daniel had already arranged additional medical examinations and repairs to the house’s water system.
His secret phone conversations had been about those arrangements.
“I wanted to fix everything before telling you. I was afraid you’d panic. But by keeping it secret, I only frightened you more.”
For a long time, I said nothing.
Then I asked:
“Why did the doctor write that I shouldn’t suspect anything?”
Daniel gave me a small, sad smile and took out another envelope.
Inside were Sarah’s old letters, photographs of us together, and drawings Daniel had made as a child.
He had discovered them in a box his adoptive parents had kept.
The following day, he had planned to take me to meet Sarah’s surviving relatives and return memories I thought I’d lost forever.
I burst into tears.
But I didn’t forgive him immediately.
We visited an independent doctor together, reviewed my health, and had the damaged water system replaced. Daniel promised he would never again make secret medical decisions on my behalf.