What I knew for sure was that my mom would keep my son safe. But I was sad that I couldn’t tell her the truth. How could I admit I had been lying all along? How could I confess that Tommy’s father wasn’t some forgotten fling, but a very real threat to our family?
Weeks went by with no word from Jane. Each day, I woke up with a pit of dread in my stomach. I wondered daily if today would be the day I’d get a call saying she had been found, or worse, that something had happened to her.
I did my best to keep things normal for my grandson, but it was hard. He asked about his mom every day, and I had to lie, telling him she’d be back soon when in reality, I had no idea if she ever would…
After weeks of living in fear and hearing nothing from Alex, I finally decided it was safe enough to return. My heart ached from missing my son, but I knew I had done what was necessary to protect him.
When Jane arrived, she looked exhausted but relieved. When Tommy saw her, he ran over with a squeal of joy, and for a moment, everything seemed right again! But as I watched them, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t over.
Jane had built her life on secrets and lies, and now they were like a shadow that would follow her everywhere. When she finally picked up the suitcase to leave, her hands trembled slightly, a reminder of the burden she carried.
« Mom, » she said softly, « I can never tell you how much this means to me. But I still can’t tell you anything about my assignment. I’m sorry. »
I nodded, pulling her into a tight hug. « Just promise me you’ll stay safe, Jane. That’s all I ask. »
« I promise, » she whispered, though we both knew
I worried that it was a promise she might not be able to keep.
