I broke the seal carefully. Inside was a letter, the handwriting delicate and feminine:
To our dearest Lila,
If you’re reading this, it means we’re watching over you from somewhere better. We wanted to make sure love would find you again. Real love, not bought with money, but given freely.
To the person who becomes her family: thank you. Please take care of our little girl. She was our whole world.
With all our love, Mom and Dad
Tears blurred my vision. I pressed the letter to my chest, unable to speak.
“Mom?” Lila’s sleepy voice came from the hallway. “What’s happening?”
I turned to see her standing there in her pajamas, her favorite blue scarf wrapped around her head.
I knelt down and opened my arms. She ran into them, and I held her close.
“Your parents,” I whispered, “they loved you so much. They made sure you’d always be taken care of.”
