Gabriel stood.
Rosa moved closer to me.
Veronica looked through the window at the four of us, her eyes settling on the unopened envelope.
For the first time since she had abandoned me, I saw something besides coldness in her expression.
Fear.
She came to the front door and knocked once.
No one moved.
Then she knocked again.
“Matthew,” she called through the glass. “Please let me explain.”
Gabriel’s hand remained over the envelope.
Veronica looked directly at him.
“You must not open that,” she said.
The room fell silent.
Gabriel’s face hardened.
“How do you know what it is?”
Veronica’s lips parted, but no answer came.
I stood slowly.
“What is inside?”
She looked at me, and the fear in her face deepened.
“Your father lied to you,” she whispered.
Gabriel stepped toward the door.
“About what?”
Veronica’s eyes returned to the envelope.
“About your mother.”
