The edges were frayed, the fabric faded, and it smelled faintly of the lavender lotion she always used. “This is it?” I said, unable to hide the disappointment in my voice. She didn’t get angry.
She didn’t even look hurt. She just gave me a soft smile—the kind she always wore when she knew I was upset but hoped I wouldn’t be for long. “If you want to talk about anything,” she said quietly, “we still have time.”
I smirked, rolled my eyes, and tossed the wallet into the back of my drawer without another thought.
I didn’t ask her what she meant. I didn’t ask why her voice sounded so fragile. I didn’t ask why she watched me that night like she was memorizing my face.
A couple of months later, she was gone. Just… gone. The house was too quiet.
The world felt hollow. And when I opened my drawer and saw that forgotten wallet, something broke inside me. My hands shook as I held it, the worn fabric suddenly feeling heavier than any gift I’d ever received.
I pressed it to my face and cried—ugly, desperate tears—because it was the last thing she had ever given me, and I had thrown it away like it meant nothing. When I finally opened it, I stopped breathing. Inside was a photo of me as a child—missing front teeth, ribbons in my hair, smiling like the sun shone just for me.
And tucked behind it was a letter. “Hi, Muffin,” it began. “I don’t really know how to say this, but I’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness…”
The words blurred as I read.
She had known. All along. And she hadn’t told me.
“…I’ve done everything I can for you, and I want you to know how proud I am of the woman you’ve become.”
Beneath the letter was a bank statement—an account in my name. A savings fund she had built quietly, piece by piece, while hiding her pain. She had been loving me in silence, preparing me for a future she knew she wouldn’t see.
And I… I had thrown her love into a drawer. If only I had understood. If only I had listened.
Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. All images are for illustration purposes only.
