Chapter 6: The Woman Who Left

Freddie’s words left Betty staring at him.

“Who?”

He looked at the email again, as if the sender’s name might appear if he waited long enough. It was the same unknown address that had sent the message about the woman from his past.

“I don’t know for certain,” he said. “But I have a feeling.”

“Is it the woman you dated?”

Freddie nodded.

Betty moved her laptop closer. “Then we should read it.”

“Betty, I don’t want you dragged into this.”

“I’m already in it. Someone is sending me messages about our relationship, and now they’re bringing up your past. I need to understand what’s happening.”

Freddie hesitated. Then he sat beside her.

“Open it.”

The email contained only a few lines.

Betty,

You deserve to know that Freddie’s mother was not the only reason I left. I tried to tell him the truth, but he wouldn’t listen. I’m sorry I stayed silent for so long.

If you want to understand what happened, ask Freddie why he never came looking for me.

—Laura

Betty read it twice.

“Laura,” she said. “That was her name?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you look for her?”

Freddie leaned back, his eyes fixed on the wall. “I did. At first. I called her, went to her apartment, and tried to reach her friends. No one would tell me where she was.”

“What did your mother say?”

“She told me Laura had decided to leave. She said Laura was tired of my family and wanted someone else.”

“Did you believe her?”

“I was hurt. I didn’t know what else to believe.”

Betty turned toward him. “But Laura says she tried to tell you the truth.”

Freddie rubbed his hands together. “I remember one call. She was crying. She said she needed to explain something, but Mom came into the room and told me Laura was manipulating me. I got angry and ended the call.”

Betty’s chest tightened. “And after that?”

“I never heard from her again.”

They sat in silence.

Betty wanted to comfort him, but she was troubled by the thought of how easily a relationship could be destroyed by someone standing between two people.

“Do you think your mother did something to make her leave?” she asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Freddie, you have to find out.”

He looked at her. “What if I discover my mother really did hurt her?”

Betty took his hand. “Then you’ll have to decide what to do with the truth.”

He looked down at their fingers. “I’m afraid of what it might mean.”

“I understand.”

But she wondered whether he understood what it meant for her, too. If Moms had driven Laura away, Betty could not keep pretending that the problem was simply a mother who struggled to let go.

The next morning, Freddie called Laura’s old number.

He expected it to be disconnected. Instead, someone answered after the third ring.

“Hello?”

Freddie froze.

“Laura?”

The line went quiet.

“Who is this?” she asked.

“It’s Freddie.”

He heard a sharp breath.

“Why are you calling me?”

“I received your email.”

“I didn’t send it to you.”

“I know. You sent it to Betty.”

Another silence followed.

“Is she okay?” Laura asked.

“She’s confused. So am I.”

“Then you should ask your mother what happened.”

Freddie closed his eyes. “I’m asking you.”

Laura’s voice trembled. “I tried to tell you. You didn’t believe me.”

“I was young. I was hurt.”

“So was I.”

“I’m sorry.”

She didn’t answer.

Freddie stared out of his apartment window. “Did my mother threaten you?”

Laura took a long breath. “I don’t want to talk about this over the phone.”

“Please. I need to understand.”

“I can’t do this again, Freddie.”

“I’m not asking you to come back. I’m asking you to tell me the truth.”

Laura was quiet for a moment.

“Meet me,” she said. “Somewhere public. And don’t tell your mother.”

The call ended.

Freddie sat motionless, holding the phone.

He had spent years telling himself Laura had chosen to leave. Now he was about to hear her side of the story, and he wasn’t sure he was ready.

Betty was at the apartment when Freddie arrived that evening.

He told her about the call and Laura’s request to meet.

“Are you going?” Betty asked.

“Yes.”

“Then I think you should.”

He looked surprised. “You’re not upset?”

“Why would I be?”

“Because she was someone I loved.”

Betty considered the question. “I’m not afraid of your past, Freddie. I’m afraid of secrets that keep affecting our future.”

He sat beside her. “I don’t want to hide anything from you.”

“Then don’t.”

He took her hand. “I want you to come with me.”

Betty thought about it. “Would Laura be comfortable with that?”

“I can ask.”

“No. You should meet her alone first. She may have things she needs to say without me there.”

Freddie nodded, though he seemed reluctant.

Betty squeezed his hand. “I trust you.”

He kissed her gently. “I’ll tell you everything afterward.”

Moms received the news the following morning.

She was in her dressing room when Cynthia called.

“Freddie has contacted Laura,” Cynthia said.

Moms went still. “How do you know that?”

“He told me he was trying to understand what happened years ago.”

Moms gripped the edge of the dressing table. “Why would he do that now?”

“Because he’s asking questions.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Nothing. He hasn’t asked me.”

Moms ended the call without saying goodbye.

She opened the drawer and pulled out the old photograph. The man beside young Freddie was smiling, his arm resting around the boy’s shoulders.

Moms turned the photograph over.

On the back, in faded handwriting, was a date and a name.

She stared at it for a long time before putting it away.

Then she called the woman who had been investigating Betty.

“Have you found anything?” she asked.

“I found something,” the woman replied. “But I’m not sure you’ll want to hear it.”

Moms’s heart began to pound.

“What is it?”

“It concerns Freddie’s father.”

Moms closed her eyes.

For years, she had believed she could keep the past buried. Now her son was speaking to Laura, and someone had begun asking questions about the man she had tried to erase from their lives.

“Tell me,” Moms said.

The woman hesitated.

“Freddie’s father has been looking for him.”