Ruin My Mother's Life, Now I Ruin Yours
Inside was nothing but a photograph.
Harlan sat on the doorstep of a rundown rental house. He wore a faded shirt that had been washed far too many times. In his hands was an old enamel mug.
Behind him, the paint peeled from the walls. Beneath his feet, the concrete was cracked and uneven. He had grown so thin that I could barely recognize him.
On the back of the photo was a block of shaky, uneven handwriting.
"Dear Edward, the greatest blessing of my life was having your mother. The greatest sin, however, was betraying her. This house faces south and gets plenty of sunlight. I like to think she can feel its warmth, too."