I was a widow and I didn’t allow any man to touch me for six years — until, during a vacation, I met a stranger who surrounded me with his arms... and on my last night, he told me why he had really approached mikara

The tears clouded my vision.

He told me you were the strongest person he knew. But I was afraid of one thing.

“From what?”

Daniel hesitated.

“That you confused loving him with refusing to live without him.

I closed my eyes.

That sounded exactly like Michael.

“I knew you,” Daniel continued. He said you'd keep the wedding ring. That you'd reject quotations. That you'd tell everyone you were okay. And that every time someone suggested you move on, you would be angry because you would think they were asking you to forget it.

A tear rolled down my cheek.

For six years, I had done exactly every one of those things.

Why did he give you the letter?

One night, he asked me for a favor.

Daniel’s voice became lower.

“He said, ‘If you ever cross paths with Claire and you think she’s finally ready to live again, give her this.’