He’d worked hard to build this fortress in the middle of nowhere. No one from his previous life could find him if they tried. He didn’t have a phone and was therefore unlisted. Sure, he had an address, but Ben Foster was a pretty common name, and so far none of his old friends, family, or acquaintances had contacted him by mail. Next month would mark his eighth year in these woods.
He glanced at the kitchen window and saw Hanna standing at the sink, oblivious to his presence. Could he leave the safety of his cabin for her? Would she withdraw from him if she knew of the reason he’d left his home in West Virginia? He sighed. There was only one right thing to do right now. He had to give her Eli’s letter.
The smell of frying bacon hit Ben when he entered the cabin. He swallowed hard and headed to the kitchen, where he found Hanna placing two plates on the table. A beaming smile lighted her features when their eyes met. Her smile faded in an instant though, and she regarded him with genuine concern.
“What is it?” she asked. “Is something wrong?”
He forced a smile and held up Eli’s letter. “No, nothing’s wrong. This is for you.”
She clapped her hands together and gasped in delight. “Finally. I was so worried he didn’t get my last letter.”
Ben passed her the envelope and wondered what Hanna had written in her last letter. A few days after she’d come to stay with him, she’d sent another letter off to her brother. Ben had shoved the sealed envelope into the mailbox, resisting the urge to tear it open in hopes of discovering her secret thoughts and dreams.
Anxiety twisted his stomach as Hanna ripped the letter open. She spread the folded paper out on the table and sat down, her eyes bright with curiosity.
Ben took a seat across from her, ignoring the breakfast she’d placed in his spot. “Did Annabel have the baby yet?” he asked, hoping Eli’s wife had delivered their first child safely.
“No, not yet.” Her eyes moved back and forth as she scanned the page. “At the time of this letter, Annabel is nine days away from her due date. Her doctor says baby and mother are both healthy. Eli says he’s happy I left home and that he always knew I would. He wishes he could come see me right now, but he’ll have to wait until the baby is born and they are settled back at home. He says his job is giving him two weeks off once the baby comes, and he will…” She paused and glanced up at Ben. Sadness replaced her prior joy, and she bowed her head to continue reading. She gulped and licked her lips before speaking. “He says once Annabel and the baby are settled at home, he’ll come get me. He—he wants me to come to Oregon and live with him.”
The emptiness inside Ben knew no bounds. He felt like he’d already lost the most important thing in his life, even as she stared at him from across the table. Sweet little Hanna. He did the math in his head, calculating exactly how many days he might have left with her. Even if Annabel had the baby today, he’d at least have a week or more with her. Possibly two weeks, if Eli decided to drive instead of fly. Ben inquired if he indicated his method of travel in the letter, and Hanna said he did not.
“You don’t look happy.” He reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers atop the table.
Tears pooled in her expressive blue depths, and she sighed and pushed the letter away with her free hand. “Of course I am happy,” she said, smiling as a tear ran down her cheek. She brushed it away and tried to wrench her hand from Ben’s as she stood up. “Let me go, Daddy.” Her voice trembled.
Daddy. She hadn’t called him Mr. Foster in quite some time. The affection in her voice when she called him Daddy always filled up the empty places in his soul. She completed him each and every day, over and over again. She didn’t balk when he called her his baby girl. If anything, she craved it. He saw the need to be cared for in her eyes each
He glanced at the kitchen window and saw Hanna standing at the sink, oblivious to his presence. Could he leave the safety of his cabin for her? Would she withdraw from him if she knew of the reason he’d left his home in West Virginia? He sighed. There was only one right thing to do right now. He had to give her Eli’s letter.
The smell of frying bacon hit Ben when he entered the cabin. He swallowed hard and headed to the kitchen, where he found Hanna placing two plates on the table. A beaming smile lighted her features when their eyes met. Her smile faded in an instant though, and she regarded him with genuine concern.
“What is it?” she asked. “Is something wrong?”
He forced a smile and held up Eli’s letter. “No, nothing’s wrong. This is for you.”
She clapped her hands together and gasped in delight. “Finally. I was so worried he didn’t get my last letter.”
Ben passed her the envelope and wondered what Hanna had written in her last letter. A few days after she’d come to stay with him, she’d sent another letter off to her brother. Ben had shoved the sealed envelope into the mailbox, resisting the urge to tear it open in hopes of discovering her secret thoughts and dreams.
Anxiety twisted his stomach as Hanna ripped the letter open. She spread the folded paper out on the table and sat down, her eyes bright with curiosity.
Ben took a seat across from her, ignoring the breakfast she’d placed in his spot. “Did Annabel have the baby yet?” he asked, hoping Eli’s wife had delivered their first child safely.
“No, not yet.” Her eyes moved back and forth as she scanned the page. “At the time of this letter, Annabel is nine days away from her due date. Her doctor says baby and mother are both healthy. Eli says he’s happy I left home and that he always knew I would. He wishes he could come see me right now, but he’ll have to wait until the baby is born and they are settled back at home. He says his job is giving him two weeks off once the baby comes, and he will…” She paused and glanced up at Ben. Sadness replaced her prior joy, and she bowed her head to continue reading. She gulped and licked her lips before speaking. “He says once Annabel and the baby are settled at home, he’ll come get me. He—he wants me to come to Oregon and live with him.”
The emptiness inside Ben knew no bounds. He felt like he’d already lost the most important thing in his life, even as she stared at him from across the table. Sweet little Hanna. He did the math in his head, calculating exactly how many days he might have left with her. Even if Annabel had the baby today, he’d at least have a week or more with her. Possibly two weeks, if Eli decided to drive instead of fly. Ben inquired if he indicated his method of travel in the letter, and Hanna said he did not.
“You don’t look happy.” He reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers atop the table.
Tears pooled in her expressive blue depths, and she sighed and pushed the letter away with her free hand. “Of course I am happy,” she said, smiling as a tear ran down her cheek. She brushed it away and tried to wrench her hand from Ben’s as she stood up. “Let me go, Daddy.” Her voice trembled.
Daddy. She hadn’t called him Mr. Foster in quite some time. The affection in her voice when she called him Daddy always filled up the empty places in his soul. She completed him each and every day, over and over again. She didn’t balk when he called her his baby girl. If anything, she craved it. He saw the need to be cared for in her eyes each
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