The Call
A week later, my phone rang. Jane’s voice.
“Mom, I’m safe, but I can’t come home.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“I can’t say. I’m doing this for Tommy. Please trust me.”
She promised to return. But I didn’t believe her.
Digging for Answers
Determined to understand, I searched her things. In an old notebook, I found a name: Alex. He’d once been a dangerous presence in Jane’s life.
Desperate, I tracked him down. He answered the door, aged and guarded.
“Where’s Jane?” I asked.
“She’s protecting you. There’s more going on than you know.”
The Truth Unfolds
I reached out to Jane’s friend Emily, who confirmed my fears. Jane wasn’t on a work trip—she was hiding from something serious.
“If you want to find her,” Emily said, “go back to where she disappeared the first time.”
I followed the trail to a small house at the edge of town—Jane and Alex’s old place. When Alex opened the door, I demanded answers.
Inside, he told me everything: a past Jane had fought to escape, threats she never wanted to bring to our doorstep. She had made impossible choices to keep Tommy safe.
The Road Ahead
The truth shook me, but it also gave me clarity. Jane hadn’t abandoned us—she was fighting for us. Now, it was my turn to fight for her. I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew this: I would protect her and Tommy, no matter what it took.