#Chapter 207 – Hope and Despair

I stand frozen, staring down at the letter as it sits on the little hall desk, my breath coming in fluttery little gasps. The words are very simple. There are vineyards in Greece as well. I’ll take you there. I read it again and again as my heart pounds in my chest, each beat echoing with a mix of hope and dread. It’s unmistakable—this is from Frankie – it has to be. There’s no one else – Why would – The reference to Vineyards, and Greece, where we always talked about vacationing when the kids were big enough. And his promise to take me there... He’s…alive. He’s alive! Through some impossibility, my Frankie – my sweetheart – he’s alive and he’s… He’s coming to get me. The realization sends a rush of relief through me, but it quickly morphs into a whirlwind of anxiety. How…how could this be possible? And at what risk? And how…how could he be alive… I whip my head to the side suddenly, looking towards the Kitchen, my mind spinning with panic and anxiety and