A Hundred Roses Filled My Porch While I Was Gone—Then I Read the Note That Shattered Everything I Thought I Knew

landed on a small white envelope tucked into a bouquet beside the porch swing. A crooked blue heart had been drawn on the front. My heart pounded as I tore it open. The writing inside was large, uneven, and shaky—the unmistakable handwriting of a child. I began reading aloud, my voice faltering with every word.

“Please don’t quit,” the note began. Jane continue reading …