Page 57 of Blue Sky

I fed Sky and placed her in her Pack n Play. And then I went to my room. I opened my dresser drawer and took out a sealed envelope.

Beck

My wife had handed my this letter as she was dying. She had told me not to open it until I had fallen in love again. I had wanted to rip up the letter at the time but she made me promise to keep it.

Now was the time. I opened it and the sight of her beautiful handwriting gutted me.

My Dearest Beck,

I have so much to say to you and not enough time to say it. Loving you has been the best part of my life. You were the prince that I dreamed of when I was a little girl. You are handsome, kind, generous, brilliant, and so sexy in that flight suit. You have given me everything I have ever wanted in my life—love, a purpose, a home, and our beautiful little girl. By the time you read this, you will have met someone new. And it’s okay. It’s more than okay. I’m thrilled for you. Our baby needs a mommy. Someone who loves her as much as I do. Someone to talk to her about her first crush, hold her when she is scared, wipe her tears away when she cries, style her hair into the latest craze, paint her nails the hottest shade, and teach her how to become a young lady. You will never leave the military and our daughter needs a parent, not a caretaker, when her daddy is fighting a war a world away. I know you have chosen a wonderful woman because you would never let anyone unworthy around our child.

And I want you to be happy. You deserve to be loved by someone who loves you as much as I do. Or someone who loves you more than I did. As much as I love you, I never allowed myself to totally lose myself in you. I was scared and proud and never able to fully express how much you mean to me. But you need to know that my world started the day I met you.

Your love for your new wife will never take away our love. You are not betraying me by loving another woman. You have my blessing. And I’m not gone. I’m beside you and our little girl everyday. All you need to do to visit me is fly. I’m in heaven, loving you both, waiting for you to come and kiss me in the sky.

I love you, always and forever. Until we meet again in the clouds.

Love,

Your wife, ‘til death do us part, Catherine.

The tears came and I was unable to control my sobs. It was almost as if she had chosen Paloma for me and Sky. She had told me to hire a local nanny—forcing me to let someone into our life.

I would love Catherine until the day I died.

But I also loved Paloma.

And I was going to get her back.