Present Day

Jessica stared at the box.  There was no name on the return address, but even if it hadn’t had Corpus Christi there, she would have recognized Yuri’s handwriting, ever after all these years.  She left it unopened, instead going to her large windows and staring out over downtown Houston.  She wondered why Yuri mailed it to her office and not her condo.  But the fact that she did confirmed her suspicions that her mother had given Yuri all the information she wanted.

But why had it taken her nearly six weeks?

She glanced back at the box, her curiosity piqued.  But still, she didn’t open it.  She was afraid.  Afraid of what it was, afraid of what it meant.  Was Yuri reaching out to her?  Why did she wait six weeks.  Was Yuri afraid too?

She moved closer to her desk, her eyes riveted on the neat handwriting.  Yuri always had such pretty, elegant handwriting.  Must be the artist in her, she mused.  She sighed, knowing she had to open it.  She found scissors and carefully cut the tape along the edges.  The box wasn’t large, but it was flat.  She hesitated before opening it, aware that her heart was beating just a little too fast.

She swallowed nervously, finally breaking the last seal.

She pulled out the bubble-wrapped item, carefully removing the protective plastic barrier.  It was a framed print, the 8x10 carefully matted and enclosed in a larger frame.  She sat down heavily in her chair, her eyes focused only on the rising sun, the giant red orb coloring the water, the sand, the sun.  She blinked severa