~Kat

It was many years later that I received a letter in the mail from Vic. The man who used to be my step father. I had not seen him, heard from him, or heard anything about him since the divorce. I was tempted to throw the letter away without even opening it, and though a part of me desperately wanted to, the rest of me was no longer bitter. For all three of us effected by Moses's death, that time was so achingly difficult. We were all of us going through our own grief, in different ways. And though what he did, striking me in the face, was undeniably wrong, I no longer hated him for it. That did not mean I forgave him, however.

With these feelings, in the quite hours of the night after working on my latest story, I opened the letter.

Katarina,

I hope you do not hate me for contacting you, after all this time. I do not expect a reply. This letter is terribly late in the making, but I did not quite have the courage to write to you before now. But I thought you would like to know that I have been remarried, and my wife has recently given me a daughter. Her name is Amaria. I know we are no longer connected, but Amaria is still Moses's half sister. So I thought you might want to know, just the same. She looks so much like Moses when he was born.

That was the easy part. The rest of my letter will contain the words I should have spoken, or written to you, long ago. I am sorry, Katarina. I am so terribly sorry. For everything. For hitting you most of all, but for everything else as well. Yelling at you. Escaping the house so often, leaving you and your mother alone. Drinking so much. There is no excuse for what I did. But I wish to explain myself, anyways.

I was angry you accused me of cheating on your mother. I should have explained myself, and never should have laid a finger on you. Once again I am sorry. To this day, I swear I never did, nor would I ever, cheat. Even then, I loved her in my own self absorbed, broken way. I spent my time away from work at a male coworker's house, drinking. I couldn't bear to be in that place for long, the place where my only beloved son's life ended. Especially when it was I who drove him to take his own life. Or so I blamed myself at the time, though I know I was at least one cause of that choice. And it was my weapon, that he had such easy access to, that he used. Of course if I had just tried to understand him more, be there for him more, didn't put so many expectations on his young shoulders. And if I had just locked away that gun that night. Then maybe.

Maybe. I tried to drown that word, and the rest of my guilt, in alcohol. For a time it helped. Until I couldn't be awake without its help to keep me alive. There were times I myself wanted so badly to end my life. My coworker also kept me alive during those times. I stayed with him after the divorce, and he helped me get therapy. Helped me quit drinking. If not for him I would be dead now, and because of him I've turned my life around.

I am glad that both you and your mother are well. I never gave you both the attention you needed during our tragedy, and I am happy that you both are well despite the problems that I added. And the hurt that I've caused you both. I will never forgive myself for it, but I can handle the guilt now. I hope that you are happy, forever. You were always a talented girl, and I've heard you've become an author. I hope to read one of your books soon.

I was lucky to have you for a daughter, even for a time,

-Vic

I refolded the letter carefully. I was glad I had read it. I felt a sort of peace after, among a myriad of conflicting emotions. I was thankful to know that even Vic had healed for the better, enough to be able to reflect on his past actions with remorse. It was the first time I'd known about anything he had been feeling during that time, besides he drunken anger. Everything was so very sincere. And so very sad, too.

Vic may never be able to forgive himself for what he had done, but maybe... maybe I could.

Greetings! This was a totally spontaneous little update. I had thought of Vic and what may have really been happening behind the scenes with him a few times, but only just now at 2am was I _really_ struck with the details, and had to write them out and send them out to you all. I don't know if there will ever be another little update like this again, but I hope you all enjoyed this one ^^