She had let her people update her on his new life though. He got married again, he had kids, a perfect life it seemed. Hillary had always told Annabelle he had left and had no idea where he could be found; that he had wished never to see any of them again. She did regret it sometimes; particularly when Annabelle started growing up, wondering why she didn’t have a dad. But she couldn’t bring herself to tell her the truth, even though, deep down, she knew her daughter always knew she had lied to her about it all.

Reaching into the drawer again, she picked up another picture of Annabelle, she was sixteen on it. Of course, she hadn’t been the one taking the picture, she had stolen it from Annabelle’s room without ever letting her know. At the bottom of her secret crap drawer also was the letter. The letter her daughter had written her, telling her everything about her affair with her teacher. She remembered bursting into tears of rage when she had first read it. Anger pumping in her veins at the simple thought that someone could take advantage of her Annabelle.

Yes, her Annabelle. To the world, Hillary Tillman was an enraged Senator, stripped from any feelings, someone inhuman. But, she simply wasn’t. The first time she got involved in politics, she realized she had to be tough to stay in the game, and so, she had distanced herself from everyone, including her daughter. She had never given any thoughts to how Annabelle might have taken her coldness; never until she received the letter.