My 47th birthday passed in near silence just three plates on the table, one seat left untouched, a quiet echo of the daughter I hadn’t spoken to in two years.
Every birthday, I still set that place for her, as if the simple act might somehow bring her back.

After washing the dishes, I stumbled upon a birthday card I’d never seen before. It was from Karen, my daughter, filled with heartfelt apologies, words of love, and an address in Canada. My hands trembled as I read each line. She hadn’t cut me out of her life after all; the message had just never reached me. For the first time in years, something warm and alive stirred in .
The following morning, I told my husband, Brad, that I had to find her.
Together, we went to see my ex-husband, Nigel, who awkwardly confessed that he had misplaced the card and forgotten to pass it along. The revelation stung, but the letter’s contents gave me strength. Karen had wanted to reconnect and I wasn’t going to let another moment slip away. That evening, I packed my suitcase and set out to close the distance time had built.