“Come get your worthless daughter and take her back,” my mother-in-law shouted my father as I lay broken at the bottom of the stairs after my husband shoved me down. “Your family will answer for it if she has even a scratch,” was the sole warning Dad offered her. They had no notion who my father really was, so they made fun of him.

His phone rang before he could dial the number, an incoming call from the police department.

Dad replied right away.

“This is Artur.

He looked hard, his eyes flickering to Gabriel.

“Come on, give us the update,” Gabriel urged.

Dad’s mouth went into a tight line as he listened.

“Was the white envelope sealed when you opened it up?” “Is he okay?” Dad asked the officer.

He waited a few seconds longer.