Dear V

I find it's the simplest things that are the most powerful.  In the summer of 2001 we went to a town show.  You bought me a birthday card not for my birthday but for the picture on the front; some dolphins swimming through space.  You saw the joke from Douglas Adams: the few survivors from earth included dolphins. You handed to me with the simple words "The dolphins left by their own means".  It made me smile.

I feel I abandoned you.  I failed to convince you C was dangerous.  And I know C made it impossible for you to talk to me after I tried.  But I should have found a way to go back for you.  I should have found some way to protect you, the one I loved, from him.  I still worry that C is hurting you even now.

I found that card recently still in its plastic wrapper as you gave it to me.  I've framed it and hung it on the wall and hope that maybe you got out by your own means.

I hope you're safe V.

I miss you.