Maria was twenty-five years old, and she lived in a small apartment in London. She worked in a café near the river. Every morning, she made coffee for tired people in suits. Every evening, she walked home in the rain. London was a big city, and sometimes Maria felt very small and very alone.
On Saturdays, Maria went to the old library on Baker Street. She loved the quiet rooms and the smell of old books. One Saturday, she chose a book about the sea. It had a blue cover, and it was very old. When she opened it at home, a letter fell out onto the floor.
The paper was yellow, and the writing was beautiful. The letter said: "Dear Anna, I am sorry I did not come to the station. I was afraid. If you still love me, meet me at the bench by the river, under the big tree. I will wait there every Sunday at three o'clock. Love, Daniel." At the top, there was a date. The letter was from 1974.
Maria read the letter three times. Did Anna ever read it? Did she go to the river? Was Daniel still alive? Maria could not sleep that night. She knew the bench. She walked past it every day on her way to work.