“You want to write a novel?” Zoey asked with raised brows. “Sincewhen?”
“Since I was in high school. I started one but never finishedit.”
“That’s so cool! I’d be so proud to have an author for a sister. Why are you going to study social work if you want to be a writer? Wouldn’t you study English orsomething?”
English? Classes?Anxiety pushed my pulse into double time. “Oh my goodness! With everything going on, I almost forgot. I’ve got to register for classes.” I grabbed my bag and my laptop Ashton and Sadie had given me for my birthday and sat down at the kitchentable.
Zoey wasn’t giving up on our conversation, though. She pulled out the Chunky Chocolate Extreme, two spoons, and settled in by myside.
I tried to ignore her, firing up my laptop and snagging my printed class list from my purse. When I did, Dylan’s letters fell onto thetable.
“Have you read them yet?” Zoeyasked.
“One of them,” I said with a dismissivewave.
Zoey poked me in the arm with a spoon. “You know he only has three weeks left of leave,right?”
I felt a twinge deep inside at the knowledge that he’d be gone again soon, but that was a good thing. “No sense in reading them,then.”
Zoey bolted up, grabbed my laptop, andran.
“Where are you going?” I shouted afterher.
The bedroom door slammed before I even reached the hall. “You can have your laptop back when you read those letters. It’s time for some tough sisterlylove.”
“Sisterly curse is more like it. Give me that laptop back!” I pounded my fist against thedoor.
“As I said, you can have it back after you read those letters. Not a minute before, so you best get toreading.”
I knew Zoey well enough to realize that begging wouldn’t get me anywhere. When she thought she was helping, she was like a giant gorilla with a banana-flavored scone. “Fine, but I need my laptop back. Registration ends atmidnight.”
“Then you better start reading,” Zoey yelled through thedoor.
I shuffled back to the kitchen and plopped down in a chair. With my class list on my left, Dylan’s letters at my right, and a tub of ice cream in front of me, I tried to think of a way out of this, but I’d stalled long enough. It was time to move on with my life, and if reading these letters meant that I would, then I should get itdone.
After a huge spoonful of chocolate goodness, I opened the letter dated five monthsago.
DearAves,
Iknewit was a long shot for the first letter to reach you. I’ve written dozens more to you since but none that I could send. They were written to you as if we were still together and I was sharing my life with you the way we did in high school, but we’re not together. I realize that I have no one to blame butmyself.
Part of me really wanted to protect you from pain and of losing me again, but after last week…well, that’s a heavy story that’s for my girlfriend, not the woman I wish to win back. Anyway, I realized that I was also protecting myself from the pain. It wasn’t that I had the fear of you running away from me but that one day you’d wake up and realize you deserved better. You are the smartest, funniest, most outrageous, southernly charming girl I’ve ever known. I’ve traveled around the world and can safely say there is no one likeyou.
Do you remember that movie you made me watch where, in the end, despite all his screwups, the woman still fell into his arms with only a few words? I can only dream that after I see you, you will fall in love with me all overagain.
Perhaps we have both changed, but as you once told me, we can grow old and wilted, but we can never growapart.
The image of you is the only thing keeping me going these last few months. I only hope if your sister is reading this letter, she will decide to share it withyou.
Iloveyou,
Dylan
