My release hits me like a freight train and he follows right behind me.
We’ve just finished making ourselves presentable again when a knock at the door makes us jump.
“Come in,” I call out.
Daria enters, stunning in a red gown that has her signature style. “Hello, my loves.” She greets us both with a hug and a kiss.
“Daria! So glad you made it, you look amazing,” I say.
“Thank you, thank you. My parents send their love.”
“How are they doing?” both Micah and I ask.
“Good. My mom’s non-lucid days are becoming more frequent, but we’re managing. Anyway, I didn’t come back here to stir that up. I wanted to make sure you got your letters.”
Micah and I look at each other. “Our letters?”
She beams with pride. “I knew I sewed them in there too well. Come, come.” She pulls a small pair of scissors from the top of her dress and ushers me over.
She silently gets to work cutting a tiny incision into my dress, and when she does, she pulls out a small folded-up note. Tanya’s handwriting is on the front.
“What is going on?” I ask.
She ushers Micah over and starts cutting into his suit as well. She pulls out a note with the same writing on it and hands it to him.
“Tanya asked me to sew these into your garments and not say anything until the day you wore them.”
That woman really thought of everything.
“I will leave you to it. Whatever these notes say is bound to make me cry and I don’t wanna have to fix my makeup.” She blows us a kiss and a wave as she backs out of the room.
So, this is it. After this, we won’t have any more letters coming from Tanya. I’ve come to rely on these letters as confirmation that she’s still looking out for me. Every time I read one, I swear I can hear her voice so clearly. I never want to forget what it sounded like.
The thought of forgetting any detail of her brings tears to my eyes. I guess it’s just fuck my makeup then. I hold my letter out to Micah. “You read mine, I’ll read yours?”
“Deal.”
We switch letters and he starts reading immediately.
My dearest Dani Girl,
I can’t leave this earth without telling you how special you are. You have been through a lot and you’re still standing. You are incredibly resilient, but please hear me when I say this.
You don’t have to be.
You don’t always have to be so strong.
This country was built off of our strength. Sometimes, we need to tell them to hold their own damn heads up.
We deserve rest.
Rest, Dani Girl.
Let it go.
Love you deeply,
Tanya
