“Why didn’t you just call?” I ask as I open the door and let him inside, my eyes scanning the floor, hoping I didn’t leave anything gross lying around.
“I told you I’d wait for you, remember?” he says. “And I almost called you several times, but then I decided I had to see you. So I took a chance. And here I am.” He opens his arms wide out at his sides, a big smile on his face.
“And besides,” he goes on, dropping his arms, “I figured if I was standing in front of you, it’d be harder for you to say no.”
“You want to know the truth?”
“The truth is good,” he says.
“I couldn’t have said no to you either way.”
He smiles.
I take his hand and lead him to the sofa. We sit down together, me on his lap.
“Why didn’t you call me?” he asks.
“Because I was terrified. Luke, I really thought you were dead. I got a letter from Kendra, and it was like the nail in the coffin, y’know? I couldn’t open it. I didn’t want to know the truth.” There’s a strong catch in my voice.
Luke’s eyebrows wrinkle and his head rears back.
“You got a letter from Kendra?”
“Yeah. About a week after Norway. She sent it to my job.”
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“No. I’m dead serious.”
I jump up from his lap. “Come here and I’ll show you.”
Luke follows me into my bedroom.
I give him the torn envelope first with Kendra’s name and address beautifully written across the front. He looks down at it strangely while I’m picking the pieces of the letter up from the floor. I take them over to my desk and open them all, laying them out so I can put them back together like a puzzle. When I have all the pieces in place, I pat the paper down with the palm of my hand to smooth it out so that it’s readable.
And then I read it out loud.
Hey Sienna,
I know you probably never expected to hear from me. And it was a bitch tracking you down, just so you know. I sent an email through the website where you work, but it bounced back. I tried calling once, but I got the voice mail and, shit, I can’t stand voice mail. Talkin’ to myself and all. And no telling who’s listening to it. I hate that. Anyway. Look, Luke is a pretty aewsome awesome guy, and as you know, I’m kind of protective of him. OK, I’m a little batshit-crazy protective of him, but I am of all of my good friends because we’re like a family. And I know this might be weird because we didn’t know each other real well, but I think of you as family too and I think you and Luke belong together. Like, no joke. You’re kinda perfect for him (even if you’re afraid of heights) and I guess this is me trying to do right by you both and tell you that he’s so fucking in love with you it makes me nauseous. Seriously. He talks about you all the time. It might be sweet and all, but it’s weird. I think he needs to get laid. Maybe that’ll help. But with you, of course. I don’t want any bitches breakin’ his heart, y’know?
So anyway, just give it some thought. He quit BASE jumping. Kinda sucks, but we all totally understand. Give him a call or somethning, something (I think I’m dyslexic!). And really, I kinda miss you too. I’ve never really got along with bitches before, but you’re all right.
Yeah, so umm, if anyone other than Sienna (dark reddish-brown hair, short bangs, and with like a million freckles) is reading this letter, do me a favor and get the hell out of my business. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Kendra Morganton
Luke laughs out loud and his hand goes up toward his face, where he rubs his fingers against his jaw—it needs another shave, which I’d be happy to give him.
“Wow,” he says with disbelief. “I, uh, well, I had no idea she did that. And I’m really kind of shocked that she’d do it at all. That’s not like her.”