SUBJECT: Re: I’m alive
So you’ve been spending the month with your toddler niece and the Manson Family. Nice. Joking. I’m sorry things have been hectic for you. I think it’s admirable that you sacrifice your own time to be with your niece and that your sister is adamant on having someone babysit her. My parents would have just left me alone and not thought twice about it.
I’m in Coimbra, Portugal, on a new assignment. I’ve been shadowing an engineering professor at the University of Coimbra who moonlights as a baker. He brings in desserts for his students every class, so they love him, of course.
I’m attaching a picture of a p?o de ló cake he made last week. It’s light, like an angel cake. It was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. If you were here, I would have saved you a piece.
~Strick
FROM: Lily G. <[email protected]>
TO: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
DATE: October 13, 2:54am
SUBJECT: Re: I’m alive
Hi Strick,
Since I last wrote, things have gotten a bit worse. I think Iris’s job is really stressing her out. She’s starting to crack a little. The other day, she locked herself in the bathroom and I could hear her crying, but when she opened the door, she was fresh faced and smiling as if nothing had happened and she didn’t want to talk about it. She’s always been like that in a way. After my brother-in-law passed away, she became obsessed with finding the right flowers to put on every table at the repast. It was all she talked about for days.
It’s almost 3am here. I’m in Iris’s spare bedroom, staring at the ceiling, worrying about my family. Maybe I am turning into an insomniac like you.
What keeps you up at night?
Lily
FROM: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
TO: Lily G. <[email protected]>
DATE: October 13, 3:06am
SUBJECT: Re: I’m alive
Lily, I’m really sorry to hear that your sister and niece are struggling. They’re really lucky to have you there with them and I hope things get better soon.
To answer your question about my insomnia, it started when I was young, maybe around nine or so. I was alone a lot at night, so I mostly stayed awake because I was afraid. But when I couldn’t sleep, I read. I didn’t have money to buy books, so I read anything I could get my hands on at the library. My favorite book was probably A Wrinkle in Time. I checked it out so often, the librarian at my school ended up buying a copy for me, which was kind of her but simultaneously made me feel like a charity case. Either way, the escapism saved me.
You said you read a lot when you were younger too. What did you read? Maybe you should try to read for a while. It might help you fall asleep.
~Strick
FROM: Lily G. <[email protected]> TO: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
DATE: October 13, 3:21am
SUBJECT: Re: I’m alive
My favorite book was Ella Enchanted. I felt like Ella when I was younger, like I had to do everything my parents and sisters said. Violet and Iris are the opposite of evil stepsisters. They’re the best sisters in the world. It’s just by comparison, I came up short, and I still do. I used to think something was wrong with me because I wasn’t into clubs and sports like they were, and I wasn’t a great student either. Nothing about me was particularly exceptional. But whenever I was reading, I didn’t think about that. The escapism saved me too. I guess we have that in common.
I do have a few e-books saved on my phone. I’ll take your advice and read for a while.
Not to make it awkward, but I want to tell you how much I appreciate being your (virtual) friend. You’ve been a confidant for the last five months, which sounds so silly because we’ve never met, and I don’t even know what you look like. But maybe that’s the magic of it. We’re two strangers who mutually decided to show each other some kindness. I feel less alone, knowing that you’re only an email away.
As always, thank you for listening.
FROM: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
TO: Lily G. <[email protected]>
DATE: October 13, 3:27am
SUBJECT: Re: I’m alive
Lily, I feel the same. As I said before, you’re the only person I regularly correspond with other than my boss and literary agent, and I have to admit that your emails bring me much more joy than theirs. In my line of work, I meet strangers all the time, and once we get to know each other well, I have to leave. It’s funny that we’ve never met, but our connection has endured.
P.S.—I’m in Vilnius, Lithuania. Not sure where I’m headed next, still waiting on that assignment. Here’s a picture of Vilnius’s Cathedral Square. I thought the buildings were striking. I immediately felt at peace in that space. I hope that looking at this picture can do the same for you.
FROM: Lily G. <[email protected]>
TO: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
DATE: November 28, 9:51pm
SUBJECT: Happy Thanksgiving
Hi Strick,
It’s Thanksgiving Day here in North America. I’ve been cooking and baking with my mom and sisters all day.
Where are you? How are you?
XO,
Lily
P.S.—Thank you for sending the picture of the Cathedral Square. I looked at it several times over the last month, and it did bring me peace.
FROM: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]> TO: Lily G. <[email protected]>
DATE: November 28, 11:22pm
SUBJECT: Re: Happy Thanksgiving
Lily—
It’s so good to hear from you. I’m in Plzeň, Czech Republic. I’ve been getting to know a couple who work at the Pilsner Urquell brewery (home of the pilsner beer; have you ever tried it?) What did you bake? How are you doing?
~Strick
FROM: Lily G. <[email protected]>
TO: N.R. Strickland <[email protected]>
DATE: November 30, 1:34am
SUBJECT: Re: Happy Thanksgiving
Hi Strick,
Last night I fell asleep right after writing to you. I guess that’s what happens when you eat seconds of Thanksgiving dinner and finish it with pie. (I baked every pie: apple cinnamon, pumpkin and sweet potato.) It was the first full night of sleep I’ve had in months.