Miles watched as Letty appeared to be sizing him up with her eyes. Her gaze was searching for something in Miles’s face. What it was, Miles didn’t know.
Is she looking for fear? Panic? Is Letty afraid of what it is that she would find in my letters? Miles wondered, his thoughts racing as he stared back at Letty. As Miles finished his thoughts, Letty snapped her eyes from his face and gently lifted the lid of the box. Filled to the brim with unopened envelopes, the security box contained nothing but the unanswered correspondence of one Mr. Miles Capadonno, Prisoner #27163972, to Miss Leticia Alves. As Letty flicked through the hundreds of envelopes, she gasped, not knowing what to say or where to begin. Miles watched Letty’s face morph from anticipation to sadness. Rising from the bed with a knowing expression on his face, Miles sat behind Letty, curling his arm across her chest. He pulled her back against him, planting a kiss on her forehead. Dumping out the contents of the box, Miles found the oldest letters and passed them to Letty. Miles felt a single teardrop fall onto his arm, quickly rolling off his sleeve tattoo.
“None of that,” Miles said as he stroked the tears from Letty’s face.
“I feel terrible, Miles,” Letty sobbed. The sound wrecked Miles’s cool.
“You didn’t know. It’s better this way,” Miles assured her with a faint smile. With his index finger, Miles gently caressed Letty’s cheek.
“It is?” Letty asked, confusion written all over her face.
“Yes. Now start here…” Miles said as he passed her a letter that was postmarked May 20, 1998.
May 20, 1998
Miles Capadonno
Prisoner #27163972
Pennsylvania Corrections
Franklin Correctional Facility
1022 Race Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Letty,
I tried calling your house, but the number has been disconnected. Are you okay? I need to see you. Visiting hours are from 3-7 on Saturdays. I just want to hear your voice. I’m doing all right. I’m holding my own. You know me. The only guys that really mess with me are my father’s buddies. Did you go straight home like I said? Do you still have the keys to my car?
Please do me a favor and stay away from my family, especially my brothers and my father. Just keep yourself safe. I have a lawyer that’s working on my appeal. I’ll come back for you, Letty. I swear. I’ll make this right. I’ll give you the life you deserve.
Write back as soon as you can. I love you, Letty.
-Miles
Letty swept her tears away with a quick swipe of her hand. As she reached for the next envelope, she exhaled, not even realizing that she had been holding her breath the entire time.
“I’m going to need therapy after reading all these, Miles,” Letty said with a sniff.
A chuckle ripped from Miles’s throat. “You already need therapy!” Miles quipped with a sarcastic smirk.
Letty slapped Miles hard on his thigh. Clearly not fazing him, Miles said, “I’m kidding! C’mon, read the next one.”
Miles passed Letty another letter. Carefully, she opened it.
May 25, 1998
Miles Capadonno
Prisoner #27163972
Pennsylvania Corrections
Franklin Correctional Facility
1022 Race Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Letty,
I don’t know if mail is slow or if you’re just not writing back to me. Please call me, write, visit, whatever. I need to hear from you. I need to know that you’re okay. I understand if you don’t want to come to the prison. I don’t want to be here either. I need you to reach out to me. I’m so worried that something happened to you. I feel helpless in here, and I feel like I’m talking to a wall. I just want to know that you’re okay.
-Miles
Don’t forget about me.
Letty’s hands quaked with rage as she read the last sentence that was scrawled across the page. She was furious with herself for thinking that Miles had ever forgotten about her. Miles glided his hand gently across Letty’s back as she reacted to the letter. Not saying a word, Miles passed Letty another unopened envelope. Seeing all his words laid out on the bed—all his pain, all his hope, his frustrations and his love, Miles was affected, too. Taking a deep breath, he squashed his worry down deep, keeping any emotions from roaming unchecked. Michael Capadonno’s voice rung out loud and clear: “Be a good soldier. Never show weakness. Never show fear. Emotions are for sissies. Your enemies will sniff out your fear. A Capadonno is never weak. Stick out your chin, boy! Learn to take a hit like a man.”
But as soon as Miles had buried his pain, Letty sought to unbury it.
“Don’t you swallow that!” Letty spat. “You tell me what’s wrong! You speak!”
Miles stared down at Letty with a somber expression on his face.
“For the past seventeen years, the only way I got anything off my chest was to write to you. You’re the only person I trusted. You’re still the only person I trust fully,” Miles admitted. He shrugged his shoulder. “It’s true.”