Finding Freedom

Finding Freedom - Part 3 Chapter 1

Part 3

Chapter 1

Dear David,

            Today marks the one year anniversary of the day you left Foreston. I’m not sure how I was reminded of this, but somehow I remembered.

            Everyone sends their regards, and want me to let you know that you are dearly missed by all.

            Little Alexandra has grown quite a bit since my last letter, and is able to walk now. You should hear her talk, it is the most adorable thing. Martha spends her days watching the progression of her little girl, just as she did when you were still here.

            Kyra and Dean are doing better than ever. Dean is working hard to take over Luke’s profession when the latter will be unable to practice medicine anymore. I hope that might still be some time away. Kyra has been giving too much attention to her newborn boy, Sasha. I fear that the little one will grow to be over-pampered. Of course it hasn’t been helping that Martha is crazy about him, though she keeps complaining that having a grandchild makes her feel old.

            I must admit that I have been feeling a bit lonely these days. I miss the little group we had, our usual joking around. Hopefully when summer comes back I will be able to go on walks along the creek, which I am unable to do now due to all the snow that fell this year. I will have to try and convince Kyra to come along. Everyone has been too busy to have much fun lately.

            Oh, I must go. Leah is crying.

            Dear me, I have yet to tell you about Leah. I have been taking care of her since her birth. I hadn’t mentioned her to you in my last letter for fear that she wouldn’t survive. She has weak lungs, just like I do. She will be five months old, soon, and Luke says that she seems to be out of danger. I am glad, for I have become quite attached to her. Why am I taking care of her, you might wonder. All I have to answer to this is that the circumstances with which she came to be with us make it impossible for her to be taken care of by anyone else. I refused that anyone else take that responsibility.

            The identity of her father remains unknown, but I will never let that come in the way of her well-being. Kyra has been insisting that Leah and Sasha spend all their time together, though neither of the children are yet old enough to actually play with the other. I think it has come into her mind that the two of them will become close friends, and that their friendship will eventually become the type of romance you only find in books written for desperate maidens in search for love. Although I do not condemn the idea of them being friends, I do not plan on forcing them to any sort of romantic relationship. The hardest part will most likely be to convince Kyra.

            I am sure if you were here you would be able to put a bit more sense into her head. Having found love is making her imagine that everyone else must also find it. I do not think there is one single available man left in the town that has not yet fallen victim to her plan of finding my soul mate. It has reached a point where I am tempted to accept the next one that comes just so she stops.

            Not much news has reached us from the capital since winter started. How is it there? Have you gotten as much snow as we have here? Are your brothers home often? I hope your step mother is doing well. What have you been doing since your last letter? The postman never comes this far during winter, and I feel lacking of fresh news. You must have some information that would make good gossip material.

            There I go again. I must seem like an old maid, asking for gossip like this. That only shows the extent of my ennui. Maybe once Leah is old enough to be away from me for some time I could come visit you at Northanger. I feel I am growing lazy staying still in this town.