International Affairs

Unexpected Letter

Jane placed her hand on the light switch. "I'm going to miss you two."

Sammy laughed. "I'm going to miss you too, Jane."

"Me three," Katelyn added.

"Goodnight!"

"Goodnight!"

"Katelyn!" Sammy exclaimed, looking at the list on the screen. "You have a package!"

Katelyn put down the random brochure she was reading. "A package...?" she asked, skeptically.

Katelyn never received packages. When she was younger, she got cards from her extended family but as years passed, everyone got too busy. Other girls however often got packages from parents or siblings.

"Katelyn Hathaway?" the desk lady asked.

"Yeah, that's me," Katelyn replied, sliding over her ID.

The lady typed into the computer and handed Katelyn a big package.

"Wow," Sammy awed, picking up her own package. "What did you get? I got that dress from Italy I was showing you at the library. My sister sent it since she's patrolling there."

"I have no idea," Katelyn said, looking at the package for a name. "Let's go back our room. I want to open it."

The two girls hurried back to their dorm room.

"Look what Katelyn got!" Sammy announced, pushing open the door with her box at her hip.

Jane had been sitting cross legged on her floor, flipping through her jewelry body. "Wow, that's a big package," she marveled.

Katelyn carefully sat it down and tore at the tape. Inside the giant box were several smaller boxes. The first box was large and flat, and brown with gold stripes on it. There was even an envelope taped on top.

Everyone waited in silence as Katelyn gingerly peeled off the envelope and opened the letter.

"This is from my mom!" Katelyn gasped, covering her mouth.

She recognized the handwriting, shaky but still elegant. Her mom sent her a letter? When was the last time they spoke? Ten years? Ten years later and Katelyn finally got a letter from her mom?

Dear Katelyn,

I'm not sure where to start for we have not spoken for a long time...

Katelyn tried not to crumple the paper when her shoulders tensed up. She had started attending Grace Marshall's at the age of four. She was seventeen now. Indeed it was a very VERY long time. Katelyn wanted to roll her eyes at the piece of paper.

You're like your father. You will hold a grudge for a long time especially if someone you love has been hurt, and I hurt you and your sister. What is stronger than "I'm sorry"? I don't even know how to express my feelings. In all 30 languages I am fluent in, for some reason there are no words to express my apologies and regrets. It's so hard to speak to you because you're so much more sensitive, more feeling than Susan. You take things harder than she ever will.

Katelyn took a tissue from a box that Jane offered. She could almost hear her mom's voice as she read the letter. Hearing her mom's voice in her head stirred up a whole mixture of feelings, hatred, resentment, longing, familiarity, anger, frustration...

This is the 54th letter I have started to write to you. Each time I couldn't bear to finish. I don't know what to say or how to begin. I still don't. Perhaps I will start with the truth. You must have heard the rumors and all the stories about your father and me. It's true. I met him on a mission.