Dear Katherine

Why do you have to be so perfect?

Dear Katherine,

       After much convincing, you had finally agreed to let me introduce you to my family. I hadn’t known why, but you had started to act differently. You weren’t as engaging in our conversations and you almost never looked at me in the eyes anymore.

       I had chosen not to say anything about it, though. And on the evening that I picked you up at the same ice cream parlor we had always eaten at, you were wearing a pretty green dress and a dark blazer with your hair curled and down. You were so beautiful, it almost made me cry.

       We had walked to my house and the rest of the night had gone really well. You were so perfect. You had known exactly what to do and say around my family, and I knew that you weren’t even being fake—you were just genuinely well-mannered.

       But I had sensed that something was off with you. There had been an air of… secrecy and detachment between us. And I hadn’t known why.

       Had I said something wrong? Was it something I did? I had no idea. Nobody had any idea when it came to you, Kath.

       Forever yours,

       Jonathan.