Hidden Behind Everything Happy

The First Letter

I unpacked my suitcase for the week and put everything into drawers and the wardrobe. I came downstairs to find the fridge stacked with cheeses and other foods and the freezer full of burgers, hot dogs, and an array of nice looking frozen meals. My Aunt was a vegetarian so their was a lot of non meat food groups, so it was a good thing I liked quorn. 

"You are so beautiful to me!" I danced around the house in my underwear that week, which got embarassing when I realised that the post man was about fifty and had no trouble stopping and staring through the glass window...perv. 

I made myself a breakfast of fruit and nuts with fresh Greek yogurt and a glass of orange juice. I always felt healthier when in America; which didn't make much sense I know, but it did. I was wearing an airy white linen dress with little pink and green flowers on and a pair of white flip flops. 

"Time for going out I think" I buzzed about the house smiling to myself, I locked all the doors and then the windows, I called Nicky and then arranged to meet at the end of the pier. The pier was down the other end of the boardwalk and Nicky's house was about a mile away from the pier on the other side. 

I was walking along the wooden boardwalk with the wind blowing lightly in my face. I liked the heat from the sun on my shoulders that was tanning me to a rich golden brown. There was a special kind of beach atmosphere here, it was like everything was sunny and watery and pretty. 

I grabbed a sandwich at the sandwich bar and then a raspberry and chocolate smoothie as I walked around the wooden boardwalk. I was walking down the pier when I glanced at my watch and saw I was still fifteen minutes early, and everyone knew it was always good to be fashionably late in America. 

I took a seat on a giant rock that had been randomly placed in the side of the pavement, I mean sidewalk or curb. The rock was flat on top and in the shape of a perfectly symmetrical cube, it was warm too, the stone absorbing the heat from the sun much like my skin. 

I opened my bad and rummaged, I had some rubbish in my handbags, so I might as well use the time wisely and get rid of what I didn't need. I pulled out a used tissue, a pair of sunglasses with only one lens left, and a pair of odd socks. I walked them over the the yellow bin and threw them in, then I continued to throw away the rubbish. There was a wrapper from a toffee, some more tissues and an envelope- 

Wait, what?

On the envelope was the name Sophie and I opened it with wonder across my face. I wondered who had put a letter in my bag, I assumed it would be some joke or riddle from Nicky, or maybe even a Birthday good wish from my mother. 

Dear Sophie, 

There was something different about you from then to now, I never thought I'd watch your life fall apart in such a slow and painful way. Its like I failed in my duties to you and for that I'm sorry. But I want you to be happy. People make mistakes Sophie, sometimes you have to forgive them, and sometimes you have to move on. My biggest mistake was leaving my little angel, and I hope one day you can forgive me. 

Love you more than you'll ever know, from Daddy x

I was in shock, and it was that obvious that I dropped my letter and watched as it flew away down the boardwalk. The writing was slanted and thick, as if done in marked pen. It was childish and slightly curly, but it looked like a man had definitely written it. The single kiss also told me that a man had written it, girls tended to put more than one if they were going to put any at all. 

I collapsed back on the rock, with a lead like weight in my heart. That couldn't have been my father, because he was dead. So who would play such a cruel prank? Riley, Lukas, Mum, Aunt Glow and Uncle Ash knew. None of them would want to hurt me.