Beyond Denver

Chapter 8

Dear Jessa,

It is almost the end of summer, with classes starting in about three weeks. I remember when Jason, you, and I spent hours planning our future as kids. You wanted to be an artist. I wanted to be a writer, and Jason was never sure what he wanted for a career. Instead, he would get a map and plan this big adventure around the world trip where we could be only ourselves and think for ourselves.

He would often say the journey in different parts of the world would help us grow as human beings in a society filled with misery and sadness. There were so many opportunities for volunteering with animals and people in need.

But life itself changed our course. It didn't take me to the around-the-world discovery with you and Jessa. Instead, it took me to a boarding school in Seattle and now to Wisconsin to study Business.

Somehow, there is a part of me that still lives in Chelan. And that's because all memories from childhood are tied to this one place I grew up and the people that mattered to me the most—you and Jason. So, Jessa, how can I ever find myself again if we were all brought apart in this world full of sadness and misery?

I dream about Chelan often. The pheasants fly above that clear glacier-fed lake surrounded by pine trees. In my dream, Jason and I still run down the streets playing pranks on the Chasers and then run back to the woods to our secret hiding spot, inseparable as we were. I understood why you chose to stay home most of the time. You were never a trouble.

You would rather sit with us by the fire in Grandma Gigi's big house. There, no one cared about us, kids, staying till late hours of the night singing songs or telling stories. No one cared because, in Chelan, we were always safe. And those were the most important days of my life.

With love,

Cassidy Bardot.