Dear Rosie, (Love Letters #2)

They’re all to me.

And they’re all sad.

Only one letter hasn’t been sad.

Just one.

Dear Nathan,

I saw a bunny today. I was sitting in the woods in our spot, and I was still for so long that he hopped right up to me.

I wanted to feed him a marshmallow, but I don’t think they’re supposed to eat them. So I guess I’ll have to finish the bag myself.

PS It’s a new bag I bought for myself with a five I found on the ground in the park. I finished the bag you left a long time ago.

Love,

Rosie

I can picture it. Her sitting quietly in the woods.

I fold the page and put it back.

There are so many letters.

And I read them.

Because they’re mine.

I pull out another.

After the first few, she started dating them. And the date at the top of the letter in my hand is four years after I moved.

To the day.

Dear Nathan,

He hit me today.

My knees give out, and I drop onto Rosie’s bed.

“No.” The paper trembles in my hand.

He’s never hurt me like that before.

It was always just words.

Do you rememberwhen you left? Do you remember asking me if he hurt me?

I wish I’d told you then. I wish I’d told you how mean he was.

But it was always just words.

Tear marks stain the page, and I feel like I’m going to throw up.

He wasn’t always like this. But ever since Mom died…

It’s been bad, Nathan.