Written Communications
Summary: Follows 'Los Angeles Heat' and takes place while Dom is in Lompoc.
Rating: T for a bit of language
Disclaimer: Yeah, I own nothing.
A year and a half later, Dominic was ten months into his prison sentence. Christmas had passed with a certain gloominess that none of them could really shake. Mia, for all intents and purposes, had claimed residence at Letty's house – even if she spent most of her time in her own home. Mrs. Ortiz had been granted temporary custody until the youngest Toretto was eighteen. She would be seventeen the first week of February, which was only a couple weeks away.
Letty herself had turned eighteen and graduated high school in late May. She made sure Mia went to school and got good grades. Not that it was hard. The girl had always been studious; but now school offered her a welcome distraction from the mess at home.
Vince and Leon helped Letty in the shop. Leon's cousin Jesse had shown up from Texas almost six months ago, and had inserted himself into the technically electronic side of the garage with ease. They hired three new guys, and then fired one who had tried making a move on Letty. They bribed one of Hector's cousins to come in to work part time instead, which worked well for all of them.
In the little free time she actually had, Letty also raced. The extra cash helped when things were tight.
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Vince had gone to see Dom in prison a few times in the last year, and Letty's mother had gone when there was need to speak with the lawyer that had been hired. But Dominic had been adamant to keep Mia away from Lompoc. And the only time Letty had gone to see him on her own a month ago, their visit had ended with him telling her not to come back.
It had stung more than she cared to admit. And she spent the next month being pissed… until she received a letter in the mail.
Mia was still at school and she went to her bedroom before opening it cautiously, not sure what to expect. It was from Dom. And he always managed to do the unexpected. It wasn't always a good thing.
It was a short letter, but she read it twice before her control shattered. She was still sobbing when her mother came home from work, and took the letter to read for herself.
Mia came back from volleyball practice an hour later to find them both still on Letty's bed, and Letty completely cried out. She was shocked at the state of her friend. "What happened?" she asked almost silently.
Mrs. Ortiz just sighed. She had put the letter in the drawer of the night table earlier, out of sight. If Letty was a mess over it, Mia would be catatonic. "It's just been a hard day, sweetheart."
"I'm fine, Mia", Letty murmured unconvincingly.
"Why don't you just stay with her while I go make us some dinner", Mrs. Ortiz suggested, carefully extracting herself from the pillows and blankets. "We'll eat in the living room tonight."
"That is serious", Mia murmured as Letty's mother left. The Ortiz house was strictly 'eat in the dining room only'. "You wanna talk about it?" she asked quietly.
Letty shook her head, "No, not really."
"Not even with the sock puppets that look like us?"
That got a small laugh. "Pass", Letty shook her head.
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Dear Letty,
Are you even reading this? Or are you still mad at me? I think I've given you enough time… but I know how you like to hold a grudge. Like the time you were in eighth grade and I told that boy that you liked him. I'm pretty sure you're still mad that I embarrassed you. You packed a pretty mean punch for a munchkin.
Don't be hurt, Let. Just because I don't want you here doesn't mean I don't miss you. I do. I miss seeing your face. But I know what happens behind bars, and none of it is good. I don't need the mental picture of you being here. And I don't want you seeing me here either – who I have to be to survive here.
I regret it- what I did. I lost my cool. My temper got the best of me for a split second, and had disastrous results. Not just for me. I deserve the punishment I got. I nearly killed a man, and I'm paying for it in so many ways. I'm missing you and Mia growing up – your graduation. I'm so proud of you for that. I know you spent your junior year trying to drop out.
Your lives are going on without me, even if you try not to let them. Time passes so slowly here, I pray you'll never know what it's like.
I'd tell you to take care of Mia for me, but I know you already are. Don't forget to take care of yourself too. When I finally get back home… I owe you a hug. Among other things.
On the off-chance that you didn't just rip this up and set it on fire, I wouldn't hate it if you wrote back. It's boring as fuck here.
Dom
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Letty waited until late that night, once she was sure Mia was asleep, to pull the letter back out and write a response.
Dominic-
You're an ass, you know that? My reaction to that letter gave my mother grey hairs. (Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, big man.)
You should have just told me the truth. I live under the hoods of cars. What part of 'prison is dirty' did you think would deter me? I just wanted to know that you were okay. I had to see for myself. Vince tried to talk me out of it. But you know I don't like being told what to do.
Mia's quiet – which isn't normal. But she's doing well in school. She made the volleyball team this year. I think it's been good for her. We're planning a big blow-out for her birthday. It's a surprise. She's going to be so pissed. And she'll love it.
Dom, you've got to stop beating yourself up. You're almost at the halfway mark, man. Don't get complacent now. Do what you have to do. Just be careful, and try not to get into too much trouble? Is that too much to ask? You're paying for what you did… and I won't lie to you. So are we, because you aren't here, and things might be easier if you were. Sorry, but I can only restrain myself for so long, even in my writing. The truth is what it is. I think we're way beyond sugarcoating anything here.
We want you to come home in one piece.
And when you do, I've got your back.
Letty
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She sealed it quickly, not wanting to dwell on her words and try to rewrite everything. She would drop it in the mailbox in the morning.
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A/N: Well, this is the second piece. It's short, but a little dramatic, I guess. Ouch, my brain. Lol. One, possibly two, more to follow before I'm satisfied. The next should be rated M.