Letters & Snow Days
A little short, sweet slashlet – Eric/Hyde
Point Place, WI
Dear Hyde, (crossed out once with black Sharpie and replaced with) Steven,
I am a coward and I know it. There was a reason for everything I did and first I feel two things. 1. I'm being completely
honest with you and 2. I know I am messing up what is good and right between you and Jackie. I guess Red was right
all these years; I am a dumbass. I just couldn't go through with marrying Donna. I feel bad that I hurt her. She's a
great friend, and after I write this letter to you, I'm going to send her a letter as well. I mean we are raised to be a
certain way and if you don't mesh with societies standards, you get put into all of these little boxes that make the
other person feel better. Plus, I was stubborn, I had to beat Red at his games, but I was hurting Donna in the process.
I am a prick. This is difficult to write and if it weren't for the fact that I am in Africa I don't think I'd have the courage
to mail this to you at all. But, I am a gay man. You don't know how good it feels even if it is just written and not the
spoken word to have admitted that to my best friend. I knew when I was 12. Red kept pushing and prodding me to be
what he deemed to be a man. I'm telling Donna in another letter and yes, I am telling the folks. I am also never
returning to Point Place again. Because I cannot continue to live this lie. I'm getting money for my education and I'll go
to college to get my teaching degree. I'll find some roommates and live off-campus. But, I just wanted to say goodbye
to you, you taught me to stand up for what I believe in, even if I didn't always listen, you introduced me to great
music and some other great "stuff". I'll miss everyone, even Jackie, but don't tell her that, because I know she'll hate
me for ruining her happiness with you.
I hope you'll never forget me, I'll never forget you,
-Eric
Dear Mom and Dad,
I don't know how you 2 are going to take this, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm gay and I have known this
since I was 12. I'll save the trouble and do what I'm good at, I'm bailing. Maybe, someday, I'll contact you again, but I
already know I'll be disowned for wanting to be who I really am. I'll always love the both of you.
-Eric
Dear Donna,
You get the complete letter and I hope you will keep what I am about tell you in the strictest of confidences. First, I
am sorry for all the hurt I have caused you, if I was only honest with you from the moment you kissed me after the
Todd Rundgren concert, none of this would have happened. As you will get confirmed by Steven and Mom/Dad's
letters, I am gay. I miss our friendship before the romance ruined it. I'm never contacting anyone again; I'm saying
my goodbye's here. I'll be going to school and live off-campus in a place nowhere near Wisconsin. The part that is for
your eyes only, and please keep this promise, there are 2 reasons why I cannot see all of you ever again. 1. I don't
want to deal with my parents, lets face it, Mom will think I'm sinning and send me the nearest church, Dad will put his
foot in my ass and disown me to my face and 2. I'm in love with Steven. I know he can't return that kind of love and it
hurts. But I want him to be happy with Jackie. I don't want to break her heart in the process. Donna you gave me the
confidence that I have now, but I don't have enough guts to tell Red that his only son is gay. And in love with Steven.
I can't risk it. I've done enough harm. I enjoy working with children and I think I'll be a good teacher. I wish life was
different and I hope you find a man who will love you and treat you like you deserve to be treated.
Always,
-Eric
Letters delivered
Donna sat at the water tower after midnight. Wow. She didn't see that coming, but it certainly explained a lot of
Eric's behavior. He was gay. And he loved Hyde and he didn't want her to tell him which was going to be hard to
do as Donna saw him climb up the water tower. She offered him a beer.
"Did you get a letter from Eric today?" Donna asked
Hyde opened the can of beer. "Yeah. How are you feeling?"
Anything that deflected the attention from him. He crossed out Hyde and wrote Steven and said he was going to
mess up his relationship with Jackie. It was him. Forman liked him.
"Shocked, but at the same time, I should've seen the signs."
"He wanted to be the perfect boyfriend for you."
"How are Red and Kitty?" Donna didn't want to go over there.
"Mrs. Forman laughed it off and went upstairs to pray for him and Mr. Forman, you know, he never said anything
good or bad…."
"I could wring his scrawny neck for cutting us out of his life!"
"He thinks it's for the best."
"Hyde, I know I was supposed to keep this a secret, but…"
"How could he possibly think it was a secret for crossing out Hyde with Steven and saying he was going to cause
my relationship to be over with Jackie?"
"You love him back, don't you? You'd never be so forthcoming and not after 1 beer."
"I had 2 before I got here. And yes, I do love Forman."
"He's not coming back here, so what are you going to do, Hyde? What about Jackie?"
"I already told Jackie…she's going to need you. She called me a fucking queer jerk and kicked me in the shins. As
for Forman? I don't know," Hyde let Donna put her arm around him for comfort, "I don't know."
Author's Note: Thanks to Marla's Lost for encouraging me to put both of the finished E/H stories that
have been sitting inside my computer. so look for them before the holidays. This one's first.