A/N Hey guys new chapter is up. Things have been happening in my personal life and writing has been a good distraction. I also kind of made up Caleb's middle name in this as it says no where that he has one so I just chose Thomas and Hanna's is Brittany, only because I saw it on a PLL quiz. Thank you for the reviews so far they have made me really happy :)
As Hanna made her way to The Brew to meet her two best friends for a coffee date, all she could think about was the heart-wrenching letter that Caleb had responded to her with. Though she had never been in quite the same situation as he had she understood how it felt to have a Parent that couldn't give a damn about their own child. She'd never met Caleb face to face but ever since Spencer and Aria had babbled on about how hot he was whenever they would Skype their husbands and he'd appeared in the background of the screen, she knew that her best friends were trying their ultimate hardest to set her up.
"Hey guys," Hanna greeted, making her presence aware as she saw her friends engrossed in what looked like a deep conversation.
"Hey Han, wrote another smutty letter to lover boy yet?" Spencer teased as she picked up her cup of coffee before bringing it to her lips to take a sip and avoiding eye contact with Hanna who was currently giving her a murderous look.
"Okay first, he is not 'lover boy'," Hanna defended rolling her eyes. "We have only written to each other once and we certainly haven't talked about sexual...things," She scolded.
Aria laughed at the defensive tone in Hanna's voice, they just loved to mess with her. "We know sweetie," Aria reassured. "We just loved the smile that graced your face when you got a letter through the mail from him," Aria cooed whilst Hanna turned an unhealthy shade of red.
Wanting to change the subject almost immediately, Hanna took a sip of her Latte before telling the girls all about Caleb's response. "His Mother left him, when he was five and she never came back," Hanna disclosed as she felt the pain of her Father choosing her step sister Kate over her all those years back bubble to the fore. He had chose to never be involved in her life – even when some psychotic monster kidnapped her and kept her and her friends captive for over a month. She never got a single phone call from him when she had escaped and ever since then, the contact had stopped for good.
Spencer could see where Hanna's mind had wandered to, taking sympathy on her she placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Look I know what you're thinking about and I know how much your Dad has hurt you, but keeping it in isn't going to change the fact that it's been almost six years since you last saw him or had any sort of contact with him," Spencer affirmed, trying to ease her into the idea of telling Caleb.
"It's just embarrassing," Hanna mumbled. "What Father chooses their step daughter over their biological daughter?"
"I agree with Spence, Han," Aria chimed in. "You've never opened up to anyone about it apart from us, you were with Sean for one year and you refused to tell him and that's the damn reason you broke up."
"I know I know, it's just what if he finds it weird that I'm opening up to him so much?" Hanna replied skeptically as she started to question herself all over again.
Aria couldn't help but roll her eyes. Hanna always had the tendency to overreact or work herself up about the smallest of things. "Hanna, Caleb just earnestly opened up to you about his childhood and his life without his parents, I think you've already crossed the awkward barrier." Aria soothed.
Hanna composed herself, knowing she was just being idiotic about it all. "Okay, I'll tell him," Hanna promised. "It really mean a lot to me that he was able to open up with me so I guess I should return the favour," She continued. "But in the letter he mentioned using Email as we will receive responses quicker," She admitted as Spencer raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "Do you think you'll be able to ask Toby to see if he can find it on Caleb's computer?" Hanna begged.
Spencer nodded her head in response. She hadn't seen Hanna like this for a while, so vulnerable yet willing to actually let someone in to give her the comfort she needed and deserved. The girls knew Hanna was strong but after her break up with Sean, they wouldn't have been been lying if they said that they were worried that she would never let anyone in again.
From: HannaBMarin
To: CTRivers
Date: Aug 17th, 2010
Subject: Hello Caleb...
I can't believe your Mother had the nerve to just leave you without an explanation. Nobody deserves that at all. Spencer and Aria speak so highly of you and it just makes me want to talk to you. To get to know you. Caleb I am so sorry for your terrible upbringing... I can't imagine how hard it was to grow up and to basically be teaching yourself and educating yourself in everything. But from how much of a Gentlemen you seem to be and the fact that you're IN the army, gives me such a warm and proud feeling . I know that may seem strange as we have never met face to face but knowing you made it on your own is so... inspiring.
Since we're talking about families, I would like to tell you that I've been in a similar situation. I've never lived in foster homes or anything but when I was sixteen my Mom and Dad actually got a divorce. My dad cheated on my Mom with another women which, In fact he is actually married to now. I took it really hard I mean I wouldn't go out, I'd sit at home eating tons of tubs of Chunky Monkey and it got so bad that whenever I'd sit and watch movies with my Mom I would laugh at the sad parts and I would absolutely sob at the jokes. When my Dad re-married we had a rocky relationship but we still talked and he visited quite often. When I turned eighteen obviously I was thinking about college and when I asked my Dad to help pay my tuition fee, he turned around and said that he'd payed all of his money for my step sister, Kate to get into Harvard, I was devastated and confused at the thought of my own Dad choosing his step daughter over his real daughter. I didn't really understand what he was thinking and I spent days locked in my room. I guess Kate had won him over with her smart, witty and beautiful charm and he just thought of me as the least intelligent daughter. Six years later and I still haven't spoken to him and I mean can you blame me really?
Of course I will send you more Novels if you would like me to! If you would recommend any you would like, I'll stop by my local Library and find it for you. It really isn't any trouble, I am more than willing to send you anything you may request. You're fighting for our country after all :)
If you're wondering where I got your Email from, I asked Spence to ask Toby when they were on Skype, I thought it was easier than sending you another letter with my Email on only for it to take about a week to get to Afghanistan, It may have involved Toby snooping on your computer when you left it open one time. *laughs.* Gummy worms are the best aren't they? They're actually my favourite Candy. You're lucky I shared them with you ;) It's not often that I let anyone share my Gummy Worms. When I bought them I was just so tempted to keep them and have them for myself haha.
I'm so happy to use Email now, at least it won't take as long to receive a response!
I look forward to hearing back from you again :)
Hanna.
P.S. When you mentioned that your Mother left you it got me thinking and I wanted to know what about your Father? Did something happen to him? Or did you ever have one when you were young? I'm sorry if that's too personal to ask I completely understand if you don't want to answer. Also, this may be a bit of a random question but how old are you? Again, it's okay if you don't want to answer, it's very rare that I tell anyone I'm over twenty *laughs* But since a lot of things we have shared so far have been open and honest, I am twenty four. :) Lastly you said that you lived in four different cities. What cities were they and were they in different states? Talk to you soon. :)
There we go :) I'm so excited for this to move forward I think this is a story that I'm truly attached and devoted to. I do have a bus schedule and it's hard to write but I really feel motivated for this story and I promise to move stuff along relatively fast. Let me know what you think. xoxo
