Once she'd taken off the paper and opened the box, Sydney found two
gifts instead of one. Each had the letters MV scribbled on their wrappings,
and Sydney picked the smaller one first. It was easy to tell it was a
jewelry box. Inside was a beautiful silver charm bracelet. There were a few
charms hanging on it already, one with her name and another with her zodiac
sign. The note with it told of the place where she could get more of them.
She put the charm bracelet down, and picked up the second package. It was much heavier than the first, and felt hard. She opened it quickly, revealing a journal. It had a very pretty cover, and she loved it immediately. He must somehow have found out she kept a journal. How was beyond her, but she thought the gift was very sweet. Besides, her old one was getting full.
Now that all of her gifts were open, Sydney went to the kitchen to see what had come in the regular postal mail. There were several cards for her, plus the usual junk. On the bottom of the pile there was an envelope with no return address, and Sydney didn't recognize the handwriting.
Sydney picked it up first, knowing that it was something couldn't be good, and ignored her cards, which would be cheery. At first, she thought about just tossing it in the garbage can and never thinking about it again. But, her curiosity was getting the better of her, even though she knew that she might throw herself back into her great state of depression again. As she thought about this, her fingers slid under the flap and began ripping across the top. Her conscious mind didn't even realize she was doing it.
Her fingers trembled as they pulled the paper from within. Suddenly, she stopped herself. She couldn't read it alone.
She went and got her cell phone, and dialed her father's number automatically. She began to think he wouldn't answer, but he picked up on the seventh ring.
"Dad, are you still at work right now?"
"No. Why, is something the matter?"
"I'm not sure, yet. I mean.... I got this letter... I know it must be from Mom. I haven't read it yet, and I was hoping you could come...."
"I'll be right over."
Sydney sat on the couch, watching her fingers to make sure they didn't start working automatically for her. She knew if she opened the letter, she would read it. Quickly, she put it down on the table beside her and concentrated on the cards. Each made her smile and cry a little. She put them up on the fireplace. Just as she finished, there was a knock on her door. Sydney let her father in, and they sat down together on the couch.
"Sydney, you don't have to read it."
"I know, but I want to."
She picked up the envelope and showed it to him. He nodded. It was Laura's handwriting. Trembling, she opened the pages.
She put the charm bracelet down, and picked up the second package. It was much heavier than the first, and felt hard. She opened it quickly, revealing a journal. It had a very pretty cover, and she loved it immediately. He must somehow have found out she kept a journal. How was beyond her, but she thought the gift was very sweet. Besides, her old one was getting full.
Now that all of her gifts were open, Sydney went to the kitchen to see what had come in the regular postal mail. There were several cards for her, plus the usual junk. On the bottom of the pile there was an envelope with no return address, and Sydney didn't recognize the handwriting.
Sydney picked it up first, knowing that it was something couldn't be good, and ignored her cards, which would be cheery. At first, she thought about just tossing it in the garbage can and never thinking about it again. But, her curiosity was getting the better of her, even though she knew that she might throw herself back into her great state of depression again. As she thought about this, her fingers slid under the flap and began ripping across the top. Her conscious mind didn't even realize she was doing it.
Her fingers trembled as they pulled the paper from within. Suddenly, she stopped herself. She couldn't read it alone.
She went and got her cell phone, and dialed her father's number automatically. She began to think he wouldn't answer, but he picked up on the seventh ring.
"Dad, are you still at work right now?"
"No. Why, is something the matter?"
"I'm not sure, yet. I mean.... I got this letter... I know it must be from Mom. I haven't read it yet, and I was hoping you could come...."
"I'll be right over."
Sydney sat on the couch, watching her fingers to make sure they didn't start working automatically for her. She knew if she opened the letter, she would read it. Quickly, she put it down on the table beside her and concentrated on the cards. Each made her smile and cry a little. She put them up on the fireplace. Just as she finished, there was a knock on her door. Sydney let her father in, and they sat down together on the couch.
"Sydney, you don't have to read it."
"I know, but I want to."
She picked up the envelope and showed it to him. He nodded. It was Laura's handwriting. Trembling, she opened the pages.
