Four months after Chris and Adam are happily back together, a simple letter arrives and could change everything:
The letter arrived yesterday. So far I had been afraid to open it. Jeff and I hadn't spoken in a year. What could he possibly have to say to me that required a letter? Glancing into the hallway, I deduced that Chris was still downstairs on the phone. Man that guy loved to talk on the phone! Poor Matt, he'd never get out to dinner with Shannon at this rate! Sighing, I ripped open the envelope and pulled out the single sheet of paper. Unfolding it I found Jeff's scrawl across the page and two simple sentences:
Happy Anniversary, Baby. I still love you.
Tucking the paper back in the envelope, my eyes fill with angry tears. What right did he have, to remind me of what would have been our anniversary? The little… I'd wring his neck. Why couldn't he just leave me alone? Wiping the tears from my eyes, I moved to toss the letter in the trash, but stopped myself. Instead, I tucked it inside me sock drawer, next to other birthday cards, Christmas cards and love notes from friends and family that I, being the big sook that I am, just couldn't bear to throw away. I don't know why I did that, I just felt that it was important for some reason. Jeff and I had bee split for more than a year, and Chris and I had been happily together for 4 months. We even lived together in an apartment in Florida.
I could hear Chris coming down the hall now, still gabbing on the portable. Whipping my eyes again I take a breath and smile at him when he comes through the door. Covering the receiver, Chris sighs. "You almost ready to eat? That is if I can get Matt to shut up."
"Yep. You know, Chris, if you say bye bye I bet he'd say it back." Glaring at me, Chris ends the conversation, none too quickly for my liking, and probably Matt's. Turning back to me, Chris sighs and smiles.
"Now, Baby, what would you like for dinner? Why are you looking at me like that? What's wrong?" Chris sits next to me, seeing the mist in my eyes. I knew I could never hide my discomfort from him, damn it! Chris puts an arm around my shoulders, concern on his pretty face.
"Nothing, honey, just looking over my mail and stuff and I came across and old letter from… my nana." I covered quickly, using the death of my grandmother, two years ago, as an excuse for my mood. Hopefully Chris would buy it.
"Oh. Well, here, baby, lets go get something to eat and you'll forget all about nana." Leading me downstairs and out to the car, I let Chris drive downtown to Pizza Hut and mutely follow him inside. We order and Chris starts jabbering on about something Matt had said that he thought was funny. Sadly, I didn't follow much of what he was saying. All I could think about was that damn letter. Oh, why did he have to send me that letter? I had the urge to call Matt and see if he had been speaking to Jeff. But that would have to wait, at least until tonight.