Chapter 4
Joey sat on her bed with the letter from her mother in her hand. She had found out that she had gotten accepted into her dream college and now she needed to take the next step, opening the letter and reading it. Joey sat there unable to make herself accomplish the task. All the memories of her mother hit her like ton of bricks. How her mother was so weak and in pain towards the end and how Joey sat with her until she died; it was too much for her to bear.
Joey made her way to Dawson's. She rang the doorbell and Dawson's dad answered it.
"Hi Joey, Dawson's upstairs in his room," Mitch told her.
"Okay thanks," Joey said, making her way upstairs. Joey headed towards Dawson's bedroom. Dawson, who was busy working on his computer, looked up surprised to see her.
"Hey," Dawson greeted her.
"Hey," Joey said.
"How are you?"
"Good, considering," Dawson told her.
"Dawson, I need your help with something," Joey said.
"Of course," Dawson said. Dawson glanced down towards Joey's hands, noticing the envelope she was holding.
"What's that?"
"Actually, it's a letter from my Mom. She wrote it before she died and Bessie has been saving it ever since," Joey explained.
"Wow. Have you opened it?" Dawson asked, sitting down on his bed.
"That's the thing, every time I go to open it I think of how she was at the end; how she was so weak and hurting. I just couldn't bring myself to open it and every time I tried I'd just freeze up," Joey said.
She took a deep breath before continuing, "With that being said, I was wondering if you would read it to me," Joey said, sitting next to Dawson.
"Of course, I'd be honored," Dawson told her.
"Thank you," Joey said, as she handed Dawson the letter.
"Dawson, before you read it, there is something you should know," Joey told him.
"Okay," Dawson said.
"I got into Worthington. I just found out a little while ago and I wanted you to be the first to know," Joey told him.
"Congratulations! I am so proud of you," Dawson told her.
"Thanks, I wish felt that way," Joey said.
"You don't?" Dawson asked, confused.
"I did, but then I got the letter from Bessie and suddenly the feeling of excitement become these mixed emotions of uncertainty," Joey told him.
"I understand," Dawson simply replied.
"Are you ready for me to read the letter now?" Dawson asked her.
"No, but I need to know," Joey told him. With that, Dawson slowly took the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it. It read:
My darling Joey,
If you're reading these words it means that you have been accepted into college. Congratulations sweetheart. You didn't have a lot growing up. You even have been shorthanded a mother. Still, I want you to remember your family even if they have caused you pain, because that pain can only make you stronger. I know that Bessie has done a great job taking care of you for she is strong. Of all of the things that my illness robbed me of, the most painful is not being able to watch you grow up. You are barley thirteen now, still a young girl, so I am left to only imagine the wonderful young women that you have become. Strikingly beautiful and unaware of it, I am sure. Smart and strong willed, letting nothing stand in your way. Possessing the deep, soulful eyes of a dreamer and a smile that makes your heart melt. If any of this sounds remarkably in sync, it's because it's the girl that you always were, Joey. And it's the women that you will always be. Whatever you have chosen to do with your life, I know your future will be bright. Always remember your days in Capeside fondly and remember those who shared your childhood. They will always love you in a way that no one else can and they will always be with you, just like I love you and will always be with you.
Love,
Mom
Once Dawson had finished reading the letter he handed it back to Joey, as a single tear fell down her cheek.
"I miss her so much Dawson," Joey said.
"I miss her too Joey," Dawson said.
"What your mother said, she was right," Dawson told her.
"What's that?" Joey asked him.
"You have grown up to become a beautiful young woman, who allows nothing to stand in the way of her dreams," Dawson told her, as he hugged her. Joey said nothing, taking it all in.
"Well, I probably should get going. It's getting late and Bessie's waiting for me," Joey said once they parted.
"Yeah, see ya Joey," Dawson said.
"See ya Dawson," Joey said, making a classy exit out the window and down the latter.