"Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in…" said Rita slowly and softly as she stood in front of Hazel with her hands on her shoulders.
The wedding party was waiting in a small tent near a cluster of trees. They had been given the five minute warning and Hazel had suddenly ran out the back, unable to breathe. Shane and Rita had followed, telling everyone else to wait a moment. It was 90 degrees and even in the shade, felt quite uncomfortable.
Hazel reached up and leaned her hand on a tree for support.
Shane smiled at her. "Hazel, you are in love with Lester. And he is waiting for you, right at the end of the aisle."
"I've never seen him smile so much." said Rita. "He even hugged Oliver!"
They all chuckled at that.
"You look beautiful," continued Shane, "are you ready?"
Rita and Shane were both watching Hazel carefully.
"I'm just so nervous!" exclaimed Hazel. "I don't think I can do it!"
Rita looked nervously at Shane. Shane then had a thought and ran with it, hoping Rita would catch on quickly.
"Well, we can always go tell the minister you want to postpone. I'm sure Lester would understand." said Shane, as if that were the most logical thing to do.
Rita stared at Shane, mouth slightly open.
"Maybe you and Lester could elope and get married at the courthouse. What really matters is what's best for the two of you." said Shane, voice dripping with an understanding tone. "Not everyone wants a big fancy wedding with all of their family and friends present, every detail they planned coming to life."
Hazel stared at Shane with a confused expression. Shane was smiling at her reassuringly. Hazel glanced at Rita.
"Yes," agreed Rita, understanding what Shane was trying to do, "All that really matters is that you and Lester get married, not how it happens. Would you like me to send a groomsman to notify the minister?"
Hazel looked as if she were playing that scenario through her mind, her facial expression slowly shifting as she recognized how unpleasant it was. She shook her head as if ridding herself of that idea for good.
"No! I'm marrying Lester today! Right now!" exclaimed Hazel. She clutched her bouquet tightly and turned to march back into the tent where the men were waiting. She looked back over her shoulder, a confident expression on her face, "Coming?"
Rita and Shane smiled at one another, relieved. They had turned to follow Hazel when Shane noticed something on the tree, about eye level from where she sat in her chair.
"Rita, look." said Shane, pointing.
Rita paused, "Hmm?" She looked over to see two sets of initials carved into a heart on the tree that Hazel had been using for support: P. B. and A. S. "Oh!" exclaimed Rita.
"P! Perhaps Peter?" Shane said excitedly.
"I will wait by our tree at Washington Park!" quoted Rita, "That's what he wrote!"
"We need to go be Hazel's bridesmaids right now!" said Shane, quickly pulling out her phone to take a picture. "But this could be it!"
Rita clapped her hands together. "I can't wait to tell Norman and Oliver."
Oliver and Norman watched as Rita and Shane made their way down the aisle with the groomsmen. Shane used her walker. Oliver had made sure there was a chair near the front just in case, but he knew she was hoping to stand.
It was hot, but the tent overhead provided some relief. There were large fans blowing as well.
Oliver noticed Norman anxiously watching Rita. He didn't blame him. They were only weeks away from welcoming their first child into the world. Rita, on the other hand, seemed calm and full of energy, putting Norman's mind at ease a bit.
Oliver caught Shane's eye and gave her a wink. She smiled. She looked beautiful in the purple dress she had chosen to match Hazel's color scheme. Then again, it didn't take much for Shane to look beautiful. Thoughts of their wedding filled his mind.
Hazel began walking down the aisle. Oliver looked over at Lester. He looked like a kid in a candy store. Oliver had never seen him so excited. He chuckled a bit at the irony of being at Lester Kimsicle's wedding. The post office was bringing couples together frequently these days.
The ceremony began. Oliver felt it was as unique as the couple standing before him, but it seemed to fit somehow. About half way through Norman suddenly sat up straight and moved to the edge of his seat, his eyes fixed on Rita.
Oliver turned to look as well. Rita stood with one hand on Shane's walker, the other holding her belly from underneath, with her head looking down.
Shane instantly turned and was whispering to Rita. Rita nodded her head and stood up again. Lester and Hazel had not noticed and so the ceremony carried on.
Norman was clearly not convinced that all was well. He watched Rita carefully.
Oliver leaned towards him, "She looks like she is okay now. Shane promised that if they needed to they would walk out right in the middle of the wedding."
Norman nodded, but still sat on the edge of his seat, eyes fixed on Rita.
Right as the preacher declared them husband and wife, Rita repeated the same action as before. Norman stood to go to her side as everyone else stood to clap.
Lester kissed his new bride and then began to walk back down the aisle, unaware that his groomsmen were following without bridesmaids attached to their arms.
Norman had made it to Rita quickly with Oliver close behind. Rita had stood up again from her hunched position as they approached.
"Rita, are you…?" started Norman. Oliver and Shane stood there too, all watching Rita.
Rita took a deep breath. "I'm okay, Norman. That was a hard contraction, but they are not nearly close enough to…"
Rita gasped and clutched her stomach again and gripped Norman's arm for support.
Norman's voice shook slightly, "Rita, is it baby time?" He looked worried for a moment. "I haven't mastered the swaddle yet!" He froze, staring at Rita wide eyed.
"Norman," said Rita as she focused her breathing, "I think we should probably go to the hospital now."
Awareness washed over Norman's face and he was instantly focused. "Oliver, could you please bring your car around to the nearest parking lot? Shane, please track Rita's contractions on this app I've downloaded." He handed his phone to Shane. "Let's move!"
Oliver sat in the maternity waiting room at Denver Mercy hospital. He glanced around, thinking how much more pleasant this room was compared to the other waiting rooms he'd sat in at this same hospital just months before.
Shane came through the doors and sat down beside him. He placed his arm around her and looked at her, waiting.
"Her doctor just came in, so I stepped out to give them some privacy. Rita's contractions have slowed down a bit, so they are not sure if they will keep her or send her home." explained Shane.
Oliver looked surprised. "That can happen?"
Shane nodded. "Norman told me they want to allow the baby to grow a bit longer, if they can. She is still a couple of weeks early."
"Ah." said Oliver, nodding. He made a mental note to start reading the books Norman had let him borrow.
"Oliver, you should see Norman! He is so confident and seems to know more about birth than I do! And he is being so attentive to Rita. It's very sweet." said Shane, smiling.
Oliver had a moment of panic, imagining himself in Norman's shoes. He heard Shane speak, but not to him.
"Andrea? What are you doing here?" asked Shane as Andrea entered the waiting room.
Andrea looked surprised at hearing her name, "Oh, Suzanne from incoming, her father had surgery today, so I came by to check on her." she paused, not knowing what else to say, "It went well."
Shane smiled, "Well, that's good."
"Very good." added Oliver, somewhat awkwardly. A few moments of awkward silence followed. Andrea seemed more at ease than Oliver and Shane.
"How is Rita?" asked Andrea. "I saw you all leave the wedding in a hurry and thought I would check in."
"She's good!" replied Shane, grateful to have a topic to discuss, "Her doctor is in with her now. It may have been a false alarm."
Andrea nodded. "Okay, well, maybe I'll see you all at the reception later."
They said goodbye and Shane left to find out any news from Rita.
Oliver sat there, pondering the changes he'd noticed in Andrea. She'd gone very slowly from rude to civil and now she was actually friendly. What had caused such a change?
"False alarm," said Shane as she sat down with a sigh next to Oliver, interrupting his thoughts, "They are sending her home with strict instructions to take it easy. Rita is insisting on attending Hazel's reception. Norman is beside himself."
Oliver smiled at Shane and she smiled back.
Oliver glanced at his watch, "Well, we've missed the luncheon. Perhaps we should get some lunch at the Mailbox Grille and then head to the reception?"
Shane grinned, "Sounds great, but first we need to drop by the DLO and grab my laptop."
Oliver looked at her with raised eyebrows.
Excitement filled Shane's eyes, "Rita and I may have found a helpful clue to find our mystery couple!"
They all gathered around Shane's desk, looking at her computer. Rita sat, trying to 'take it easy' as her doctor ordered. Shane's phone sat on her desk, photo of the carved initials open for everyone to see.
"Ugh! Well, the initials A.S. don't match any of the Miss Special Deliveries from 1998. I still can't get 1999 to load!" said Shane, frustrated.
"Hmm," said Oliver, "Perhaps we should try newspaper records?"
"Oh, yes!" said Norman, "There was a nice article about Rita when she won."
"Brilliant, Oliver!" said Shane as she typed quickly. "Here is an article that lists all the winners in Denver County from 1999!"
They all leaned forward as Shane began to read, anticipation in the air. "Alcott branch: Tawney Johnson, Cherry Creek branch: Cecelia Kramer, Denver branch: Andrea Stewart…"
Everyone froze. Rita gasped.
"No way!" exclaimed Shane.
"She was Miss Special Delivery 1999." confirmed Oliver.
"Wait, what? Who?" asked a confused Norman.
"Don't you see, Norman! Our mystery lady is Andrea! As in, our branch supervisor. Her last name is Stewart!" explained Rita.
They all stood there, dumbfounded. Thinking of what Andrea must have experienced when Peter disappeared without explanation.
"Maybe he came back at some point." suggested Rita. "And this package will bring up hard memories."
"Or maybe he didn't." added Shane, "And she will finally have an explanation."
"Either way, this is going to be an awfully uncomfortable delivery." said Norman, saying what they were all thinking.
Oliver cleared his throat. "Well, Andrea said she would be attending Lester and Hazel's reception. I believe this package needs to come with us. We have a responsibility to fulfill." Oliver paused. "Perhaps you ladies could deliver this time? That seems to be the appropriate course of action."
"Rita should really go home and rest…" started Norman.
Rita quickly placed her hand on Norman's arm. "I'm okay, Norman. I promise to only stay a short while, and I can rest a bit before we go."
Norman looked as if he were going to protest once again as he searched Rita's face, but then changed his mind and gave a small nod instead.
"Okay." said Shane, shaking her head in amazement. "Sounds like we have a plan. Shall we get some lunch?"
The four postables arrived at the reception that evening a few minutes early. Shane quickly found Hazel and apologized for missing the luncheon. Hazel was so happy, Shane was unsure if she had even noticed their absence.
They found an empty table and sat down. Shane and Rita laughed as they both slowly lowered themselves into their chairs.
"We're quite the pair, aren't we?" laughed Shane. "I suppose there will be no dancing for us tonight."
Norman shook his head emphatically and glanced at Rita to make sure she wasn't planning on such behavior in her condition.
Shane looked longingly at the dance floor, knowing how tired she was from being on her feet so much that day. Oliver noticed.
"Well, there is no sign of Andrea yet. Would you ladies like some refreshments?" asked Oliver. After he and Norman received an affirmative answer, they ventured to the food tables.
Shane sighed and sat back in her seat, observing the newlyweds. "They really are good together."
Rita nodded and smiled. "A match meant to be!"
Shane glanced at the package sitting on the table. "Rita, I'm still shocked it's Andrea!"
Rita looked reflective, "It just shows you really don't know the details of someone else's story. She's been really different lately. I even noticed her smiling at work a few times."
Shane nodded, "I wonder what changed?"
"Well, I think that most people are nice inside, but sometimes they just...forget." said Rita with a small shrug.
Shane paused, thinking about what Rita had just said. She looked at her best friend, very pregnant and at the hospital just a few hours before, clearly tired, and still showing up. For Hazel, for the postables, for Andrea. Shane felt so lucky their paths had crossed. She was also fairly certain Rita had no idea that most people did not see the world through a lense of such hope and optimism. She was a gift to all who knew her.
"There she is!" whispered Rita, interrupting Shane's thoughts.
Shane looked over. Andrea had arrived and was congratulating the bride and groom. She sat down at a table with a few other postal employees.
Oliver and Norman had returned, also noticing Andrea.
Rita took a sip of lemonade. "How are we going to do this, here?" asked Rita.
Shane looked around. They really did need a bit of privacy. "There! That bench over there! Oliver, could you let Andrea know we need to speak with her and Rita and I can wait at that bench?"
Oliver nodded affirmatively and stood, buttoning his jacket. Norman was immediately at Rita's side, helping her stand.
Shane held the pink box carefully on her lap, watching Oliver make his way to Andrea. He'd been stopped twice by friends from work. Shane sighed, "I don't think I've ever been more nervous to deliver a letter in my life, Rita."
Rita nodded, "I know what you mean. I'm hoping for a happy ending."
"Me too." said Shane, swallowing as Andrea walked towards them.
"Hi," she smiled, "Oliver said you needed to speak with me? Said it was important?"
"Yes!" blurted Rita. "By the way, your dress is lovely!"
Andrea actually laughed, "Thank you. It's the first new dress I've bought in years!"
"Um," said Shane nervously, "we have a lost letter, well, package to deliver to you."
Andrea looked surprised, "Mail? For me?" She glanced down at the package, "I don't know anyone that would send me anything of significance." She looked sad as she said that.
"This package has been lost for a very long time. It's twenty years old." said Rita, adjusting her glasses.
Shane took a deep breath, "It's from Peter." She held out the package for Andrea to take.
Andrea froze at the mention of Peter's name. All of the color drained from her face and she held a hand to her heart. Shane and Rita both agreed later that they had never seen someone so stunned.
After a few moments that seemed like minutes, Andrea whispered softly, "I'm sorry, did you say that package is from...from Peter?" She looked at them as if she must have heard them wrong.
Shane couldn't stop the tears that had started to form at the corners of her eyes. "Yes, from Peter." She held out the package again and this time Andrea took it with trembling hands.
"We had to open it and read the letter in order to locate the recipient." Rita said, apologetically.
Andrea nodded as she slowly sat down next to Rita. She stared at the package a moment and then carefully opened the flap. She gasped softly, seeing the ring box. She pulled out the letter and began to read.
Shane and Rita sat there, trying to look away and give her some privacy, but both noticed the tears flowing quietly down Andrea's cheeks.
Andrea finished reading the letter, now tear stained, and carefully placed it back in the envelope. She then opened the ring box, a quiet sob escaping her lips. She took the ring out and placed it on her finger. She looked at her hand for a full minute, imagining what life could have been like. She then slipped it off and placed it back in the box, placing the letter on top, she closed the package.
Shane and Rita sat there, unsure of what to say, as Andrea stared off into the distance. She seemed to be unaware of their presence. The happy sounds in the background from the wedding being celebrated seemed to not fit the emotions being experienced by the woman sitting next to them.
Andrea took a deep breath and, without looking at them, began to speak. "I grew up with just my father. My mother passed away when I was a toddler. It was just the two of us. He was so good to me. He worked his way up to supervisor at the Denver branch, closer to retirement he was transferred to Cherry Creek. When I was old enough, I started at the post office as well. I was thrilled to be following in his footsteps. We were inseparable for many years, best friends." Andrea paused and looked sad. "I don't think he realized I was growing up. I don't think he was prepared for it."
She paused, collecting her thoughts. Rita and Shane waited.
Andrea had a small smile, "I had dated a bit here and there, but nothing serious. Peter showed up when I was 22. He was 24 and was trying to land a job at a newspaper. He loved to write and he was good at it. He was temporarily working at the post office to provide for himself. We ended up sorting mail together. He had so much energy and enthusiasm for life. I had never met anyone like him. He was so easy to talk to and he made me laugh. He was the one who encouraged me to enter the Miss Special Delivery competition."
Andrea paused, smiling as she remembered, but then her eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Once my father caught wind of Peter's growing interest in me, he transferred him to different areas of the post office, even made him a delivery man." Andrea chuckled, "Peter could not be discouraged so easily. We started to see each other outside of work regularly. My father was not pleased with this, but he tolerated it, thinking it was temporary I suppose."
Andrea dabbed her eyes with a tissue Rita handed her. "It wasn't though, because we had fallen in love and we both knew it. Months went by and we were so happy. And then it happened. Peter got a great job offer in Albuquerque, six hours from Denver. I was so happy for him, I truly was. He had six weeks before he had to report for his new position. Within twenty-four hours he had approached my father to ask for permission to marry me. Peter knew that would be important to me." Andrea looked as if she was living it all over again, "My father said no."
Andrea looked at Shane and Rita, wanting them to understand. "He only had me. No other family. How could I leave him alone like that? I was, of course, devastated. I didn't know what to do. I promised Peter I would call him daily, and write letters, until my father hopefully changed his mind. Peter insisted on speaking to him one last time, two days before he left town. Not only did he say no again, but he told him he would never be good enough for me. He told him to leave and never come back. And…"
Andrea froze, a look of disbelief on her face, "He walked away. He didn't even look back. I never saw him or heard from him again. It didn't make sense. And I thought...I thought I must have been wrong, that he didn't love me after all." Andrea looked down at the package in her hand and whispered so quietly, Rita and Shane had to lean forward to hear. "But he did." Tears filled her eyes once again.
She pulled herself together and looked at Rita and Shane. "It hurt so much. I knew I would never find another man like him. I became bitter and stopped letting people in. My father noticed and after two years, he actually tried to find Peter, but was unsuccessful. He told me this just before he passed last year. That's why I transferred to Cherry Creek. I was his caregiver for two years until the cancer took him."
"Oh! I'm so sorry! We had no idea!" exclaimed Rita. Shane nodded in agreement.
Andrea shrugged slightly, "Well, he apologized and I forgave him, but it was too late." Andrea looked down at the package in her hands and sighed, "It's always too late."
"What if we tried to find Peter?" blurted Shane. "We would just need a last name and any other information you could give us."
"Of course we could!" said Rita. "This is what we do!"
Andrea was shaking her head before Rita finished speaking. "No. What if he got married and has a different life now? I wouldn't want to interrupt that. I'm different too. It's been twenty years. No, this chapter closed a long time ago."
"But the letter! Aren't you curious to know for sure?" asked Shane, feeling bold.
Andrea looked down once again at the package in her hands, a sad smile on her face. "It's enough to know he loved me."
"But…" started Shane. Rita looked at her and slightly shook her head. Shane went quiet.
There was an awkward pause.
"Thank you both for delivering this to me. And Rita, thank you for your kindness towards me. You've helped me remember the person I used to be."
Rita looked genuinely surprised.
Andrea smiled at Rita. "I'm doing my best to be her again. It feels good. I'd like to walk a bit. See you at work on Monday." Andrea stood and walked away, towards the tree with her initials carved next to Peter's.
Shane waited until Andrea was far enough away. "Rita, we have to at least look him up and see. How can we not?" asked Shane.
Rita looked conflicted, "I don't know, Shane..."
"But what if he is still out there, in love with her, and just as heartbroken? A man that can write a letter like that isn't going to forget easily."
Rita still looked slightly hesitant.
"We could only tell her if it is good news." suggested Shane. "If we don't, it's like only solving half a mystery!"
"That's true." agreed Rita, reluctantly. "She could use some good news right about now, but what if it backfires? Besides, Oliver may feel this falls outside of our duties."
Shane laughed. "Uh, he definitely will."
Rita chuckled, "You are going to do it anyway, aren't you?"
Shane simply smiled.
