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Rated: K+

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Florida

Dear Teresa,

I have an Irish background too. I guess we have one more thing in common than I originally thought. My father doesn't care about our heritage though. The only thing he thinks about is money and himself. I am an inconvenience to him as he tells me on a daily basis. Maybe I shouldn't be telling these things because you are a kid yourself, but there's something about you that I can trust. And I hardly have anybody I can trust.

You told me about Stella, so I will tell you about Eddie.

Eddie is the future first black president or a Baptist minister. He is the nicest kid that I know and completely non-judgmental. He's a Boy Scout; in fact he is an actual Boy Scout. Despite all this, Eddie is sort of a loud mouth and you do not cross him when he is playing baseball. He takes baseball very, very seriously. I on the other hand, stopped playing baseball when I was too old to play T-Ball.

I get along with him really well. He doesn't mind that I don't live in a nice house or that I don't have a mother. He never calls me names or makes fun of me. He does have two parents and he does live in a nice house, I know because I've had countless sleepovers at his house before. They're the kind of family that prays before they eat and say I love you before they go to bed.

I guess you know something about that though.

Eddie is looking over my shoulder and telling me that I shouldn't tell you all this stuff. See? He doesn't even know you and he has your best interests at heart. And now our teacher is telling him to stop talking in class and to please keep his eyes on his own paper. Eddie just passed me a note that said I should ask you a question from the list of suggested questions Miss Perkins gave us.

So, I will. Even though I already know what your answer is.

What's your favorite holiday and why? When's your birthday?

Sincerely,

Patrick

"Do you want to come over?" Eddie asked Patrick. "My ma's making lasagna and chocolate cake! Your favorites!"

"Now why on earth would she be doing that? Patrick asked, grinning at his best friend as he shoved his baseball cap on his head.

"I don't know," Eddie answered mysteriously. "I guess we'll just have to go home and see, now won't we?"

"I guess so," Patrick agreed.

"Okay then!" Eddie said. "Let's get going before my mom freaks out."

When they got the Miller's house, there was an afternoon snack waiting for them with classical music blasting from the radio on the kitchen counter. Mrs. Miller looked like the queen of the castle with an elegant scarf tied around her head and a paisley housedress.

"Well, hello there Patrick," she said, cuffing his cheek affectionately. "I hear today is your birthday."

Patrick flushed. "Yeah, it is."

"Happy birthday sugar!" Mrs. Miller said wrapping him up in a jasmine, vanilla and chocolate chip cookie hug. She gave him a kiss, leaving a smudge of bronze lipstick on his cheek. She turned to her four other kids, all of them girls and folded her arms across her chest. "Well ladies, aren't you going to wish Patrick a happy birthday?"

"Happy birthday Patrick!" They chorused together, a quartet of Motown singers.

Then they all broke into giggles before turning back to their cookies and milk.

"Your snack is on the table boys," Mrs. Miller said. "Go and get cleaned up then come back and eat. We won't be having dinner until I hear from your father, one of his nurses called and he had a difficult surgery this afternoon. When you come back, you two can tell me all about your new pen pals."

Eddie grinned. "Okay ma."

"What did you tell her about our new pen pals?" Patrick asked as they washed up with Dove soap.

"Nothing!" Eddie insisted. "Well, not really! I told her that you might have a crush on your pen pal! And that mine was a complete pain in the butt."

"I do not have a crush on Teresa!" Patrick said. "She's like, what, five?"

"She's nine almost ten," Eddie reminded him. "Remember, you let me read the letter she sent you?"

"Yeah. . ."

"Well, she's going to be ten. Besides, it isn't like you're ever going to meet her. By this time next year, you won't even be corresponding with her anymore."

"You did not tell your mother that I had a crush on my pen pal!"

"I did. . . not," Eddie answered. "But I had you there for a minute didn't I, Boy Wonder?"

"Hardly," Patrick replied. "I knew that you were kidding."

"Right," Eddie said, drying his hands off. "You better hurry up and finish washing your hands. Ma's going to start wondering where we are in a few seconds."

True to his word, his mother peeked her head in the bathroom at that same exact moment.

"Are you talking about me Edward Martin Luther Miller?"

"Of course not ma!" Eddie answered, making a goofy face and throwing his arms around her waist. "We were just talking about Patrick and his undying love for his pen pal!"

"I do not love her!" Patrick exclaimed, flicking Eddie with water.

"You keep telling yourself that boy!" Eddie replied ducking out of the bathroom as Patrick chased after him.

.

Dinner was a noisy affair with all the Miller kids and Patrick talking over each other about how their day had went. Afterwards, Mrs. Miller served chocolate cake and they all sang happy birthday out of key before everybody in the family presented him with a small gift wrapped in the same wrapping paper.

When the last of the cake had been eaten and the table had been cleared, Dr. Miller and Eddie drove Patrick home with the windows wide open and a Motown song playing on the radio. He thanked them for the day profusely before getting out of the car and making the walk up to the little trailer he lived in.

Fred was waiting for him on the stoop, reading a worn-out paperback novel. He looked up and smiled when he saw Patrick. "Your daddy asked Ethel and me if you could spend the night with us tonight. He had some out of town business to attend to."

"Sure," Patrick answered, all the good feelings from the day seeped out of him. Of course his dad would forget his birthday; it had been the same story for the past four years. His shoulders drooped slightly.

Fred got up and clapped him on the back, sensing his mood. "Come on, I know it's your birthday. I think we can scrounge up some ice cream and cake."

Patrick's deflated spirits lifted slightly and Teresa's words from earlier came back. True, these people weren't his blood family. But Ethel, Fred and the Millers were the ones there for him on birthdays, holidays, and when he was sick. It was better than not having anyone at all.

He would accept it cheerfully.

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Chicago

Dear Patrick,

My favorite holiday is Christmas. I can't pick one reason I love Christmas because there are a dozen reasons why. The lights, the music, the gingerbread men, the sugar cookies, decorating the tree while White Christmas plays on channel 4. The presents. Every year at church, we do a living Nativity for the whole month of December. My Sunday school teacher said I could be Mary one day. For now I am an angel or a shepherd boy, if they need one.

But you probably already knew I liked Christmas, didn't you? What's your favorite holiday?

My birthday is in November. In one month, I'll be ten-years-old. I can hardly believe I am going to be in double-digits. I'm excited though; double-digits are so much more promising than the years between one and nine. And ten puts me so much closer to you in age too. When is your birthday?

I can hardly believe we both have Irish roots. It's really a small world, isn't it?

Eddie sounds funny. I'm glad you have a friend like him. Is he by any chance Stella's pen pal? I don't think she likes her pen pal very much, whoever he is. I still haven't told her about you though. I know if I do, she will insist that we trade because she'll think I have something better than her. It isn't that I would mind Eddie as a pen pal if he is the one she is writing, it's just I've spent the last two years giving her everything she wants. And I just want one thing to be completely mine for a while. . . I guess that makes me selfish though.

Are you planning anything for Halloween? Or is it too early to talk about that? Mom says I have a habit of rushing time and that I shouldn't do that because one day I am going to wish I hadn't. But my mom makes my costume, so it isn't like I'm rushing time with that. She just wants to have enough time to have my costume finished.

I need to wrap it up; we have a spelling test in five minutes.

I am looking forward to your next letter.

Sincerely,

Teresa

Stella poked Teresa in the back and then passed her a note when she had her attention.

Teresa opened the piece of paper and looked at her friend's note scrawled out in pink crayon.

Tell me who your pen pal is!

Teresa shook her head, her braids whipping her cheeks as she refused Stella's request. She crumpled the note up in a ball and dropped it next to her spelling book, not even bothering to reply. This was one secret she would stubbornly refuse to share. She didn't care how angry Stella got with her.

After school was over for the day, Teresa gathered up her things and rushed to the bus. She purposely picked a seat that already had somebody sitting in it. She couldn't take Stella's nagging.

Her seat neighbor, Rose Perkins, looked up from the book she was reading and pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Oh, hey Teresa. You're not sitting with Stella today?"

Teresa shook her head. "Nope."

"Why not? Aren't you two like best friends?" Rose asked.

"Sure," Teresa answered. "I just don't want to sit with her today. She's kind of annoying me."

"Okay," Rose said, turning her attention back to her book. "Just don't talk to me. I'm trying to finish my book before it's due back at the library tomorrow."

"Okay," Teresa agreed.

Stella stopped as she got on the bus and folded her arms across her chest. "Teresa," she said commandingly. "There are a couple of seats back there; you better come with me before somebody else takes them."

"I'm not sitting with you today," Teresa told her calmly.

Stella's eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

"Because you won't leave me alone about something I've told you a gazillion times that I don't want to talk about."

"You're just being mean!" Stella retorted. "You never tell me anything!"

Teresa flushed. "That's not true!"

Rose glared at the both of them and slammed her book shut as she grabbed her backpack. "Excuse me." she said, getting up and squeezing past Teresa and Stella.

Stella sat down and pushed Teresa over. "Tell me!" She demanded.

"No!" Teresa replied, making a move to get up and follow Rose to the back of the bus.

Stella yanked her down again. "Why not!?"

"Because!" Teresa answered.

"Because why!?"

Teresa sighed. "Don't you know how to take no for an answer?"

"NO!" Stella shouted. "Now tell me who your pen pal is!"

"Never!" Teresa shouted back, her face getting red and heartbeat accelerating. "Never, never, NEVER! Now leave me alone!"

Stella stood up. "Fine! But mark my words Teresa Lisbon, I will find out who your pen pal is! Just you wait and see!"

Teresa was about to tell her that she wouldn't let her get the chance when their bus driver removed her from the situation and made her sit up in the front of the school bus.

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"I don't understand why you're friends with her," Siobhan said as she stroked her back. "She doesn't seem like a very nice girl."

"Sh-she isn't!" Teresa replied, trying to get control over her tears. "I know maybe I shou-should have told her about P-p-p-atrick, but I know she'll want him to be her pen pal if I do!"

"Shhhh," Siobhan soothed, taking hold of her shoulders and looking at her. "Even if she did, do you think Patrick would agree and write her back?"

Teresa shrugged and burst into tears again. "I don't know! Stella always gets everything she wants, so maybe!"

"I've read his letters to you," Siobhan said. "Stella does not seem like the type of girl that he'd be friends with."

"Everybody wants to be friends with Stella," Teresa answered stubbornly.

"Only because they don't know her," Siobhan replied. "And I'm pretty sure your friend Patrick would read one line from her and know she wasn't the kind of person he'd want to spend his time on."

"But why does she want everything I have?" Teresa asked. "Everything she has is a million times better than mine!"

Siobhan paused and thought about it for a minute, and then she pulled Teresa into her lap and held her close. "Because what you're lacking for in possessions, you have in family. She might have a big house and everything in the world she wants. But she isn't going home to her mother and her father today. They won't give her hugs and kisses or ask about her day and her pen pal. They won't have dinner together either. She'll probably eat by herself and then her nanny will make sure she gets bathed before she puts her to bed. She might have everything but everything doesn't buy love."

Teresa sighed. "Should have I told her about Patrick then?"

"I don't know. I understand why you didn't," Siobhan answered. "But you need to have a little patience. Stella probably doesn't know how to take no for an answer."

Teresa hugged her mom. "I love you."

"I know," Siobhan said, kissing the tip of her nose. "I love you too. Now go and get cleaned up. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Okay," Teresa replied, jumping down and going to the bathroom.

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Florida

Dear Teresa,

I just had a birthday. Eddie and his family had me over for my favorite meal and cake, then they all gave me presents. Afterwards, I went over to Ethel and Fred's trailer where I had more cake and ice cream, and they gave me a new surfboard.

I knew your favorite holiday was Christmas. It had to be. I don't really have a favorite holiday; my father doesn't make a big deal out of them. I guess Christmas would be my favorite if I had a real chance to celebrate them though. Isn't that the classic answer for any kid though? Halloween and Christmas, the two days where we get candy and in the case of Christmas, candy AND presents.

I haven't really thought about what I was going to do for Halloween. I didn't think I was going to do anything but Eddie wants to because next year we'll be in high school and too old to trick-or-treat. He wants to go out with a bang. Knowing him, we'll probably goes as something Star Wars related.

Star Wars and Indiana Jones are his favorite movies. Personally, I think movies are a waste of time. But I do like the classics. Cary Grant is my idol, if I could be anybody when I grow up; I think it would be Cary Grant.

I was wondering. . . if maybe you could send me a picture of yourself. I want to know who I'm writing to. If you do, I'll send you one of myself.

I think Eddie is writing Stella. He is constantly complaining what a pain in the neck his pen pal is. Except he won't tell me anything about her or her name. It's like he's embarrassed by her or something.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to hearing from you. To seeing what you look like if you're going to send me your picture.

Sincerely,

Patrick

"We're going as Lando Calrissian and Han Solo," Eddie announced as he looked over Patrick's shoulder. "Add that as a PS."

"I'm sure she doesn't even know who Han and Lando are," Patrick answered, adding the post-script anyways.

"I'm sure she does!" Eddie replied. "She's cool; anybody who's cool knows who they are!"

"Is Stella your pen pal?" Patrick asked bluntly.

"What do you think?" Eddie said.

"I think she might be."

"She is," Eddie confirmed. "Have I told you what a pain in the neck she is? All she does is complain about how she doesn't want a black pen pal and how Teresa never tells her about her pen pal, even though she's asked a million times. It isn't any skin off my nose, of course. I think she's a poor little rich girl and she's only nine, so I ignore the comments about the color of my skin. But she's ignorant and so annoying. I don't even know how Teresa puts up with her."

Patrick shrugged. "I don't know. Why do you put up with her?"

"Because ignorance needs to be retrained bro, besides she's too young to be saying all the things she is. Her parents ought to be ashamed of themselves."

"Get off your soap box!" Patrick answered good-naturedly.

"Edward! Patrick!" Miss Perkins chided from the front of the classroom.

"Sorry!" Eddie replied, grinning at Patrick. "So sorry Miss Perkins! It won't happen again!"

Miss Perkins smiled. "You say that every single time Edward."

"I'm being serious this time! Eddie promised, taking his and Patrick's envelopes to the front of the room. "I promise."

"You better be serious because the next time, I'm just going to have to keep you and Patrick after class."

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Chicago

Teresa looked out the window at the leaves changing color, a stark contrast to the gray, rainy day. Earlier in the week, she had caught a bad cold so she hadn't been able to attend school for a few days. She sighed, today was the day their letters usually came in and she was going to miss her reply from Patrick because of a pesky sore throat and stuffed up nose. She sighed and tried to chase away her blue feelings, but it was impossible.

Siobhan came into the living room to check on her and smiled. "Feeling any better?"

"I missed my letter from Patrick today," Teresa answered.

"I was talking about your throat," Siobhan said.

Teresa swallowed and then shrugged. "It doesn't hurt as much as it did yesterday."

Siobhan nodded. "That's good. I have some water boiling in the kitchen, how about a nice cup of hot chocolate?"

"Sure," Teresa said, looking down at the Nancy Drew book in her lap.

There was a knock on the door and Siobhan turned towards it. "I'll just get that and then I'll make your hot chocolate."

"Hi Mrs. Lisbon," a voice Teresa knew really well came through the door. "I brought some of Teresa's homework assignment and her letter from Patrick."

Teresa's heart stopped when she heard Stella use Patrick's name. She knew she hadn't told Stella his name. It was one of her best kept secrets. Stella must have. . . but no, she couldn't have. She wouldn't be that rude.

"Come in," Siobhan said. "I was just going to make some hot chocolate, would you like some?"

"I better not; I just came to drop her stuff off."

"She's in the living room, you can go on in and see her," Siobhan replied.

Teresa hurriedly opened her book and lifted it in front of her face, making believe she hadn't overheard the conversation between her mother and Stella.

"Hey Reese," Stella sang, her long blonde hair flowing behind her. "You look better than I thought you would. Are you sure you just aren't pretending to be sick?"

"Yes," Teresa answered. "I had the sore throat to prove it."

Stella giggled and then tossed an envelope on her lap. "Here you go. Your letter, Mr. Andrews said I could bring it to you."

"It's open," Teresa stated.

Stella giggled again, a fake, high-pitched one. "Oh Reese, you don't actually think that I opened it and read it, do you?"

"Yes, I do!" Teresa answered, feeling her face flush.

"Fine! I opened it! Are you happy!?" Stella snapped, her own face turning pink. "You should have just told me who he was in the first place!"

"Girls!" Siobhan said, stepping into the living room. "What is going on in here?"

"Stella read my letter!" Teresa tattled.

"Stella!" Siobhan looked shocked. "Is that true!?"

"Teresa writes bad things about me to her pen pal," Stella answered.

"Mom, you know that isn't true!" Teresa interjected.

"Then why does it say I'm a pain in the neck!?" Stella demanded.

"I don't know!" Teresa replied hotly. "Maybe if I had a chance to read it before you opened somebody else's mail!"

Stella tightened the scarf hanging around her neck. "Oh whatever! I just came over here to give you the letter and to tell you to find a new best friend. I don't want anything to do with you!"

She stormed out, slamming the door as hard as she could behind her. Teresa ripped the letter open right away and scanned it, her heart started to beat faster.

"Mom, mom it wasn't me!" She insisted, thrusting the letter at her. "It was probably her pen pal; it was probably Patrick's best friend! I promise, I wouldn't say anything like that about her! At least not on purpose or behind her back!"

Siobhan sat next to her daughter and took the letter, reading it quietly to herself. After a few minutes, she looked up and smiled. "Well, at least you don't have to worry about her trying to steal your pen pal away from you anymore. And I think we need to get one of our recent pictures out. Patrick wants to know what you look like."

"But mom. . . aren't you going to say anything about what she accused me of?" Teresa asked before a violent sneeze shook her little body.

"No," Siobhan answered. "Stella overreacted a little. You are going to concentrate on getting better and then you are going to talk to her by yourself. You're my big girl Reese, and big girls know what to do all by themselves. I trust you to fix this. And even if it is the end of your relationship with Stella, don't you think you're better off without her?"

"I guess," Teresa replied in a small voice.

"Good girl," Siobhan said, kissing her on the forehead. "Now, I'm going to get your hot chocolate and you can start your reply."

"Okay," Teresa said, reaching for the notepad on the floor and a pencil.

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Dear Patrick,

I am sorry that Eddie thinks Stella is a pain in the neck. Please don't write me about what he thinks anymore. She read my letter without permission because I have a cold. She found out what he said about her. She's really mad and she thinks that I said those things about her. From today, I think we should keep these letters about us and only us. She's so mad at me; I don't think we're going to be friends anymore. That is all I am saying on that subject though.

Enclosed is the picture you asked for. It's the best one I had. . . I hope you will send me one in return, because I would like to know who I am writing to too.

The reason I am writing to you later than usual is because I was sick last week and I missed the letters. I am sorry about that, if it helps it felt like I had pins and needles in my throat. I honestly wanted to die. But I pulled through it and lived to tell everyone at school about it.

Besides, being sick wasn't all bad. Mom stayed home with me and we watched talk shows while we drank coffee and ate ice cream. Daddy read to me when he got home and before I went to sleep.

He's a good reader, he can do all the voices. . . including the girls. I could listen to him read for hours.

I'm back in school now and I'm almost all better, I just need a tissue every now and then.

I hope you are well.

And happy belated birthday!

I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Teresa

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Author's Note:

I would be lying if I didn't tell you how overwhelmed I was to the response my first chapter got. I am holding my breath because I rarely have luck like that, but thank you for taking a chance on the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the first one. If you did, leave a review in the box below. A second thing is, don't really expect updates every Sunday. I've been sick these last two ones, so I didn't go to church. But that is usually where I am on a Sunday night. I will update though, I promise! Looking forward to hearing from you!

Until next time!

Love,

Holly, 8/10/2014_