Fiona has just finished the last surgery of the evening shift and heads toward the showers. There is a short supply of hot water during the day, but the late shift always has a few more minutes before it goes cold. She enjoys the clean sensation while she works her way back to her assigned quarters. Since her other room-mates have already woken and started their day this is always the best time to write an update to her Alaya.
She sits back on her bed, feeling the cold paster on her back her imagines it is Alaya hugging. There is a knock on the door. Fiona's irritated for a brief second, because she was in the middle of a wonderful memory. "One moment." She gets out of bed and makes sure she is decent.
A staff member is holding a box, "Fiona Flint-Saint Clair?"
Fiona, "Yes and show her the badge around her neck."
The staff member, "This is for you."
Fiona, "Thank you very much, have a good day."
Fiona puts the box on the table and opens it to find bread, sweets and a stack of papers wrapped in a blue ribbon. She gently picks up the papers and unties the blue ribbon as if she went to fast it would disintegrate into tiny threads. She picks up the first envelope with shaking hands and tears in her eyes.
Dear Hot Water Bottle Substitute,
Louisa stopped by and left me your most recent correspondence. I didn't have time to write a response you deserve. Wrapped below are all the letters I have written to you but unable to deliver. I hope it fills your heart to know I think of you constantly.
Mother Jenny enclosed sweets and mother Vastra made another sketch of me. Keep it close to your ankle, it is for your eyes only.
Your Plaster Wall Substitute
Fiona took the box and brought it over to her bed. She took the stack of letters and placed them aside. She didn't know which to eat first, and decided to eat the food that would spoil the quickest. She then closed the box and placed it under her bed for another time. She takes the stack of letters and begins to read. After each finished letter she takes a bit of the custard pie. After three hours and reading each letter twice ... the custard pie is gone. All that remains is the blue ribbon and one unopened envelope.
She cleans her fingers and opens the envelope. It is a picture of her Alaya, in a white night-gown standing in front their bedroom window with the moonlight shinning through. It is perfect. Nothing disclosed but everything she remembers. Her stomach fills with butterflies and loves the feeling. She misses that feeling. She puts the picture standing up against her alarm clock while putting the letters in the inside flap of her carpet-bag. She takes the leather pouch out of her sock and gently places the new picture and ribbon inside. She ties the leather pouch back around her ankle.
She gets into bed with her back against the plaster wall and falls sleep instantly.