an: I meant to have the next chapter of Wounds No One Can See up this week (actually last week) but life has just been a lot lately, so have a new chapter of Infinitely Brave instead - Dee
29 Sept 1940
Dear Matthew,
Flattery, my dear man, will not work on me so soon, but I certainly do like seeing you try. You're not too bad yourself, even if the photo's in black and white, I can still remember the particular shade of blue of your eyes. It matched the sky today at the pier; coupled with the sun, it was actually a nice spring day to read your letter. Rufus again says hello, he's glad to hear about you whenever I have a quiet shift, and says he sends up a prayer each Sunday for "that lad of yours and his boys".
With the warmer weather, I linger on the pier to watch people on the shore. As the middle of the term is coming up, the school work is piling on, so when I study at the library I miss out on the sunny days and warmth; it's the reason I have my desk at the house near the window seat - my room faces the back garden and gets plenty of afternoon sun, so reading copious amounts of medical texts is easier in a cushioned window seat than a dark library. (That's not to say the library is always dark, it's just dark by the time I usually finish.)
The house I stay at is very nice compared to my childhood one; it's very extravagant, but stylish - that sort of taste of wealth without it being gaudy. My landlady opened her home during the Depression to take on boarders and help pay for household expenses; I was one of the first - landing a spot in my second year of university and I've been here ever since. I do love this room, the walls are a lovely pale blue that remind me of the sky, and the bed is bordering on luxurious compared to the poor excuse for one I grew up on in Sydney. My favorite part, however, is the window seat that looks out over the garden; I keep my bookshelf within reach so I spend hours reading there. It's quiet, as it doesn't face the street, and I don't know what I'll do in the future once I move out… after all, I might not find a job as a pathologist in Melbourne once school is done.
Mac and her friends do want to meet you, apparently it's rare that I spend this much time and effort conversing with someone, so to them you're special. Frankly, I think they want to try and embarrass me, so maybe we'll hold off on you meeting them until we've gotten to know each other more.
Too right you are about me frowning at your letter, Matthew, but your heart is in the right place. After all, you did say you hate bullies and I think we've both had our fair share of them over the years. As for the wrongs I've experienced in my life, there are so many that it would take multiple letters and I'm sure you don't want to hear about all of it when you're facing war… but thank you, I will keep your offer in mind.
Wherever you go, please be as careful as you can, I've enjoyed our letters and I'd like them to keep going. (And I want to see your reaction to other novels.)
Your Friend,
Alice
