𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 | 𝐁𝗼𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐲/𝗥𝗙𝗞

XXII: "Thanksgiving '48"

[November 26, 1948]

"You're going home for Thanksgiving?" Wendy Lester asked her roommate when she saw her shoving clothes into a piece of luggage. She was laying on her bed, back against the wall. "Yeah. Aren't you?" Evelyn glanced at her before refocusing on packing. "No, my family lives far from here. Not worth a couple of days." Wendy shook her head. She picked up a magazine and began reading it. "It's four days. Are you sure?" Evelyn zipped her luggage and leaned on it, she observed Wendy. "I'll just call you if I get bored." The girl replied, her eyes peeking over the journal she held. Evelyn weakly smiled, a pang of remorse rushed over her, but she resumed lifting the luggage off of her bed.

But then an idea popped into Evelyn's brilliant mind. She turned around towards Wendy again. "Hey... how about you come with me?" Evelyn was preparing for Wendy to decline, but the girl proceeded to throw the magazine away with wide green eyes. "Are you serious?!" There was no attempt from Wendy to hide her enthusiasm, she sat up with hands clasping together. "My parents will be thrilled to know you." Evelyn simply shrugged. "That'd be wonderful, Evie!" Each time Wendy called her with a shortened name — Evie — she was reminded of Maurice. Though Maurice only sent her a single letter for the whole three months, she was grateful for Ted's and Julia's ones; they are always filled with updates on their lives and how everyone was doing. "Well, pack your bags," Evelyn commanded and Wendy saluted in response — she might've been influenced by her boyfriend, Peter.

Evelyn placed an empty rucksack on her bed, she filled it with important college assignments and readings she had to do during the holiday. As her hand was rummaging through the bag, she noticed a small compartment where she kept all the letters Bobby and Ted had sent to her. Evelyn had been replying to Ted but not Bobby, and she did so because she knew Ted wouldn't be able to tell his brother about it since he lived hundreds of miles away from him.

The girl took out the compiled letters from Bobby, it was all torn open and had been read, but only once. Evelyn picked up the last letter she'd received from him, it arrived five days ago, and it said:

November 20th, 1948

My dearest Evelyn,

I hope this letter finds you in good health—
that was my only wish for my birthday today.
I've been attempting to get in contact with you ever since our first days at university. Time after time, letter after letter, you never seemed to respond.

Should I be worried?—I shouldn't be asking that; it's all I've been doing for ninety days straight. It's slightly cruel of you not to wish me a happy birthday, considering your letter was all I was looking forward to.

You know, one thing I noticed on the day you left is you were gloomy. I saw it behind your eyes when you stared at me through the rearview mirror—you didn't even blink, you only let me luxuriate in your absinthe eyes for the last time.

Simply put, I've missed you, Eve.
Never in a million years it'd be my intention to hurt you, but I can see how the planned wedding has affected you—the both of us, and what I desire as of now is for our friendship to be mended. Ted had told me you're coming home for the holiday, and that is why I'm sending you this letter—to inform you that I'm also returning.

We must put an end to this foolhardiness; we have to go back to the day before your birthday.

Because after all is said and done, I still find myself loving you—possibly 'till my dying day.