The Love of a thousand Letters

Chapter One Letters to him, letters to her

"Elara, come on, kid, you have to go to school; it's Monday. Your brother and sister are waiting!" A male voice bellowed from the bottom of a staircase, in a parental way. ""Yeah, I know, because it's the day Charlie writes to me; I am on my way, Dad!" this squeaky child's voice yelled in response. As a petite little girl, no more than eight, walked out of her room putting on a school cardigan. Her mother then straightening it before she walked out the door and patted her on the head. Her mother waved at her with a fake smile and a look of change. This was the day she left home, no goodbye, no sorry, just a simple letter to the children's father that said she was moving to Venice. When the children got home, the three children were picked up from school; the eldest child looked at her father, noticing the sadness in his eyes. ""She left us, didn't she? Mum really chose Venice?" A tear fell from their Dad's face, not saying anything in response to the little girl's question. "Let's just get back to the farm first, kids."" He sighed as he got them each into the car. But it was something the family never got over; they wished she had stayed in contact.

Nine Years later.....

"Hey Cove, are you ready to go? I have been waiting for ten minutes?" Shouted this petite teen with gorgeous features from the bottom of an old, worn wooden staircase. As this scruffy looking teen walked out of his room and swung his backpack on his back, grabbing his keys and then meeting the girl downstairs. "Yeah, we can go now." He sighed, walking out the door, completely ignoring his sister. When there, Dad waved them both off the drive, saying. "Elara, don't forget to shop for tea tonight; if not, it's eggs again!" The pair then drove to school and had an impactful day of learning until Elara became sick and had a bloody nose that wasn't stopping. Her Dad was then called to collect her, and because it wasn't stopping, it was a trip to the hospital. She had been having a few of these in the past weeks. 

It was something that had got all doctors confused as this was normal for Elara. They then ended up being taken to a specialist part of the hospital, where Elara was given many tests until one Nurse noticed a rash on the side. She then ordered a sample of Elara's blood to be taken, which she hated the thought of. So looked away and held her Dad's hand. By this time, Elara's brother had joined them in the specialist room, looking confused as to why they were still at the hospital. "Hey El, how are you feeling? I see you have had a lot of tests?" Her brother smirked looking at her arm as he sat down beside their Dad seeing Elara's arm bruised from needles.

"Ha, I guess that I am just an unusual case around here?" Elara chirped, thinking that this was nothing at all as she would soon be leaving. But with that thought in mind, the Doctor looking at Elara's case walked back in with a misguiding smile. "Hello, Elara, I am sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. But I need to speak with your Dad for a second if that's ok?" The Doctor asked, looking over at her Dad and reading his notes.

Elara's Dad then left Cove with Elara and followed the Doctor down the hallway. He was then guided into this small consulting room, where a team sat waiting to talk with him; this caused Mr. Fletcher's heart to race with worry and panic. "Good afternoon Mr. Fletcher; this is my team I have assembled to talk about Elara and her health before we tell Elara what she has." The initial Doctor stated, now sitting across the table from him.

By this time, Mr. Fletcher's expression became serious as he rested his elbows on the table, meaning business. "What does my daughter have, Doctor Sanders?" looking him dead in the eye, trying to be strong in the moments where it mattered. That was when Doctor Sanders sighed and broke the news. "Elara had leukaemia, Mr. Fletcher, she is very sick, but we are here in this room today to try and save her." Doctor Sanders stated the facts, while Mr. Fletcher became overwhelmed with emotion. He looked at the team around him with disbelief and shock. 

But as quick as that happened, Mr. Fletcher pulled himself together and began to listen to the team around him. Once the team had told him the treatment plan for Elara, he felt a little more comfortable about things; he knew this was the best option Elara had to get better and knew that it would take time. The walk back to Elara for him was painful; he felt a pit in his stomach when suddenly he was looking at Cove in the face, and as he then walked over and held Elara's hand, wanting to support her in every way possible.

When Doctor Sanders then told the family what the diagnosis was, Elara and Cove were caught off guard. Elara felt numb; she had no emotion, she didn't know how to act. She simply sat in the hospital bed, looking casual, listening to what The Doctor was saying. This caused Cove to have a similar reaction as he didn't want to make Elara worry about it as they were telling them they could cure here.

The next thing Elara knew, that Doctor Sanders was asking for her to stay in the hospital while they worked out the best medications for her. But that seemed to cause a problem for Elara as she remembered the date. "No, no wait, what about Charlie's letters? I go get them from the post office every week, can not go?" Elara looked panicked a she looked at her Dad for him to solve the issue. "Look, kid, that is not a problem. I can bring your writing stuff, and I can collect and post the letters no problem." Her Dad smiled compassionately, knowing how important they were to her. Elara then accepted that and, out of her pocket, gave him a ceiled envelope to post addressed to a Mr. Charlie Martyn in New York City America.