Midnight (A Phillidosia Story

Chapter Six

Theo's POV

                    Theo gasped, Inside the trunk were several boxes three of them she recognized one was a medium sized wooden one painted red with gold trim. it was her mothers jewelry box. The box that had sat on her dressing table for as long as Theo could remember. Inside were necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches, tiaras and rings. Theo recognized things like her grandmothers garnet set, her great grandmothers aquamarine ring, or the pearls her father had given her mother for their anniversary eight years ago. All were in perfect condition

                   The other box also had gold, painted, wooden trim but it had a beautiful scene of a farm in the sunset perfectly painted on its china sides inside were eleven of her mothers thick cream colored envelopes with words written on the front in her mother beautiful cursive writing. 

Open on the day of my funeral

Open when you are lonely

Open when you miss me

Open when you become a young woman

Open when you go to school

Open when you go to your first ball

Open when you fight with your father

Open when you fall in love 

Open on your wedding day

Open when you have your first child

Open when you are on your deathbed

Theo opened the first envelope with shaking hands and slid the letter out 

                                                                                                                                          November 23 ,1793            

My Dearest, Theodosia

                   As I write this you are a small eleven year old girl asleep beside me, in my mind I suppose you will always be this age. I wish that I can see you become twelve, thirteen, fourteen. As I can not I am writing you these letters in hopes that a little motherly advice that I wish to give you will not be forgotten. If I know my girl as well as I think I do then you are probably sitting on your bed opening the trunk I told you about. Or you forgot or didn't want to open it for many years and you are a grown woman or a grandmother finding this from long ago. 

                  How and whenever you are, I am glad that you are opening it now. I have had little to to these long days and although I love your talk and stories writing these letters has been a new hobby of mine. There are eleven for that is your age right now. I have also spent many hours lying here thinking about all the ways you will grow and change (It is rather amusing for me to think of you as a grown woman or even a grandmother). 

               I know that you will miss me dreadfully as I you but know this my little Theo I am no longer ill, no longer weak and no longer tired. I am as I was when you were a little girl again and I will look down on my family until I see you again. My dear, let your father comfort you (and you him) grow up my little Theo and know that I love you. 

                                                                                                            Your Proud Mother,                                                                                                                                                                  Theodosia Burr Sr