Rancorous

Chapter 34

FIVE YEARS AGO

Brevin

It had been two weeks since I sent Herlina my letter. I stared out the window eagerly waiting for the mailman's delivery so I could check to see if she had sent me a letter yet. Was this how it was going to be from now on for us to talk to each other? Waiting weeks for our words to find each other? Waiting weeks to read her thoughts and see her handwriting?

I rested my chin on the back of the couch glaring at the mailbox.

"Brevin, there you are. I wanted to talk to you." Uncle Richard sat down beside me.

I rarely ever saw him in the house. I thought it was insane that he was in his late thirties and he had his own business. He was a very busy man and his business took most of his time so he was gone a lot. The elder butler and the house maid, Craig and Macy, were here to take care of me. Craig was mostly the one who told me when it was time to eat, dropped me off and picked me up from school, and always asked me if I needed anything. Macy fed me, did my laundry, cleaned my room, and kept the house tidy.

"How would you like to get to know my job?" He took a sip from the glass of dark red wine in his hand. One of his dark eyebrows elevated in question.

I pinched my eyebrows in puzzlement and sat down properly on the brown leather couch. "Your job?"

"Yes. I think you would very much enjoy it."

Scratching the back of my head, I glanced out the window not really being fully into the conversation. I really hoped Herlina's letter was mailed today. "I don't know."

My uncle smoothed his gelled brown hair back while I turned my eyes out the window hearing the mail truck. "How about you give it a try? I would only take you with me on the weekends."

I would need time on the weekends to write Herlina letters and I wanted to be here when hers arrived. The mailman hopped out of his truck and I watched as he deposited the mail. "I don't think I can uncle Richard." I shot up from the couch and ran outside.

The mailman drove away as I dashed to the mailbox faster than lightning and grabbed the letters. As I walked back inside the mansion of a house, I read the names of each letter and grimaced when I didn't read Herlina's name.

Walking back into the house, I plopped back on the couch and handed my uncle the mail. He raised an eyebrow and took the papers. "Were you expecting a letter?"

I sighed. "Yeah."

"By whom?" Uncle Richard asked as he glanced through the envelopes.

Biting my tongue, I didn't know if I wanted to tell my uncle about Herlina. She was like an ethereal gift I wanted to selfishly encase in my mind and in my heart. But, she was also so spectacular I wanted everyone to know the incredible person she was. I opted for a vague answer.

"A friend."

"Do you two still talk to each other?" This time, my uncle looked up.

"Yes, well kind of. We agreed to write each other letters. I already wrote her a letter and I'm waiting for her reply. It's just taking a little while." I felt as if a grey cloud floated above my head making me droop my shoulders.

I noticed a quick change in Uncle Richard's demeanor with the way he gripped his wine glass. "A girl." He smiled coolly as he set the papers and wine glass on the coffee table. "I sense that you're very fond of her."

My cheeks went red. "Yeah, I mean we've been friends for a really long time."

He rubbed his chin in thought. "So, you plan to keep in contact by writing each other letters?"