The Blind Detective

Chapter 6: Letters From Jenny

Despite the darkness, Oliver suddenly realized he could see everything with startling clarity. This was impossible, he thought, as he was nearly blind. The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning, but he had no time to marvel at this newfound ability. Fear of being discovered drove him to focus on his mission.

He moved quickly, his heart pounding in his chest. The attic was a labyrinth of old furniture, boxes, and cobwebs, but Oliver navigated it with ease. He knew he had to find Jenny’s letters before anyone noticed he was there. His fingers brushed against the rough surface of an old table, and he felt the familiar shape of envelopes beneath his touch. He grabbed them hastily, his mind racing with thoughts of what they might contain.

Oliver’s hands trembled as he opened the first envelope. The paper was worn and fragile, but the words were clear. The attic seemed to close in around him, the shadows seemed to grow darker and darker.

How... How the hell he could read? It was the first time in his life Oliver was able to distinguish Letters and see words... But he had no time to get astonished. Let it start.

Hi Hannah!

It's been so long since we've seen each other that I'm probably going to forget what you look like. Just recently, we were walking around Fernwood almost every day. It's hard to believe those times were only a few years ago. Time doesn't spare anyone and doesn't give you a chance to relive your best years.

I'll start my news with the most important thing – Tom Young and I are finally engaged. We've already planned our future wedding in great detail and a joint trip – most likely, we'll go to a luxurious resort on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. I haven't chosen a country yet because I'm so overwhelmed with options. You know me well – I want everything all at once.

I still haven't told my parents about our engagement – my dad is strict, you probably remember his stern nature. I'm terribly afraid of his reaction, but I hope for the best – I simply won't allow any other option. I have a strong character too and I know how to stubbornly stick to my guns.

By the way, how is Italy? Do you regret moving there? How are you doing with the language? Tell me everything, I'll be happy to read from the first to the last word.

Love,
Your Jenny

Hi Hannah!

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to send you my previous letter, so I'll send it along with this one as soon as I get a chance. It's true what they say – the older you get, the less you manage to do and the more things pile up, with no end in sight.

As for me, everything is going haywire and not at all how I expected. Of course, my plans for my future rarely intersected with my dad's vision, but this time there was absolutely no way to come to an agreement with him. In fact, I can't remember a single time when anyone managed to find any kind of compromise in an argument with him. But let's take it one step at a time.

Remember Quentin Huntington? That rude, ugly, and dim-witted former classmate of Mirabel, my neighbor? You definitely know him! Well, he's still as much of a jerk now as he was when we were kids. He hasn't changed at all, except for the worse.

I won't go into details, so I'll explain the situation clearly and concisely – my dad wasn't just strict, he was furious. My marriage to Tom simply wasn't in his plans. They'd been looking for a groom from a wealthy family for me since I was a child, and the main reason wasn't even to secure a life for me without poverty and hardship, but to achieve a high social status. And it was Quentin Huntington who could provide that for me, and Quentin's family has always had a good relationship with my family.
So now I'm engaged to that idiot, and I had to say "goodbye" to Thomas and wish him all the best. My parents only see money in my current fiancé, but they don't understand that he'll squander it at the first opportunity. In fact, he's still a spendthrift – how much has he lost playing cards already?