Dear Jerome (Merome) (Dear Mitch)

4th April 2026

Dear Jerome,

I saw that tweet you sent, about Louise being in California, and you told the fans to look out for her and say hello. I wonder what she thought about that.

I also wonder why you didn't tag along.

Anyway, it gave me a window of opportunity I couldn't let slip away. I couldn't resist.

I succumbed to the weakness that is you.

I went over to your house. It wasn't hard to get there, or locate it. I may have not been for almost six long, gruelling years, but I still remember it.

I saw your car out front. You'd swapped the black Tesla for a blue one, and there now stood a picket fence, but everything else was the same.

It was a nice thing to see, this familiar patch of home.

I knocked on your door, and weirdly, it wasn't you who answered, but your daughter. She stood there with little purple booties, a striped top and a toothy grin on her face.

The resemblance between you and her was uncanny, so much so that I almost froze in shock.

"Ah! Tall man! Jacket!" Her giggles interlaced the words she burbled, and I felt them steal my heart. I bent down and tickled her on her chin, earning more giggles.

"So is your daddy home?" I asked, and she nodded in the solemn way only accomplished by children. She opened her mouth to talk when loud, forced footsteps came from behind, and I looked up to see... you.

I stood, straightened. It all felt like some sort of surreal moment. Were you really in front of me again?

Were you really there, in the flesh, and not in a dream like so often before?

I heard a sharp inhale come from you, and you just stopped. Eyes latched onto my being, mouth moving but no sound coming out.

Breathless.

I couldn't really take it anymore, so I just walked in and pulled you into my arms, feeling myself desperately want to cry at the moment. The last time I'd felt your skin on mine had been over three years ago. It may have been longer, but I doubt it.

Bridges between us may be burnt, but we somehow always have a way of finding ourselves together again, even if it is only for the fleeting moments.

I did have a time constraint though, so it was a bit of a rushed affair. You immediately got me to sit down, immediately taking a place in the kitchen to brew coffee.

I sat on your couch, the one which I'd known for so long. Taylor joined me immdiately, looking at me with big, luminous eyes.

"So who are you?"

"I'm your daddy's... friend."

"Daddy has a friend?"

"Yeah..."

"How old are you?"

"I'm 32, honey. What about you?"

"I'm four!"

"Oh, really?! But... you're so smart!" She giggled at the compliment, and I could see a hint of your smile in hers.

"So w- what have you been doing for the past few years?" You asked me, and I stood and walked over to the bench, standing opposite to you. "I've been doing some travelling and filming, moving back. You?"

"Degree mostly, but I've focused on my f- my family as well." You sounded sad by the words, and a bit of me wondered why.

"Your daughter is beautiful, you know."

"I do, thank you. I'm lucky to be able to call her mine."

"Daddy! Who is he?" Taylor yelped, pointing at me. You hesitated. "He's Mitch, honey. Can you say his name?"

"Mee-tch?"

"Mitch."

"M-itch."

"That's right!" You seemed so happy that she knew my name now, but that look was replaced in seconds of one filled with blank emotion.

"So have you found anyone else?" You asked me quietly, and I swallowed slowly. "I could never find someone better than you." You shook your head.

"No, Mitch, that's not true."

"It is for me." I said softly. You quickly poured the coffee, and thrust it in my hands. "Here. It's good when it's hot."

"Thanks." I knew I'd gone into the unspeakable territory, but it was worth it.

We didn't talk much after that, instead, Taylor just asked more questions, with some of my favourites being:

Do you like unicorns?

Do you like ponies?

Do you have lollies?

Can I touch your hair?

Are you a wizard, Harr- no, that's not right...

It was pretty hard for me to get up and leave after the last question. I wanted to stay forever and see how our family dynamic would work, but it wasn't even our family. It was yours and Louise's, and I had nothing to do with making it.

You gave me a hug as a goodbye though, and I barely blinked back the tears. "Will I see you again?" I asked quietly; you couldn't answer. Instead, I heard a tiny, choked sob, before you uttered those three words.

"I don't know."

"I still love you, you know."

"I know. It's just... I have a family, a life that doesn't involve you... and I don't know how I'd manage to change that without hurting people in the process."

Those sentences pained me, the way it sounded like you wanted to cry when you said them.

"Hey, it's okay if you don't want me in your life."

"But I do! I just... can't have you." You pushed me away then, and I stepped out the door.

"Goodbye, Mitchell." Your voice... brittle and stiff.

"Goodbye, Jerome." My own voice was quiet, regretful, and barely heard by you.

You rounded Taylor up as she waved vigorously, and then, with a flourish, turned around and closed the door without looking back.

For you, it's time to move on, and turn your back to the past.

Love you long time,
Mitch.