The Runaway Bride

Eleven(Edited)

XI: Letters

THEO KNEW HE SHOULDN'T DRINK MORE. He had to be up early the next day, it was his turn to open the clinic after all, but he felt particularly down tonight.

Maybe it was all the hopeful nonsense he'd heard from the Thornton women. This happened every time Theo even glanced at a woman, which to his credit wasn't that often. He was used to his aunts practically starting a wedding album for him and whoever they had convinced themselves he was in love with, but the timing was wrong.

It was the tenth of the month. It was time for another letter from Savannah.

Not the real Savannah. Sadly, she'd never written. But when Nathan turned 4 and he asked for his mother, Theo hadn't know what to tell him. He couldn't do it, he couldn't let Savannah's decisions impact his son.

So he lied. He created an entire story, so intricate that at first even Theo had a hard time keeping it all straight. Theo painted Savannah as a loving mother to Nathan, as humanitarian, philanthropical, and unselfish. To Nathan, his mother was currently working as a surgeon in Kenya, busy saving the world one child at a time.

In reality Savannah Fields is in New York, living the privileged life of one of the world's leading plastic surgeons. But Theo would rather take his last breath than have his son know the truth.

And so with a couple too-many drinks in his system, Theo sat down in his desk and took out the stationary he always used for Nathan's letters.

At first it'd been hard for Theo to write these letters, but as time went on he's gotten good at it. There were times Theo thought maybe he was too convincing. Nathan has grown up, and with his age grew his curiosity. With each letter, he becomes more anxious, asks more questions. When he finished January's letter, Nathan had asked Theo why they never went to visit Savannah in Kenya. In December's letter he'd asked why his mom doesn't come home for the holidays.

Theo was afraid what Nathan would ask this time.

He knew he shouldn't have stated the fake letters. It hadn't been for lack of advice; his aunts had voiced their opinions on the matter plenty of times. But he couldn't look into Nathan's innocent, confused eyes when he came home from kindergarten on Mother's Day and tell him his mother had left them. If he were given the choice again, Theo would do it all over again. He would do anything to protect Nathan.

But in the process Theo's dug himself a grave. With each letter he writes he wonders when if this one will be the last one. He wonders when his brilliant boy will figure it all out, and he wonders if Nathan would forgive him.

With his heart conflicted and his mind clouded,  Theo picked up his pen and stared down at the monogrammed stationary. With a sigh, he began to write.

A/N:
Hi! I had some extra time and I decided to write this little Theo bit. Sorry if there's typos and mistakes, you guys know I never edit. Anyway, happy Wednesday. Hope yours was better than mine :/