Letters of Peace

Dear Augustus

May 7, 1973

Dear Augustus,

I miss you, Auggie. I miss Harvey too, but I'll write him later. Things at home are hectic. Mama gave birth to a healthy baby boy last week. She named him Richard Allen. He looks a lot like you, Auggie. Kit has moved in with us, Mama insisted. She's due any day now, you know. She's asked me to be in the delivery room with her when the time comes. It's hard being here without you, Augustus. It feels like something is missing at home. But Ansel and Henry are helping with that.

Yes, Auggie, Henry. He's sweet and he cares so much. Mama and Papa love him. He and Ansel play ball, once in a while. You know, when his his sight is okay. Ansel has a girlfriend! Her name is Melanie, and she is quite beautiful. I think they'll really hit it off.

I love you, Augustus. Please come home.

Your sister,

Helene 

 

I folded the letter and put it in the envalope. I addressed it and stuck a stamp on it. It was three in the afternoon, Papa was still at work, Ansel was working too. Kit was downstairs with Mama and baby Richard. I stood and exited my room, bounding down the stairs as quietly as I could incase my brother was sleeping. Mama and Kit looked up at me as I slid my feet into my white lowtop converse.

"Where are you of to, Lene?" Mama asked, touching Richard's feet to his cheeks and making him giggle.

"To the Post office. I have a letter for Auggie." I said, giving Kit a small smile. She smiled back as she rubbed her eight month round belly.

"Alright, my love. Pick up some milk on your way home." Mama said as I waltzed out the door. I grabbed my bike and hopped on it, peddling from our large house to the center of town where the post office was. I loved coming to town. I've known everyone here since my birth. After Augustus was born, Mama opened up a shop in town and became a seamstress. Everyone in town knew Papa because he was a banker. Augustus was a school teacher before he was drafter, Harvey was a clerk at the mall two towns over. Harvey worked at the library and the Mom and Pop restaurant in downtown.

After dropping my letter off at the Post Office, I rode over to the general store and left my bike up against the front window. I grabbed two half gallons of milk and went to pay for them as a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.

"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Henry whispered into my ear. I giggled and turned my head to look at him.

"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?" I whispered back before kissing his cheek lightly. "Henry, I thought you had work?"

"I got out early, Lena." He said, pecking my lips lightly. "How's your mom and the baby?"

"Wonderful. They're at home with Kit." I said, pulling away from him and going over to the counter. "Care to join us for dinner? We're having pasta and meatballs." I paid for the milk and walked out of the stoor with Henry.

"Yeah, Lena, I'd love to." He said as I put the milks in my front basket. Henry took my bike from me and started walking with it in between us. "Helene, sweetcheeks, we have to talk about it some time."

He meant his eighteenth birthday. I swallowed and looked at the sidewalk underneath us.

"Could we not and pretent you're turning seventeen instead?" I asked. I heard Henry sigh and he most definately shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Lena, but we can't. My name will be put in the draft in two months. There isn't anything we can do about it." He said quietly.

"I know," I whispered, looking at him. "I know, Henry. I just wish this goddamned war never happened."

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Hello lovelies!

First chapter! Whoohoo!

Guess what, In the Midst of War is #439 in Historical Fiction!! Thanks malkakateri4ka for the beautiful cover! More chapters will come, I promise. TGITMS is my next priority, I swear!

So, I did something stupid yesterday. I broke a glass pane while trying to scare away this cat that came in our mud room. I cut my hand, but there's no glass in it. Everything is ok thought! It was a stupid mistake on my part! I didn't think it through.

Lots of Love,

DoctorWho