All The Reasons Why ✔️

Delivered

Aidan was brushing his teeth when he noticed Jessica standing behind him, the letters in her hand. He tried to act as if his heart didn't stop when he saw them, but he was sure she saw the look of panic in his eyes. He continued moving the toothbrush back and forth mechanically as he watched her through the mirror. She seemed to be trying to figure out what to say, and after a minute of staring at him, she spoke.

"I read them. I know I shouldn't have but I did." She tucked her hair behind her ear as she stared down at the letters. They were wrapped up in the same red ribbon they always were. "You need to give these to her. She deserves to know that it wasn't all her fault."

He spit out the toothpaste, rinsed his mouth, and looked back at her. He was terrified to give them to Tatiana. He wasn't sure he was ready to yet, but the fact Jessica was telling him to made him realize that she was right. He really did need to and he loved her even more for helping him realize it. Before he lost his nerve, he said, "Okay. Let's go then."

Ten minutes later, they sitting in his car outside of Tatiana's house. Aidan took a deep breath, opened the door, and started making his way towards the front entrance. He didn't know what his plan was. Knock on her door? No that was out of the question. He didn't want to talk to her in person. So instead, in a state of panic, he left it on her porch before driving away.

***

Tatiana arrived home from piano practice three hours after Aidan had delivered the letters. When she went inside, she was immediately met by her mother who had something in her hand. Her mother explained to her what it was and when she took them from her, Tatiana's heart stopped. They were letters from Aidan, she'd recognize his handwriting anywhere. But they were wrapped in the red hair ribbon she had left at his house the third month of dating him. She couldn't decide if it made her happy to know he still kept it or sad that he had given it back to her now.

She took them up to her room and read them with care. When she finished, she noticed that most of them looked like they had been stained by tears. Whose, she wasn't sure. She decided to write him a letter in return. For all forty he had written her.

And with shaking hands, she sealed the last letter to him.

Letter forty-one.