Pebbles: A Collection of Short Stories

The Letter

There is something magical about a written letter. In an age when up-to-minute-updates on all your closest friends are as easy as flicking through your phone, the intention of a letter written out on paper, sealed, stamped, and carried from messenger to recipient builds up the intimacy. The whimsical travel of a holiday greeting from a cross-country friend redoubles the charm, but nothing compares to the enchantment and wonder of a greeting delayed. This is where our story begins, with the clatter of a mailbox opening to reveal the faded red of a long-lost Christmas greeting card.

"Nana, there is a card for you, and it looks old!" Ava delicately clutched the festive red envelope as though it could crumble in her hands.

Nana turned from the suds of the dishes she was cleaning to sweetly smiled at the excitement the letter garnered from her granddaughter. The enthusiasm from 16-year-old Ava was uncommon; the act of distracting Ava from her phone was frequently near-impossible.

"It's from a Dotty Richards. Who is Dotty Richards? I've never heard you mention her before."

"Oh, that must be an old letter." Nana's interest shifted from the sudden attention of Ava to the letter from her long-ago friend. "My dear Dotty, we haven't spoken in 50-years." Nana's voice came vacant as she let a finger swipe over the looping penmanship.

"What? Why not?" Ava's voice was filled with surprise as she fell to a chair in focused intrigue.

"Oh, we fought as girls do." A small smile flickered across Nana's face as memories filtered through her mind.

"Like girls do?"

"Yes, Ava. Believe it or not, I was young once and Dotty was my best friend." The warmth of fondness wrapped Nana's words.

"What happened?" Ava pressed, wholly enthralled at the thought of her young grandmother.

"Well, it was 1969, Dotty and I had just graduated from nursing school in Boston. We were like sisters, inseparable." A chuckle passed Nana's lips as she continued to recall her friend and the many fond times they shared. "We did everything together."

"Like what?" A smile spread across Ava's face from the affection on Nana's.

"Oh well, we were young women, so mostly chased boys." Nana giggled as she gave a wink to Ava. "We had so much fun, shared secrets, and were usually up to no good."

"What happened? How come I have never heard you mention Dotty?" Ava pushed again.

"As I said, we were like sisters, so naturally, we fought like cats and dogs as well." Another knowing laugh erupted from Nana. "But, as much as we quarreled, we always found our way back to each other; until we didn't."

"But what happened?" Ava demanded now, unable to take the suspense.

"James happened," Nana's voice came low and solemn.

"Who is James?"

"The only thing that could break Dotty and I was a man, and James was that man," Nana began. "It was a Halloween party. Dotty had just taken a job as a stewardess- flight attendant, as they call them now, and she let me borrow her uniform as a costume. Dotty went as a spot-on Maggie Evans."

"Who is Maggie Evans?"

"My dear, Maggie Evans was a character in one of the best soap operas of all time: Dark Shadows." Ava rolled her eyes at her grandmother's assertion. "Anyway," Nana continued. "James walked into the room and every girl's eyes in the place lit up."

"Ooo," Ava was entranced by her Nana's story.

"He was so handsome and dressed like a Beatle, which made him even more striking." Nana's eyes gleamed at the memory.

"A bug made him more attractive?"

"Not a beetle like a bug, a Beatle like John, Paul, George, and Ringo. He claimed he was dressed like John, but with his nose, he was Ringo." Nana chuckled to herself. "Anyway, every girl clamored for his attention, including Dotty. She was so bold and confident. I admired her so much. She walked right up to him and introduced herself. The three of us spent most of the night just having the grandest time. But it was getting late and just as we all started to discuss the hour, James spilled his Tom Collins right down the front of me. I smelled like a gin distillery!" A childlike giggle came from Nana. "James felt terrible and demanded we exchange numbers so he could pay for the dry cleaning."

"I don't understand. What does this have to do with Dotty?"

"Well, it turns out he spilled his drink on purpose, so he had a reason to get my number. We went on our first date the next week."

"Ooo, what happened with you and James." The love-story tore Ava's focus from Dotty.

"He became your grandfather," Nana winked.

"Ew," Ava recoiled at the mushy sentimentality of her grandparents. "And what about Dotty?"

"She was furious! She swore up and down that James had been courting her until I forced him to spill his drink on me. We fought for weeks and then we just stopped talking entirely. By Thanksgiving, she had moved across the country and I never heard from her again."

"Aw, that's so sad." Ava slumped at the sad ending to the friendship. "Maybe she tried to reach out." Ava tapped the envelope.

"Maybe," Nana let a hand float across the envelope expectantly. She hoped it was an olive branch but knew it would be out of character for her stubborn friend.

"Open it!" Ava burst.

Nana carefully opened the timeworn red envelope. A thin piece of paper fluttered to the table as Nana opened the card. She read the brief note before a hearty laugh erupted from deep within her.

"What?" Ava was bubbling from the anticipation.

Nana picked up the old receipt that had fluttered to the table. With a smile, she slid the card across the table to Ava. Ava inspected the cheery Santa winking up at her from the front of the card before flicking it open.

Ruth,

Included is the receipt for my uniform's dry cleaning. Kindly repay promptly to my return address.

Regards,

Dotty

"A dry cleaning bill?" Ava's mouth hung open in awe. "How can you laugh? Nana, that's savage. You were best friends and she sends you a bill."

"That's my Dotty." A broad smile filled Nana's face and a nostalgic warmth permeated her tone. After a moment, a heavy sigh passed Nana's lips. "I just wish I had gotten this back then."

"Why? So you could send her a bill back?" Sarcasm dripped from Ava's voice.

"Oh no, if I had gotten this back then, I'm sure Dotty and I'd be thick as thieves to this day."

"But grandma, that's just straight-up shade." Ava was confused by the tenderness radiating from her grandma.

"Oh, Ava, letters aren't like your text messages and twits," Nana teased.

"There tweets, Nana." Ava corrected as she started to shrink back into her distracted teenager role.

"There's an intention in a written letter. It is a way to say you care." Nana carefully tucked the note and receipt back into the envelope.

"Are you going to try to track her down?"

"Oh, I don't know." Nana thought about it for a moment. "Maybe I'll write her a letter."