Yours Truly: Chapter 9

The day after I left my reply taped to Jacob’s locker, I found an envelope with my name on it stuck to the backside of the supply closet door.

Dearest Briana,

I laughed.

Thank you for your kind reply and for offering to repair the phone. I had insurance and the cost was minimal, so that won’t be necessary, though I appreciate the offer. I will however accept your invitation to be invited and never come. That sounds like an excellent time. I also enjoy not answering calls, not networking, never leaving the house, and hanging out with my dog.

I’m glad you were able to forgive me, and of course I forgive you as well. I understand what it’s like to go through a tough time and the strain that it takes on your mental health and patience. I think you were generous in your interactions with me, all things considered, and I look forward to continuing to work with you. I hope you’re not too hard on yourself over it and that you thaw and eat your cupcake.

I must return to my isolation now. I need twenty to twenty-two hours of alone time a day to function.

Sincerely,

Jacob

P.S. I’m only partly kidding.

I laughed. Then I read it again. I liked someone who could poke fun at himself.

An hour later, I left a yellow folded Post-it taped to his charting computer.

You have a dog? Can I pet it if I promise not to make direct eye contact with you or make small talk with you about the weather?

–Bri

An hour later there was a folded notepaper taped to my charting computer.

Dearest Briana,

Yes, you may pet my dog. But I should probably mention that Lieutenant Dan likes talking about the weather, so while you might not want to bring it up to me, maybe mention to him what a cold spring we’re having?

Do you have any pets? I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Jacob

We got super busy after that and I didn’t have time to respond before I got off. I stopped at Target on the way home to get some nice paper and a better pen than the cheap Bic I’d been using, but I didn’t really like the selection, so I Googled and found a stationery place called Paper Waits Cards and drove there instead.

For his letters Jacob used really nice heavy paper and this linen-type envelope. It was very fancy and it kind of made me want to be fancy.

It was a nice diversion going into a store I’d never had a reason to go into. It felt like a mission or a scavenger hunt or something. It felt like I had a project that I was actually into.

I went with pink-lined paper that had vintage flowers in the corners. The package came with three prints: roses, lilacs, and daisies. That way I could write him three different letters and they’d all be on different paper.

Once I got what I needed I hurried home. Benny’s dialysis machine was getting delivered today.

It took me two hours to set it up and then a long training session with a dialysis nurse to make sure I knew how to use it. Then I had to hook Benny to it and get dinner going. I watched a movie with him while I monitored his vitals, so it was late by the time I sat down to write.

The writing was really relaxing. Cathartic.

I liked having something to do.