Chapter 10
Side Story: Doris
I brought the first letter to Elowen’s parents. They seemed to have aged a decade. Their hair appeared even whiter than before. “This is from Elowen,” I said, handing it over. She had sealed it tightly, respecting her privacy.”
Sienna took the letter and placed it on the table without opening it immediately. “Do you think it hurt her a lot at the end?” Sienna couldn’t hold back her tears.
I cried too, “She said the painkillers made it more bearable.“}
1
I lied. The painkillers didn’t help at all. She was in so much pain that she was sweating and even coughed up blood. “That’s good to hear, that’s good,” Sienna seemed somewhat comforted. “She always kept the bad news to herself, but did she really think we wouldn’t be heartbroken afterward?”
There was nothing I could say. Although she spent her last days with her parents, the bitterness of those times was beyond words.}
“I actually knew she was sick,” Sienna confessed, surprising me. “Long before you came to our home.”
“She’s our daughter; how could I not notice the changes? She lost so much weight, gave up the acting she loved, couldn’t hide the pain on her face, and even lost her hair. I knew she didn’t want to upset us, so I pretended not to notice anything. Her dad, afraid she wouldn’t get another chance, threw himself into learning all kinds of recipes.“>
Now it was my turn to break down in sobs.
I couldn’t understand, in those final moments. One person desperately hid the truth. And the other two pretended not to know. Who was suffering more?}
Thankfully, in her last moments, she was with her parents.
I still have many letters in my bag that haven’t been delivered. I will follow her instructions, mailing one to her parents every month until I can’t anymore.”
She said, “My time with them is short, but at least the letters will be new, and they’ll have something to look forward to.“>>
She only left one letter for Jerome. I didn’t watch him read it, but I knew he cried when I turned away.”
“She said she left a gift in your house. You should look for it.”
It was a photo album, chronicling their journey together. She spent an entire day creating it.
As for Quinn, he had three letters. I once thought of being spiteful and not giving them to him, but in the end, he wasn’t really at fault. After the video came out, he lost a lot of weight and looked utterly drained. I’ll send him one letter a year. When they’re all sent, Elowen would be three years old by then, right?
Yes, this is Elowen’s so–called “Secrets I Can’t Tell.”
About ten days later, I received a package. Inside was the latest model camera.}
Aveline, I hate you. But I miss you so much.
The End
