Mina

Are You Okay?

Carla had taken Penny to a doctors appointment. So when I got home the house was empty. It made things easier for me, I could get the house clean and make a grocery list without having to stop and cater to Penny.

I lifted a stack of Penny's clothes that I had folded, loading my arms as much as I could without risking dropping anything. I made my way to Penny's actual bedroom, the one she was supposed to sleep in, dropping a stack of towels off at the linen closet first. Using my chin to hold a pile steady I pulled open the closet doors in Penny's room, shelving some of the clothes. As I stretched to put a shirt up on a shelf I lost balance of the stack in my arms and it all went crashing to the floor. Figures.

I let out a defeated sigh, mumbling to myself as I lowered to my knees and started refolding. Stretching for a shirt that had fallen farther away than most, my eyes caught sight of a box beneath the bed. And without thinking twice, I crawled to it. I was the only one that ever came in Penny's room. And I knew that nothing was under the bed. I had made sure to clean it, discarding all the junk that Penny had stored under there when she hadn't moved back in after a hospital stay.

I pulled the black shoe box out, lifting the lid. It was stuffed full of unopened envelopes. I ran my fingers over them, pulling an envelope from the very end out. My heart stopped at the name scrawled across it. It was addressed to me.

It was like something had overtaken my body as I slide my finger into the fold of the unopened envelope. I dragged my finger through, ripping the top of it open without thinking twice. Unfolding the perfectly creased paper that was tucked inside, I took a deep breath trying to prepare myself for it to say anything.

Dear Mina,

I just wanted to write and wish you a happy birthday. I can't believe you're already 18. I remember holding you in the hospital like it was yesterday. I hope you're well. I love and miss you my angel more than you know.

Love Dad

I threw the letter from me. Staring at it as if it had burned me. My heart was beating so hard I could feel it in my ears. He didn't care about me. He left. He cheated on Penny and he left us. He left us both. He didn't love me. He couldn't.

I took a deep breath, shaking as I stared at the box full of letters. I sifted through them quickly, my eyes scanning the name in the upper left corner of the envelopes. He had been writing me. This whole time. And she had just stuffed them away into a box without ever giving me the chance to decide if I wanted to read them or not. I knew Penny was selfish, but this, this hurt on a whole new level.

Tears escaped, rolling down my face as I carefully picked the letter back up, folding it neatly along its creases and back into its envelope. I carried the box to my room, tucking it safely in the back corner of my closet. I couldn't read them. Not yet. Maybe not ever. But they weren't Penny's and I wasn't going to let her keep them any longer than she had.

                            ————————

"How was your weekend?" Sarah asked me, a sly smile on her face but I ignored it.

I couldn't stop thinking about the box of letters in my room.

"It's was fine, yours?" I said robotically.

"Just fine huh?"

I glanced at her, narrowing my eyes. "Yes just fine."

"And your Saturday? Do anything fun?" She inquired.

Owen flashed through my mind. "No."

She let out a sigh, mumbling "so secretive."

I ignored it and she started in on the plan for the shift. I tried to stay focused and listen to what she wanted to work on with each patient on our list but I couldn't get my mind to stop drifting. Which is why I hadn't noticed Owen as he came to a stop beside me.