The Letter - a Short Short Story

She had not been expecting a letter. Her long, slender fingers gingerly stroked the edges of the envelope as she stared at the elegant curls of his handwriting. Tears filled her eyes as she reflected on all of the time they had spent getting to know each other - the candle lit dinners, the long walks by the lake, the excursions to her favorite shops.

She knew in her heart that she would always love him, but she had tried valiantly to erase those feelings since that awful evening a month ago. That was the night he broke her heart... the night he left her to obey his mother's wishes to tend to family business in Europe.

Her large green eyes continued to glare at the envelope. Her head was spinning as she tried to pinpoint what could be written on the paper inside. Was he restating his reasons for ending their courtship? Was he expressing regrets for leaving her? Was he simply sending friendly greetings?

She gathered her long skirt and moved across the room quickly. She plopped herself on the window seat, feeling the emotional weight heavy upon her. Her gaze finally lifted from the envelope and drifted to the tree branches swaying in the autumn wind.

She had been so excited about planning a Christmas-time wedding. This should have been a time of excitement and joy. Instead, the days and nights were filled with loneliness and sadness.

Suddenly, a large squirrel scurried onto a branch near the window. It chattered loudly as it stared at her through the window. The little creature seemed to be demanding that she open the letter.

Once again, her fingers glided across the envelope. She deliberately thrusted her long eyelashes shut as she turned it over. Her finger gently broke the seal and she took a deep breath. The envelope dropped to the floor as she unfolded the letter. The words she read so carefully scrawled in his wonderful penmanship read:

Please forgive me.

I love you truly.

D

Her heart began to race. She read the words over and over. Her thoughts swirled in a million different directions. Could this mean a happy ending after all? She fell back against the side of the window seat, staring out at the trees.

From the parlor entry, a voice startled her, "Gwynn, I was so wrong."

She rushed across the room, arms outstretched as she exclaimed, "Duffy!"