Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Thank you for saving me that day from Gabe. I know that you did everything to protect me and I don’t know how I can ever repay you for what you did. I don’t blame you and I think you being in jail is just awful.
I was at the courtroom the day you were sentenced and it broke my heart hearing the judge issue the punishment. It’s not fair, and I’ve written to our state senators to look over your trial and see if justice was served. I don’t know if it will do any good, but every day I call and leave messages with their office staff. I feel like eventually someone will look into it because of how annoying I can be. Well, maybe not annoying, but persistent? I like to look at the positive in every situation, but I’m having a hard time seeing it with you sitting behind bars.
This is all just a jumbled mess in my head and I’ve got so much to tell you, but maybe you’d rather I let this go. I don’t know who else to turn to and I need you to know that your actions weren’t in vain.
You saved me that day, Rocco. I can’t think about what would have happened to me if you hadn’t shown up and come to my rescue. I keep thinking of you as my guardian angel, and when I think about you with a pair of wings on it makes me smile.
I’ll always think of you as the man who saved my life and the man who sacrificed himself and his freedom so that I could walk free. You will never know how truly grateful I am, and I’d love a chance to talk to you more and get to know you better.
I hope this makes it to you, and I hope you write back. But if you don’t, no hard feelings. I’ll be forever yours.
The one you saved,
Lizzy
I run my fingers over the letters and picture her sitting at a desk with the sun shining down on her as she writes it. I read it again quickly and then once more, slower this time. I spend hours analyzing every word and her sentence structure. I think over what she’s saying and what else she might mean and what I’m going to say when I write back.
Will I write back?
I shake my head at my own question because of course I will. I can’t not send her a letter back and have her think that her words fell on deaf ears. What she said moved something inside of me and now there is a place in my chest with her name on it.
When the next guard comes through on patrol I ask for pen and paper and he informs me that I’ll have to wait until tomorrow. I stare at him for a long moment then decide that I can’t wait that long. I bribe him with some cash and cigarettes even though I don’t smoke and I get the stuff I need right away. That’s the only way to get shit done in a prison.
He gives me a stack of paper and it’s a good thing. I’m not great at spelling or writing at all and this is probably the first letter I’ve written to someone since I was in elementary school. I have a lot of scribbles on the first draft, but by the time I’m finished I think I have it right.
Now I just have to wait and see if she replies. Good thing I’ve got nothing but time on my hands.
Chapter 5
Lizzy
There’s a sweet old lady that lives next door to me named Mrs. Honey. She has an older son who comes by once a week to bring her groceries and take out the trash, but other than that she’s alone a lot.
We chatted a few times before she invited me over for tea one day and now we spend a lot of time together. She likes to show me pictures of her teenage grandchildren and talk about how she wishes they’d visit more. I never had grandparents with my parents having me so late in life. I can’t imagine not wanting to spend time with Mrs. Honey because she’s one of the sweetest ladies I’ve ever met.
Class is short today because of the bad weather coming and I stop by the store on the way home to pick up a few things for me and Mrs. Honey just in case we get snowed in. It’s nice having someone to talk to, and I think she likes fussing over me.
I drove the SUV today, and I’m glad I did because by the time I get out of class it’s already beginning to sleet. I make a quick trip to the store with everyone else in the town to get my milk and bread. I don’t know why, but I guess that’s what you buy when it starts snowing.