Page 83 of Sweet Somethings

"I meant to take them with me, but I was away when my parents decided to get the house ready to sell. When I came back, they'd laid down new carpet in that closet. I couldn't rip it up because of some old letters. And I certainly couldn't tell my parents about the letters. They would not have been happy with my behavior, my father, especially. That's why I hid them in a box under the floorboard in the first place."

It all made sense now. "Can I ask who the man was?"

"That's none of your business," Martha interrupted. "It was a long time ago, and Cecelia has let all that go. I can't believe you're bringing it up again. You have no idea how much pain you're causing her."

"I'm sorry; that's not my intent."

"It's all right," Cecelia said, giving her a troubled look. "I admit I'm a little shocked, but I'll be all right."

"Would you like the letters back?" She felt a little guilty for having asked about Cecelia's old lover. Martha was right; it was none of her business. The letters were Cecelia's real life; they weren't for someone else's entertainment.

"Say no," Martha told her sister.

Cecelia hesitated. "I think I would like them back."

Martha let out a long, annoyed sigh. "That's the wrong decision. Let me take them and destroy them. You do not want to read them again. I remember how sad you were for days and months on end. I don't want to see you go down that road. There's no point. Life has moved on."

While Martha was being her usual bossy self, Juliette was touched by the clear love Martha had for her sister. It gave her a dimension that Juliette hadn’t seen before.

"It was all a very long time ago," Cecelia said. "I would like to see the letters again. Did you bring them with you?"

"No. I wasn't sure you were the owner. I was just guessing."

"You guessed correctly," Cecelia said with a sad smile.

"I can bring them to you tomorrow, or you can come by the bakery if you'd like."

"I'll do that," Cecelia said with a nod. "I'll get them from you. I don't want to put you to any trouble."

"This is a bad idea," Martha said. "I don't like it at all."

"Well, they're not your letters," Cecelia said, standing up to her sister.

"Just don't come crying to me about your heart breaking again," Martha said harshly, then turned on her heel and left the patio.

"Don't mind her. She does have good intentions," Cecelia said. "And thank you for taking the time to track me down. Most people wouldn't have tried that hard to find the owner of a bunch of old letters."

She looked into the older woman's eyes. "Your words were beautiful. You evoked so many emotions in me when I read them. I have to admit; I was completely caught up in your story. I was hoping it had a happier ending than what I read."

"I've had a happy life," Cecelia said. "And the man I was writing about was also happy in his choice. We just weren't happy together. Sometimes, that's the way it is. You have to accept what you can't change."

"I have a hard time doing that," she confessed. "Even when people tell me no a hundred times, I still think there's a way to get a yes."

Cecelia smiled. "That's a good trait. You're a strong, modern woman. You have confidence and determination. I was not like that, especially not when I was your age."

"It was a different time."

"That's true. We weren't brought up to speak our minds. I think that's partly why no one can shut my sister up anymore. Once she found her voice, she couldn't stop talking."

She smiled at the quiet humor in Cecelia's eyes. "I guess I understand but Martha is a bit terrifying."

"I know she takes things too far. She judges too quickly and she has trouble with forgiveness, but she's been a loyal sister, and there are things she's gone through in her life that have made her bitter. It's not an excuse, but maybe it's an explanation that will help you understand a little better." Cecelia paused. "She was rude to Roman the other day. I told her to give that boy a chance, but once she makes up her mind about someone, it's hard to change it."

"Roman is a good man. I'm sure he made mistakes when he was younger, but he's a soldier. He fights for our country. He was injured in the line of duty. Martha needs to back off."

"I will tell her that, and so should you, if you feel inclined."

"I did tell her that last night, but she didn't want to hear me."

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