Page 18 of The Exception to the Rule

Yes, I am four hours early! And no I don’t care! I WIN!

I know we said last year that if we were both going to be in Irvine we were going to connect, but I guess that plan doesn’t work when we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. I thought about you a lot this past year, though. I hope that doesn’t sound weird. Around May and June, especially, I wondered whether you were bummed to not be getting a graduation ceremony. You were just on my mind a lot. I don’t know why I didn’t email. It felt like I’d be breaking the rules, I guess.

Did you get to start graduate school this past fall? Are you still in Irvine? Or, I guess, did you ever come back?

I came home in March. Our school had a 3-day move out, and it was chaos, but I made it back here and finished the year online. I decided to delay my junior year because I didn’t want to do everything virtually, so I’ll go back in the fall. It sucks a little to be behind a year now, but my major isn’t one that’s easy to do outside of the classroom. I spent the last 7-8 months coaching kids’ [sport redacted per the D&P Rule Book, lol, why are we still doing this?] and it’s been so fun and good to be outside as much as possible.

Anyway, Happy Valentine’s Day, C. I hope you’re doing okay.

T.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Date: February 13, 2021

Subject: Re: Happy Early Valentine’s Day!

Haha sneaky, but I guess I can’t protest since I started the early email trend. Happy Valentine’s Day, T.

Woof, yeah, the last year has been wild, hasn’t it?

I did come home last March when school shut down. My whole family holed up in the house and I have to admit, it was actually great at first, despite the way it felt like the world was ending all around us. It sucked not getting to walk at graduation but initially we all felt grateful to be healthy and together. Lots of game nights, cooking, together time.

I don’t really know how to say this, or whether I even should, because it isn’t like we really know each other outside of this day, but I know that your mother went through some health issues back in 2019, and at this point it does feel like you know me. Seven years, now, we’ve been doing this.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that my dad died last summer. He didn’t get COVID, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer and went pretty fast. The worst part, I mean the absolute shit of it, was not being able to see him once he was admitted to the hospital.

So I was in Irvine with my mom and sisters until late December when I moved away again to begin grad school in person. I started a semester in, like, a month and a half ago, but everything is so chaotic for all of us, at least a lot of us are in the same boat. Like yours, it’s not a field that does very well over a computer.

I’m here now and adjusting. I like [new town redacted, though I agree at this point it’s sort of moot] a lot. I’d been at UW Madison for undergrad, I guess I can tell you that now, and it was great, but so different from California as you can imagine.

I hope you’re doing well, T. For what it’s worth, you wouldn’t be breaking any rules to message me a different day. You can email me anytime.

C.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Date: February 14, 2021

Subject: Re: Happy Early Valentine’s Day!

Oh my god, C, I am so sorry about your dad. I don’t even know what to say, this is just devastating. I’m so sorry for you and your mom and sisters. Ugh. I wish I could hug you.

Love,

T.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Date: February 14, 2021

Subject: Re: Happy Early Valentine’s Day!

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