For Every Letter (Smuggler’s Hideaway)

1. Chapter 1

Mermaid Motel

Smuggler’s Hideaway

Dear Ben,

Oh, wait. Am I supposed to call you Sergeant Ward? No one explained any of this military stuff to me. Which begs the question, really – what am I doing? Why am I writing to some soldier in the Army I’ve never met before?

I blame my sister. I have two sisters and two brothers. All of them are a trial, let me tell you. Don’t believe me? Check out the newsletter clipping. Those two yahoos who let the sheep loose on the island are my brothers – Thomas and Ian.

Anyway – why am I writing? My sister – my older sister Hazel to be precise (my other sister Scarlett would never interfere in my life this way) – signed me up at this non-profit to send a letter to a lonely soldier who doesn’t have family to write him.

Oh shoot. Is it rude to say you’re lonely? My sisters say I tend to open my mouth and let my words fly out without thinking. I’ll NEVER EVER admit this to them – but they’re right.

Fair warning. I’m also super nosy and I might have an advanced degree in eavesdropping. It’s not my fault! You grow up in a small town and not be super nosey. Oh wait. Did you grow up in a small town?

I should probably start this letter over. Spoiler alert – this is my third attempt as it is. But I figure if I can’t be honest with some military guy I don’t know, who can I be honest with?

So, here’s me being totally honest. I’ve always wanted to have a pen pal. I sound old-fashioned – I’m 26 by the way – but I love the idea of getting letters in the mail instead of all the stupid marketing junk. Wouldn’t it be cool to be excited about getting mail?

I should probably sign off now but I just realized I didn’t tell you much about myself.

Except to complain about my family. I promise I do love my family.

They’re interfering, annoying, and my brothers can be major stinky and overprotective but they’re also super fun and would kill a mermaid for me.

I’m not joking about the mermaid thing. I live on the island of Smuggler’s Hideaway, where mermaids are real, the moonshine is too strong for visitors, and smuggling is a way of life. It’s super cool. You should visit someday.

And now I really do need to sign off. My shift at the motel – I’m the manager at the Mermaid Motel – is nearly over and I want to get this letter in the mail today.

I hope to hear from you soon, Sergeant Ward or Benjamin or Ben or whatever you call yourself.

Stay safe,

Your pen pal Sadie Harris