Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
LIVVY
He wrote me back!
I didn’t know why that excited me so much, but it was a relief. If he’d written something chatty like I had or even reasonably informational, it wouldn’t be so much like throwing words out into a void. It had been a couple weeks since I’d written him so I wasn’t sure if I would hear back. Then again, I had no idea how military mail worked, especially since it had to go through at least one relay station. I’d figured that out since the address I’d mailed to was most definitely in the United States.
As I headed upstairs to my apartment, I could barely wait to open the letter. However, when I hit the landing and unlocked my door, my phone started ringing. Setting down my things, and my handful of mail, I pulled out the cell.
“Livvy! Livvy, gotta ask you something!” I was greeted before I even said hello.
“Hey, Mikey,” I said to my little brother. He was the youngest of us and still in grade school. “What’s up?”
I was already smiling, because I knew.
“I want cookies. No one bakes cookies around here and I want some Livvy cookies. Choco-chunk ones.”
“Hmm…are you sure?” I asked, already doing a mental inventory of my little kitchen. I could definitely bake for my favorite little brother.
“Yes! Please please please!”
“Sure thing, kiddo. I just got home from work though, so it might not be until this weekend.” My scholarships and the college fund my parents started when I was born covered most everything for school, but since I’d decided to live off campus for my last two years here, I’d needed to supplement. Luckily, I got great hours at the bookstore, and I loved the job.
“Okay,” he said sullenly, sounding as if I’d stolen his favorite toy. “But you’ll send them right away?”
“Michael, are you bothering you sister?” I heard my mom ask. He grumbled a response, but the sound faded, so I knew my mom had taken the phone. “Hi, honey, how are you doing?”
“Good.” I kicked off my shoes and headed over to the couch. “Just got back from work. It was preschool craft day.”
I loved those days, because I genuinely enjoyed the little kids.
“You don’t need to bake cookies. I can go to the bakery at the grocery store and pick some up for him. You should relax and study.”
My laugh erupted before I could stop. Those two things didn’t go together. “It’s okay, Mom. You know I love baking. It is relaxing to me. Besides, Mikey will be the first one to tell you, the bakery ones aren’t the same. And I’ll second that.”
She chuckled, an agreement if ever there was one. “Okay, but let me Paypal you some cash. This is the third time since the beginning of the semester.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Livvy.”
“Okay.” There was no arguing with the mom voice.
“Good. I know the expense for supplies adds up and postage isn’t cheap.”
She wasn’t wrong. After I agreed, I settled in and had a long, unexpected conversation with her even though I’d had my regular, weekly call home four days ago. It was after dinner, which I made and ate while still on the call home, that I finally got to open Byron’s letter.
I still couldn’t believe he’d written back. And as I scanned his words and his question about baking, an idea formed. I’d learned how to package and mail cookies so they arrived home intact. Would they make it to the Middle East if I sent them the same way? Worth a try. And broken cookies were still good. I knew. Those were the ones I didn’t mail and kept for myself.
I read his letter over and over during the next few days, absorbing as much about him as I could. Somehow, I felt closer to him already, which worried me a little. Did that make me a military groupie? I just wanted to hug him when I read about him being in foster care growing up and that he didn’t care if he had blood family or not. There was deep hurt there. Also, I knew my big loving family would absorb him as one of theirs and never let him go when I brought him home.
When I brought him home? What the fudge, Liv?
Planning my baking for the weekend and making a mental list, I pulled out paper to write him back.
Dear Byron,
Okay, maybe I’m a weirdo, but I was so excited to get your letter in the mail. Don’t let that scare you. I’m just like that. Not a stalker type or anything. Well, shoot…would a stalker say that? Anyway. I’m not. But I’m glad to hear from you.
Also, you should know that you’re going to get two letters from me this week. This one that I’m sending with cookies, and the other one that my teacher will mail. That one will basically say that your real letter is with your incoming package. Who knows what will get to you first, though?
So…Star Wars? My brothers would love you. They’re all about it. Even the TV show and baby Yoda. I don’t really get the whole thing, probably because I’m lost about what goes together. I mean they started the series with the fourth story… My linear brain—yes, believe it or not, that’s the kind I have—just doesn’t click with that. But I do like the first three movies. You know four, five and six…
My favorite movie is An Officer and a Gentleman—REALLY, I PROMISE I’m not some military groupie. But that movie just makes me sigh. Happily. I had to sneak it when I was younger, though, which was SUPER difficult in my house. My parents thought it was too explicit for me. They weren’t wrong. But I used to fast-forward over the sexy parts, anyway. That wasn’t what interested me. I was just so glad to see the main character get his happily ever after.
My favorite food is also pizza. Give me a good veggie pizza with lots and lots of gooey cheese and I’m in heaven. Second to that is cookies. All cookies. Which is my favorite thing to bake, by the way. My little brother’s favorite is Choco-chunk cookies which is what I’ve sent you. I hope you like them. Do you have a favorite cookie, though? I can make those and send them over.
Time for a question… What’s your favorite music? I love 80s music, probably because of my mom and dad. They always played it. Give me a good Duran Duran or Madonna song, and I’ll crank it up and dance around my living room. I’m not so much into the love ballad stuff. I love the peppy upbeat. I think they called it bubble gum pop. Whatever. I like it.
Oh! Love ballads, reminds me… Do you have a girl at home? I don’t want to step on any toes and make someone jealous that I’m writing to their guy and sending cookies. I can stick to my final class letter and leave you alone.
Let me know.
Enjoy the cookies!
Livvy
I sealed the letter in an envelope and set it aside to wait for packaging, for some reason unsettled by the thought that Byron might have a girlfriend and I’d stop writing to him. I kind of liked this project. A lot. That surprised me. We’d officially exchange two letters. Why had he grown on me so much already?
Pushing aside the thoughts, I wrote the second letter I’d mentioned then made a small mark in the corner of the envelope so I’d know which one went with the cookies. Jumping up, I headed to the kitchen. I wasn’t waiting any longer to bake and mail. I wanted Byron to get his surprise as soon as possible.