Dear You: Sincerely, Me

Ten Years Later

"Addie, help your brother." Ann said to her 13 year old daughter, who frowned but got up from the chair she was lounged in. Adabella huffed and showed her 7 year old half-brother how to turn on the laptop.

"See, Luke, not hard." Addie said, kissing the top of Lucas Lancing's head. Lucas giggled and Ann followed the sound of her newborn baby girl crying from the nursery. She picked the child up and soothed her.

"It's ok, Callyope." Ann said softly. Callyope was the muse of epic poetry in Greek mythology. While Ann was pregnant with her, she couldn't stop writing. The infant opened her eyes and looked at Ann. She smiled and held out her small hand. Ann let Callyope wrap her hand around Ann's pinky.

"You're so beautiful." Ann said softly.

"Ma! Mail's here." Adabella called. Ann carried her daughter to the front room where Derek held out a letter for her.

"What's this?" she asked. He shrugged and headed off to start lunch.

The envelope held no return adress, just hers with her name. She opened the sealed envelope and pulled the letter out. She opened the folded sheet of paper and began to read.

Dear Ann Burton,

10 years ago, I was in your creative writing class. Your assignment threw me off because you were asking us not to stick to a set of rules as every of my other teachers have asked. You asked us to confess to you what we'd been through. You wanted to know us as well as you know yourself. You weren't the normal professor. I don't know if you even remember us now but we remember you. I keep in touch with my claqssmates, these varied group of students have become my best friends. We were brought together by two things, the truth and you. You changed our lives, Miss Burton. I hope you know that, because you're important to us all. As we wrote our letters, each one of us realized that we needed to change who we really are inside, that we're secretly all monsters deep withon ourselves. We all are ashmaed of thigns we've done and our pasts caught up with is. The skeletons we hid in our closets came to life and haunted our every waking nightmare, until we told our deepest secrets. They followed us around until the truth we told set them tree. I struggled to forgive my father for what he did to me but I, at least, can admit to everything that's happened to me. And, Miss Burton, that's why I admire you most. You're the first one who ever knew that my father was raping and beating me. Thank you, for everthing you've done.

Once you finally saved me, that night when you took me into your home, I went straight for the police station. I did what I promised him I'd never do. I told all. And all because you saved my life.

I imagined my suicide and I planned it perfectly. I can still tell you how I'd dreamed it, right dpwn to the smallest detail. But you were there and you saved me. I wanted to tell you of all the lives you've mended, all the friendships you fixed, the hugs and kisses and laughs you've made possible. You probably don't know this. But you're an angel to so many. I love you for helping our class, for saving us and putting a stop to all the pain our pasts have brought us. It's not something just anyone can say. You can thought. You're an amazing individual, Miss. Ann Burton. You may not knowit or believe it but it's the truth.

Sincerely,
Lucas Micheal Zade

"Who's it from?" Derek asked, setting a warmed bowl of mac and cheese before her. She smiled and tickled Callyope's belly.

"From my angel." she answered. Lucas had changed her life as much as she'd changed his. And he would never know. But Ann was glad that she'd made a difference in his life. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked around at her home. She wouldn't change anything about this life, and that's what Lucas had taught her, without meaning to, but he did.