Ten-Year Reunion

May 5

Dear Emily,

I hope you remember me. Hard to believe it's been ten years since college. I heard they're planning a reunion next month. Are you planning to go? I will if you do.

Allen

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May 8

Dear Allen,

Oh, my gosh, I couldn't believe it when I got your letter! What do you mean, you hope I remember you? How could I forget?

How did you find me? I've made sure I'm not listed in the alumni directory. I wasn't planning to go to the reunion, but now that I know you're going, I might reconsider. Write back, please. I'd like to hear how you've been doing.

Emily

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May 12

Dear Emily,

It wasn't hard to find you. The Internet's a wonderful thing. I was surprised you still have the same last name, though. I thought you married that guy. Or did you just decide to be all feminist and keep your own last name? LOL.

I'd like to see you, so I hope you do go to the reunion. We have a lot to catch up on, and I've missed you. I've been doing well; working hard, dating a little but nothing serious. Never been married. How about you?

Allen

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May 15

Dear Allen,

I did marry "that guy", but it didn't work out. You were right when you tried to warn me about him, and I wish I'd listened. But I'm sure you don't want to hear about all that. Long story short, I divorced him about three years ago and took back my maiden name.

What do you do for work? I run a private tutoring business; it gives me time to spend with my son. I checked the calendar, and he's scheduled to be with his father the weekend of the reunion, so it looks like I'm going to go to that. You will be there, right?

Emily

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May 20

Dear Emily,

I'll be there with bells on! That way you'll hear me coming, LOL. I can't wait to see you. It's been way too long. Remind me why we lost touch after college? Oh, wait, never mind. I'm sorry I was such a jerk to you when you told me you were marrying him. I'd been kind of hoping you'd change your mind and marry me.

Actually, since we both seem to be unattached, why not go to the reunion together? I could even pick you up; you only live about an hour from me. If you'd rather not do this as a date, though, I understand.

I'm a real estate broker; I figured out pretty quickly that teaching isn't for me. I'm in the process of opening my own agency. Your tutoring business sounds like it would be good for you; you were always great with kids.

And speaking of kids, you have a son? Wow... How old? Sorry to hear about your marriage. I don't mind hearing about it if you want to talk about it.

Allen

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May 24

Dear Allen,

There isn't much to say about my marriage. He isn't a bad person, just not a very good husband. He didn't quite grasp the concept of fidelity. You were probably right when you said you saw him with other girls on campus. My son is four; he's the best thing in my life.

If you're serious about going together to the reunion, I would love that. I've thought about you a lot over the years, to be honest; I've even daydreamed about seeing you again since my divorce. I'm sorry for the way things ended between us. I really thought I was in love with him, and that made me too blind to see how I felt about you. I wish I could change that. You really wanted me to marry you? You never asked.

Emily

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May 28

Dear Emily,

You don't need to apologize. I guess we both made choices we wish we hadn't made. I know you loved him, and I was glad to see you happy. I just wanted you to be happy with me. Yes, I wanted to marry you, but I didn't ask because you seemed happy with him and I didn't want to confuse things for you.

Of course I'm serious about going together to the reunion! You can make things up to me, LOL. Seriously, I'm looking forward to it. If you're even half as pretty now as you were in college, I'll be with the most beautiful woman there. Give me a call to let me know when and where to pick you up; my number's 555-4823.

Four's a cute age; at least, my nieces and nephew were adorable then. I hope I'll get to meet your son someday.

Allen

P.S. How did you feel about me?

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June 2

Dear Allen,

It was so good hearing your voice last night! You sound just like you did in college, and you're still just as much of a wiseass, ha ha. I think meeting at the reunion will be easier; you won't have to go out of your way to pick me up, and if for some reason things don't go well, neither of us will have to rely on the other. Sorry for thinking that way; I've been burned a couple times since my divorce. But I know with you everything will be fine.

You must really want to know how I felt; you kept asking me last night. I didn't trust myself to tell you over the phone, though. I was afraid I'd start crying or something stupid.

The truth is, I love you. I thought we were just friends in college, but my feelings for you were stronger than that. I should have realized it; I always wanted to be around you, I missed you when we didn't talk every day. You made me feel so good just by being near me, and I didn't think of that as love. I just thought you were my best friend. I was too infatuated with someone else to get a clue. The night you and I made love should have knocked some sense into me. Everything was perfect that night. Your touch; the way you fit inside me. The way you held me and made me feel like I was the most important thing in your life. I wish I'd known then what I know now.

Please call me when you get this; I'm a little afraid of what you'll think when you read it.

Love,

Emily

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June 6

Dear Emily,

I hope you feel better now that we've talked. Just to make sure you don't start thinking you imagined the whole conversation, I wanted to put some of it in writing.

I fell in love with you the first month I knew you. I never stopped loving you. You're why I never married; I always hoped that someday I'd find you again, and I wanted to be free when that happened. You're the one I'm meant to be with, I've felt that since I've known you. I can't imagine spending my life with anyone but you.

Only a few days till the reunion. We'll have a lot to talk about that night. I love you, sweetheart.

Love,

Allen

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June 12

Dear Allen,

Last night was absolutely beautiful. Thank you for giving me the best night of my life! You're an even better dancer than you were in college, and it was so nice to have your arms around me.

And after the reunion was even better. I didn't plan to go home with you, but I'm not sorry I did. Making love to you felt so good, so right. I don't want to get too explicit, but you're an incredible lover, and I have to admit, I want more! Ha ha... I hope I do get to see you again, though. You asked me last night what I thought about your last letter. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with anyone but you; that's what I think.

Love,

Emily

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August 1

Dear Friends,

Please join Emily Derosier and Allen Barrows in celebrating their nuptials on 31 August. We hope to share this special day with all our family and friends. It's been a long time coming.

Emily and Allen