Dear Me

Outside, I walked until exhaustion forced me onto a bench.

My illness was draining my strength, and I’d already wasted too much of my life mourning Richard.

That evening, I opened my notebook. Almost every page was about him, our children, or my students.

Hardly anything was about me.

I called Emma.

“Mom? Are you okay?”

“Dad had an affair. For four years.”

“What? With whom?”

“The woman living in that apartment.”

“Oh, Mom. This is my fault.”

“No, sweetheart. You helped me learn the truth.”

“But you loved him.”

“I did. I spent thirty-two years writing letters to him instead of making new memories.”

Emma went quiet. “And the apartment? What will you do about it?”

“Nothing. I don’t want it. And I haven’t forgiven Claire, either. She knew he was married. That’s something she’ll have to live with.”

“Then what about you, Mom?”

I glanced at the medication beside my bed.

“I spent my whole life putting everyone else first, Emma. I’m not spending my last months doing the same.”

“So what will you do?”

“Enjoy Paris, sweetheart. Finally, just for me.”

Over the next few days, I explored Paris. I took a river cruise, visited museums, ate expensive pastries, and bought myself a beautiful blue scarf without checking the price twice.

For once, I did exactly what I wanted.

On my last evening, I opened a fresh notebook.

For thirty-two years, my letters had begun with Dear Richard.

This time, I wrote:

‘Dear Me,

I’m sorry I kept you waiting so long.

May you like

A Man Married a Woman Three Feet Taller than Him – When Her Mother Broug...

When my mother-in-law brought a step stool to our wedding photographs, I waited for my bride to respond. She did — but her mother'...

Woman's MIL Called Her Son 'Curvy' in Front of 20 Guests – Then the Boy'...

I thought the worst part of my mother-in-law's birthday dinner was watching her humiliate my seven-year-old son in front of 20 rel...

Neighbor Told a Man's Grandma No Man Would Want Her – 6 Months Later, Sh...

My grandma spent years putting everyone else's happiness first. When she finally dared to want something for herself, one neighbor...

Whatever time I have left, I promise to live it for us.’

And for the first time in thirty-two years, I was glad I’d come to Paris without Richard.