A dozen love letters

Dylan Franconi

Sarah MacGregor

It had been a year that no one resided at the house beside ours. But now as mother have told me last night, a new family will be living there. Of course, I don’t have much care with neighborly appreciation but it was our duty, according to mom, to greet them and show that they are welcome to our place.

My older sister told me that our soon-to-be neighbor was a family with only a daughter. I got a pen and a notepad to doodle and wondered if the girl is pretty. Of course it would better if they had a son that I could be close with instead. If that’s the case, then I bet I would have introduced him to all the boys around the block within five minutes flat and have a basketball game afterwards. But since he turned out to be a she, well, I just don’t care. Because girls just like to put make up on all day and flirt to almost all the boys around and there was simply no practical reason for me to like them.

“Dylan!” I heard mom call me from downstairs.

“Coming mom.”

“Quick. They’ve just arrived.”

I rushed down the stairs and followed my mom and sister out and to the house next door. I saw a man of fair height and coloring came out of the black car.

“Good day. Welcome to our place!” my mom said cheerfully.

The man smiled and went to the trunk of their car probably to get their luggage as a blond and slim woman of mid-thirties came out of the car.

“Why, hello. We’re the MacGregors. I am Marian and that man over there is my husband, Ian and at the backseat there is our daughter Sarah.”

As if on cue, the door of the back seat opened and from there came out a blond and slim girl that I suppose was of my age. She was very silent and always looked down but curtly smiled. She’s not like the girls I knew of. Though mother and Mrs. MacGregor were so busy chatting, it appeared to me that we’re the only ones there, Sarah and me.

She was very pretty and uh, well.. Okay, I guess I kinda liked her.

The MacGregors invited us in their house for a nice cup of coffee and a warm friendship. Another half hour passed and we’re on our way home but Sarah still hasn’t spoken a thing to neither me nor my family. She just briefly sat with us on their living room then, with no sound at all, left. I surmised she was shy with people she hardly knew.

We finally went back home but the only thing in my mind was her. I got irritated with myself and kept my hands in my pockets. I found my pen and notepad inside so I got it out and doodled as usual. I looked out the window and saw her staring at the sky from her own. I bet she thought of the sky as breathtaking scenery but little does she knew that for me, she was the most wonderful view. A tall tree stood beside their house just in front of her window, I thought. And then another idea struck me.

The next day I grabbed a pen and a notepad and wrote there things I would have told her if only I have the courage to. Hey I am Dylan, your neighbor. Nice to meet you. Can we be friends?

Although I know it was wrong and that I could have a criminal record if wrong impressions prevailed, I still sneaked into their lawn when they were out and pinned the note I have written to the bark of the tree where I know she would see it. Then after that I ran home and went to my room while I waited for her to notice it.

After a while, she did. As I was hiding from my window waiting for her return, I saw her walking on the sidewalk near her house. She went inside then, after a few minutes, I saw her looking out from her window as usual. It took her a moment to see my note pinned on the tree just in front of her window. I saw her eyes narrowed a bit to read it then later, I saw her dash out of her room.

I was so nervous that moment. I didn’t know what I should do or what I should not do. If I should have just tore of that silly note or if it’s right for me to act on my feelings, but if I would have thought of what to do, it was still useless. Not a minute more, I saw her run to the tree, get the note I’ve written, stay like that a little more then look up to my window.

It was a good thing that I was just peeping so I quickly ducked and when I looked again, she was nowhere to be found. I’ve got out of the house most of the time that day but she hadn’t approached me. I even said hello but she only smiled and waved a hand. I figured she doesn’t like me.. yet.

So I continually made short letters/doodles on my note and pinned them on the same tree just in front of her window with the hope that one day she would talk to me and offer me friendship in the least. But twelve days had passed and still, there wasn’t any improvement. I realized maybe she just don’t like me. But because I am a man, I knew my soul won’t get to rest until she said it to me face-to-face. So I gathered up my courage and decided to visit her house.

Her mother graciously welcomed me in. She even served me drinks and crackers. She and my mom were best of friends now so I wasn’t a stranger to her. She called Sarah and told her to go downstairs. I heard series of footsteps on the ceiling and down the stairs and then I saw her. She looked at me in return and our eyes met. Her mom said something to her which I hadn’t understood because my mind was abruptly clouded. The next thing that happened shocked me.

She did a series of signals by hand in reply to what her mom said to her. Her mom understood and said something else. Mrs. MacGregor must have seen the look of my face because she went to me.

"Maybe you're quite perplexed but, Sarah is deaf. I hope you'd take good care of her and be friends with her." Mrs. MacGregor held my hand a bit before leaving.

I just nodded and stared at the glass I was holding.

So she wasn’t talking to me because she can’t talk.. I was stunned for a bit but when I was able to move, she sat in front of me and stunned me again. She looked deep into my eyes then afterwards grabbed my hand and led me out of their house.

She led me to our own house and to the tree just behind it. There in a tree in our own yard, I saw several notes I estimated came from her. I recognized her notes as responses to the ones I pinned on her tree and there were dozens of them.

All these time when I thought she just doesn’t like me, she had been responding to the notes I was sending her.

I felt good that time, so good. I felt like I weigh no more than a feather. I felt like flying. And I felt like wanting to hold her hand. I did. She accepted my hand and we looked at each other.

Deep in my head I thought, a dozen love letters are good enough.