The Letters - Jenny's Life - Finale

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 With graduation behind her, Jenny returns home for a graduation party in her honor. An incredibly moving surprise awaits her as she joins with family and friends to celebrate her achievements.

Jenny Drake marveled at the phenomenal decorating job that had been rendered upon the family’s backyard refuge. She had been too harried in her efforts to get ready and leave for the ceremony to look in the backyard, but now she saw that there had been a ton of time as well as effort invested in the purpose of turning this area into a proper celebration area. She had to wonder if a professional was involved and turned to her father to ask.

“Actually, it was Martika’s mother who came over to present the idea. She was so thankful for what you did for Martika and her family and this is what she does for a living. She and Martika worked on it this morning while you were still sleeping.”

“I had guard duty,” Daphne confessed. “If you had uncharacteristically became nosy about what things were like I would have quickly distracted you.”

“Wow, good to know I can trust you guys,” Jenny said with mock alarm.

“You should see the cake and the food inside,” Kyla said as she exited from the kitchen.

“Another credit for the Kelly’s, they insisted,” Tom replied. “Beth said to leave everything until they arrived. She was going to stop by that commercial ice dispenser to make sure we would have enough for everyone.”

Jenny stood to greet guests as she heard the gate creak and saw Hal and Bernice leading a group of people into the fenced yard. Within minutes the Drake family was engulfed from friends who had come from the graduation or just waited for this part of the day to arrive. Bobby and Tom scrambled to unfold chairs around the tables arranged by the two of them the night before. It seemed there was no end to the throng of people who wanted to talk to Jenny.

Martika and her parents moved around the guests as if they were trained servers, setting up the refreshments without getting in the way. Kyla tried a few times to assist, but was always turned away as Beth told her that this was their treat, to enjoy her daughter’s day. All Kyla could do was shake her head and agree to do so.

“Where are your brothers?” Jenny asked Martika when she drew near.

“At my grandparents, mom knew this would be no place for them today.”

“This is fabulous Martika. I think it is totally incredible what your mom has done.”

“Yeah, she is pretty great at it.”

Both girls turned their attention to Tom who was standing on a wooden bench he and Bobby had constructed to Kyla’s wishes for a Mother’s day gift almost five years before. From this perch he was able to be seen by everyone in attendance.  He asked for everyone’s attention, waiting for all the voices to grow silent before he continued.

“I am so pleased to have everyone here to help us celebrate this day. I know Jenny feels the same way and I want to thank you so much for your expression of love not only today, but through all that has happened with our family. It is due to your friendship that we have survived.

Before I go off on some ridiculously melodramatic path, I will let Daphne do her thing!”

Daphne let go of Eric’s hand and made her way through the crowd to the bench, where she took her father’s hand and allowed him to pull her up so she was standing beside him. He kissed her on the cheek and then stepped off, leaving her to continue.

“I also want to say thanks on behalf of our family.”

Tara slid in beside Jenny as Daphne continued with her expression of appreciation for the guests.

“Hey!” Jenny said hugging her.

“What have I missed?”

“Not too much. Did your family come?”

“Only mom and dad. Everyone else went home. My bunch doesn’t care for celebrating too much. Mind if I get my groove on with you?”

“Of course not!”

Daphne continued speaking as Jenny turned her attention back to what she said.

“While at school this year I had a friend that described a unique form of gift she received at her high school graduation and I thought it would be perfect for my sister. Starting in about February her family began asking close friends of hers to write letters talking about their friendship to send as a graduation gift. She said there was forty eight letters in her package and that they were the best gift she had ever gotten. When I heard that I thought about Jenny. She is always concerned with everyone else and goes way out of her way for others. I thought it would be a great way to let her know what she means to those people.”

Tara squeezed Jenny’s shoulder and smiled as she saw Jenny’s eyes fill with tears. Jenny blinked at the tears, keeping her attention on Daphne, who reached her hand toward Tom who now stood to her side. Daphne took a pink flowered box about the size of a tissue box and held it up for everyone to see.

“We have accumulated fifty three letters, most of them from people I see in this yard today. Thank you for taking the time to respond with love to our request. No one has read any of the letters; of course as Jenny will be the first, but I know she will treasure each of them. Come up here sis!”

Jenny stood frozen, with Tara’s arm still around her. “Jenny?” Tara said, still holding the smile on her face.

“Huh?” Jenny said.

“Go up there,” Tara told her.

Jenny walked slowly, seeming to be in a form of shock. Daphne reached her hand out just as Tom had to pull Jenny up beside her. She turned and placed the box in jenny’s hands, which jenny stared at in silence, batting tears out of her eyes.

“I don’t know what to say…,” Jenny finally managed.

“I do,” Tom said. He handed her a box of tissues. “Get down here and open those letters!”

Jenny followed his directions, wiping more tears, but moving to the large Adirondack style chair under the large oak tree in the yard. She settled into the cushion and set the box between her legs so she could open it.

The first letter was from Ms. Collins, who had the most excellent penmanship and had inspired Jenny to perfect her own.

Dear Jenny. I am so happy for you on this special day. You have been such an inspiration to me as well as your classmates with your special ability to lead others and always care for their well-being. I have met no other with your unique combination of talents. You have a very bright future and I expect t hear of many great things as you move forward. Thanks for all your help in making my job at Reynolds such a joy. Best wishes as you head off to Villanova. Go Wildcats!

Jenny shook her head as she set aside this letter and looked at the next. It was from Principal Delman and was on the high school’s official stationary.

Jenny, What a special opportunity you have been given, to attend such a prestigious University. I know the folks in Philadelphia will discover very quickly what we have come to know and love about you. I always try to inspire our students to make the kind of impact you have and now I have a great example to share with them. Good luck as you head off into the world to make your life.

Jenny pulled several tissues from the box, wiping tears and blowing her nose as the waterworks continued. She read through some more letters as she struggled with her emotions, these from track team mates and class mates who Tara had asked to add their thoughts.

Tara came and squeezed in beside her as Jenny continued reading the letters. She put her arm around Jenny, wiping tears as she watched her friend continue to open letters. Jenny shook a little as she read some of the letters, letting Tara know some touched her deeper than others. Tara could see jenny was about half way with the letters from her, Martika and Jenny’s family yet to come.

“Oh my gosh! I don’t if I can stand it!” Jenny said, blowing her nose for the umpteenth time.

“Well, you just are going to have to suck it up mister!” Tara said hugging her friend.

Jenny laughed a little at Tara’s trademark saying. It was something she had heard many times over their lives together, especially at times when Jenny expressed doubt.

“I am sure we can find another box of tissues, if not we have plenty of t.p.!”

“You wouldn’t!” Jenny smiled.

“Is that a question?” Tara said cocking her head. Jenny could see the mischievousness in her friends eyes, dancing around like a little child’s would.

“Ok, ok, I am good!”

Jenny opened the next letter and squeezed her lips together as she realized it was from Coach Wendell.

My dear co-captain,

I cannot believe this marvelous ride is at an end. What a great experience it has been. I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would have had the opportunity to watch you and Tara blossom into such outstanding captains and exceptional young women.

When I saw you take your first lap on the track four years ago I knew you had something special. I am so glad I was blessed to be here to see it. I know you have helped this track program progress to a point where we will always believe we can do great things. I don’t know how I will get everything done without you and Tara as you guys practically ran things without my direction the last two years.

I spoke with Coach Perkins about your leadership qualities and I’ll bet he will have you doing the same kind of things in a short time. He is very excited about the four of you and I know you will not disappoint. You have always exceeded all my wishes and I know I will have to realize that and adjust my expectation of the new captains next year.

Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. I love you Jenny and wish you all the best!

Tara watched Jenny close her eyes and shake her head as she finished this letter. She knew she could finally share her knowledge of this letter.

“Do you know how close you came to ruining this whole thing? The day I found you in Coach Wendell’s office with that letter from your dad I thought you knew.”

Jenny closed her eyes as she remembered the feelings she allowed to blossom within her as she tried to make sense of the circumstances surrounding the letter in Coach Wendell’s drawer with her dad’s handwriting on it. Due to an unfortunate coincidence where Cindy Craven’s dad had used his nickname when he signed a card to Coach Wendell for some flowers Jenny had made the leap that her dad was being unfaithful to her mother. She thought about how close she came to a disastrous decision to accuse her father of something nowhere near the truth.

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“It would have ruined this whole day!” Tara replied. “Besides I knew you would never look, you are too much of a rule follower for that!”

“I am not,” Jenny said with firmness.

“Yes you are,” Tara said in a sing song voice.

Jenny dropped her head and slowly shook it as she agreed that she really would have never looked.

“Hey,” Martika said as she approached. “Have you gotten to mine yet?”

Jenny looked in the box and nodded as she pulled out one that had her name in Martika’s writing.

“I’m going to get some cake. Do you want some,” She asked Jenny.

“Sure.”

Martika slid into Tara’s spot as Jenny wrapped one arm around her and pulled her close.

“So this was a good surprise, right?”

“Oh my gosh Martika, I had no clue. What a wonderful surprise this is for me.”

“Go ahead,” Martika said, nodding to the letter.

Jenny opened the letter to begin reading and grabbed more tissues as she realized there would be a need.

My dear new friend,

In all my life I have had few friends that embodied the word to such a degree that it changed my life. I have always envied others that have such special friendships that they talk about their friends with excitement in their voice. Now I am able to be in that group as I talk about my friend Jenny Drake.

When you entered my life I was at about the lowest point I can remember. The abuse from Pete was so bad that I dreaded even the mention of his name. I was a prisoner in my own home and anytime he came my whole family went on edge. We had no hope of escaping his terrorism.

I believe you were sent to save me and my family. When I saw you that first night I could not help but wish Pete would want you so I could get away from him. I had to act like I was jealous so Pete would not hurt me, but I was ready for anyone else to take his attention from me.

Why you decided to risk your life for me I will never know, but I can never thank you enough for your selfless choice. No one from my school would ever have anything to do with me due to Pete’s reputation. I felt so isolated and alone and really craved a friend who would just listen to me. I had no illusion about a brave friend who would step in to halt the relentless and damaging abuse.

You are the most exceptional person I have ever met. In the face of extreme adversity you still chose to try to help me, who you barely knew. I will never forget the things you did for me. It may sound weird, but know how I mean it when I say I love you Jenny Drake. You are the sister I never had!

Jenny turned her hand over and opened it to allow Martika to snatch some of the tissues she grasped and wipe her tears as they read her letter together. More hugs followed as each wept while they embraced. Jenny could not ever remember being touched so deeply. In all the letters she had read so far her friends had poured out their hearts and done nothing but encourage and lift her up. It was like nothing she had ever known.

All the stress of the preceding weeks had drained her, making her feel battered inside and drained of strength. Seeing her mother at the graduation had powered her adrenalin, but this was restoring her soul. She wondered how she would ever have enough emotions to finish the letters.

“My mom is calling. I told her I wouldn’t be long. I’ll come back, okay?”

“Sure,” Jenny said squeezing her hand.

Tara took Martika’s place again, handing jenny a bottle of water as she sat with two Styrofoam saucers with cake and forks.

“How are you holding up?”

“Ohhh, I don’t know Tara; this is some kind of experience. I mean all these words are so nice and make me feel wonderful.”

“So, who is next?” Tara said nodding toward the box jenny still had on her lap.

Jenny looked at the next letter, which had Daphne’s writing on it. She held the letter so Tara could read with her.

Dear Sis,

I know when you started at Reynolds all you heard was: “There goes Daphne’s sister.” You were in my shadow the whole first year and you handled it marvelously, not allowing it to affect who you were or what you did. How wonderful it is now to be Jenny’s sister as you reach the pinnacle of your high school experience. I am amazed at how grown up you have become since I left home.

I know these past weeks have been horrible for you. Having to be the adult in the midst of such trials is just something you should never have been saddled with. I am sorry I could not be involved more to share the burden. It seems you were able to manage things very well until dad came, but I know the stress was brutal.

What an inspiration you are for your friends Tara and Martika. I know both of them are better off for knowing you as a person and their friend. You have changed both their lives in such a positive way. What a role model you have become for your classmates and those that will remain at Reynolds. You will be the gold standard used by Ms. Collins and Principal Delman for years.

I know I have not told you how proud I am of you for all your achievements, but know that Eric and I certainly are full of pride. I also want you to know how much I love you. You are a great sister and I hope you love your new opportunity at Villanova!

Jenny smiled as she wiped more tears and noticed Tara do the same.

“Keep going,” Tara said, knowing how the letters were placed.

Next was a letter from Papaw Hal, which was really just a short note.

Jenny,

I was not sure about promising what I did when you asked concerning the situation with the Kelly girl, but now I realize how grown up you are and that you are fully capable of doing what you promise. What a great friend and wonderful young woman you are!

After this was a letter from his wife.

Dearest Jenny,

My dear you are the most amazing young person I have ever had the pleasure to know. All we hear is that your generation is consumed with the internet and video games and never notices the world around you. That definition rings so hollow when it is aimed for you. I see such a great future for you as you influence your world with you loving and caring personality.

Your mother is a strong woman and I see you have the same strength in you. The Drake women are always going to be able to surmount any odds. I hope you find great success as you move on to the University and chart your path for the future. Know that Papaw Hal and I are here for anything you need. We love you Jenny.

Jenny turned up her water bottle and took a long drink, letting the cool water relax the muscles in her throated that were tight due to all her crying while she read these heartfelt tributes. She knew the most emotion filled was yet to come, but she felt like she needed a break.

“Don’t stop now!” Tara said, urging her to continue.

As Jenny expected, the letter from Tara was next.

My best friend in the whole world,

What an exciting few days it has been. In all our years as friends I have loved every day, every experience. What a great time we have had. I remember you telling me about how great it felt to win a race and to win the championship. I think I will always remember the day that I beat Susan. How I wish you could have been with us on the track that day. As much as that meant, the day I won with you on the track meant more.

When I beat you the first time in practice I just knew you let me win. I wanted to be excited and I was, but after I got away from school that day I really got to thinking about how real it was. You are the kind of friend that would do that and I wondered just how much you cared about me. At state I knew you were going all out and that is why it means so much.

You are so amazing, taking on what you did for Martika. I can’t imagine being so selfless for someone I hardly knew. I guess it really was due to my foolishness that you got involved with her. Imagine if I had not hurt you that day how different things may have been. Bobby would probably have been without any hope of being proven innocent.

I am so excited out life will continue in a new school. I expect you to tutor me in the hard stuff you know. It will be great to be on a team with Cindy and Susan. I think we can look forward to many more exciting races.

You know I love you my sister, but I also want to thank you for believing in me. You always said I could be the winner, I just had to believe. Now I do. From now on you are going to have a top flight competitor in Tara Kimbler. Are you ready for that?

Congratulations on the Valedictorian thing. I never doubted you, if you don’t believe me look at the date on this letter. I wrote it two weeks before graduation. You are the smartest person I have ever known and I am so glad we are friends.

Jenny hugged Tara as she finished reading the letter and attended to the tears that flowed again.

“It definitely would not have gone as well if you had not pushed me into the fountain.” Jenny smiled.

Jenny pulled another letter out, which saw was in Bobby’s handwriting.

Dear Sis,

You know I am no writer, but I want to tell you this. Thank you for believing in me. You were the only one for a while and I thought for sure I was going to go to prison. I can never thank you enough for all you did. I know I can be a pain a lot of the time but I really appreciate you for what you did. I love you.

Jenny searched for Bobby, and saw him coming toward her, with a curious expression on his face.

“Hey,” he said as he reached the seat jenny and Tara shared.

“Give me a hug,” Jenny said, her eyes swollen from all the crying.

“Ok,” Bobby said, complying with her directions.

Jenny could see a question as she moved back to face her brother.

“Hey, would you mind if I left? I have somewhere I want to go.”

“Of course,” Jenny said.

“Cassie and I are going to her grandparent’s farm to ride horses.”

“Really? That is great Bobby!”

“How about that,” Tara said as she saw Bobby jog toward the back gate where Cassie Pendergrass stood waiting. They could see she had on jeans and boots and held a hat that she intended to wear later.

“I think it is wonderful. He has such a thing for her.”

“Well, have you read mine yet?” Tom asked. He pulled a chair beside her and put his arm around her shoulder.

“No,” Jenny said with a long breath. “How many tissues will I need?”

“Oh, there is no telling.”

Jenny took a deep breath and pulled the next letter out, which was indeed Tom’s. She leaned into him as she began to read his words.

Dear Jenny,

I am so proud of you on this day, but really there is no more pride today than any other. You have become such a wonderful person as I watch you mature. You have a spirit that is so special and inspirational. You just seem to thrive no matter the pressures applied to your life. I am constantly in awe of your resilience and ability to manage such complex hurdles.

I know the past few weeks have been incredibly difficult, but once again you have shown just how determined you are to come out on the right side of every challenge. It has been a quality you have shown all your life. Even when you learned to walk you were determined to do it all in one day and you have never looked back.

Your mom and I are so proud of the way you stood by her during this illness. I was so out of touch with her situation and had no idea how profoundly it affected you and Bobby. The way you held our family together was incredible and I owe you such a debt of gratitude. Thank you for being the adult.

I am so glad you agreed to the offer from Coach Perkins to run at Villanova. I am looking forward to traveling to see you and your friends represent our area against the best runners in the country. I know you guys will thrive in this new opportunity. It is guaranteed due to your determination to succeed no matter how difficult the task.

I love you Jenny and wish all the best for you. Know how proud I was when they announced your name as the Valedictorian. I was proud because you set a goal and made sure you achieved it. That is a quality that will serve you well all your life. I am so proud of you and had to write it here.

Jenny closed her eyes and held her lips closed as sobs threatened to escape from her throat. She shook as she held her father close and let more emotions flow out. Her father gently caressed her hair as he held her close. He looked up to see Kyla walk toward them and gently moved his hand out to take hers.

Tara reached in the box and retrieved the last letter. She placed it in Jenny’s other hand and stood to allow Kyla to take her seat. Kyla hugged Tara before she snuggled in next to jenny, who still held her father tight. When she felt someone new to her right she straightened to look at her mother who had a broad smile on her face.

Jenny blinked as she realized she had not read a letter from her mother and her fingers curled around the paper in her hand. She looked down to see Kyla’s handwriting and sat up enough to allow both her parents to see what was on this page.

Dear Sweetheart,

Thank you for being there for me through all my stuff. I have to tell you that through all the craziness I experienced I never forgot who you were and I always knew you were trying to help me. Just knowing you were on my side gave me hope. I always knew you would never stop trying to help me, never give up on me.

Your dads said he wrote in his letter about how proud we are of your academic achievements. I knew you would be the best; you always have given all of you to whatever you do. I know Martika and her family will never forget how you shared Jenny Love with them. What a wonderful, unselfish expression of love you gave to that family. I think I am as proud of that as anything you have ever done.

Your achievement as Valedictorian is impressive, but I think the gratitude of this family will stay with you the longest. What bravery you showed as you stood up to the worst kind of bullies. Because of your actions we have Bobby back without any fear of having to go to prison for a crime he did not commit.

I know you have suffered through an n exhausting period these last few weeks and I hope we can all get away for a well deserved vacation. I think it would be good for all of us to have some time where we can just be ourselves, especially since I finally am. Oh come on, can’t I make a joke about myself?

Jenny laughed at her mother’s joke, but tears still flowed as she read this last letter.

I am so blessed to have you as a daughter. You did so much to hold us together until we could get things turned around. Thank you for being the adult that did all she could to pull us through. I love you honey!

Jenny looked up at her mom as she held the letter to her chest and hugged her while she told her “I love you too!”

                                                                   THE END