The Typewriter

For her entire life, Madelyn Doucetta has been fond of convenience. What seemed suitable to her needs was always met with an enthusiastic yes. Her yes’s would typically yield some sort of satisfying conclusion. So when Mrs. Eleanor Colton offered her a position at her bookstore, Madelyn felt inclined to take it. It appeared perfect, especially since the bookstore resides just below her apartment complex. Along with the weekly paychecks, most were put towards her college loans, but overall was a bonus.

Very soon would the regular life of Madelyn Doucetta change. Her dear sister, Emily, threw a small celebration when she heard the news. She was ecstatic for her sister’s new job, and even more for the 15% discount that accompanied it.

The days leading up to her first day were spent talking about the infinite number of books they could buy, and all the letters they could read. For if Mrs. Eleanor Colton’s bookstore, The Typewriter, was known for anything. It would be that famous typewriter, the one that has crafted all the letters strung across the store. Each letter is left clipped, dangling there. The Words from each writer hoping to draw, and capture the attention of the reader.

The whole idea seemed fairly unique to the Doucetta’s for the longest time. Until they learned about the history of The Typewriter. The bookstore which was once the town’s post office. Before the town council voted to move it to a bigger space down the street. So the vacant space was bought by Mrs. Colton and then renovated into the bookstore now loved by the community.

Now that Madelyn was working there in the evenings, she got used to the homely atmosphere the bookstore set. She would push open the door, hearing the chime’s soft tinkle as the door closed. See the letters strung around the store, with Mrs. Colton somewhere in the store chatting away with a customer. Her warm smile greeted Madelyn, sometimes followed by a quick wave. Every day brought joy into the 23-year-old’s life. Every day was routine until she found that letter. That letter would change her life, for better or for worse.

>------<

It was the average Friday for Madelynn Doucetta. College, work, dinner, and then pass out on the couch from exhaustion. The weekend was saved for grocery shopping and studying. She shuffled tiredly down the hallway towards her apartment. Offering a quick smile and wave to the passing postal worker. Who tipped his hat and smiled back in return. The mail was collected by the college student, before shutting the door, and then lazily tossing her bag onto the counter. 

Madelyn headed towards the corner desk that held a stack of unread books and half-finished homework. She sat with a sigh and began sorting out the mail, tossing the insignificant letters into the trash. Her eyes scanned over the envelopes relatively quickly before stopping at one. It read, AdoptionChoice, with two parents cradling a baby as the logo. Below it was the address for the apartment just two doors down. Realization struck the college student faster than lightning. This belonged to Mrs. Eleanor Colton.

Madelyn dropped the letter onto the desk and then walked to her small kitchen to clear her mind. It was a well-known fact to the town that Mrs. Colton was once married but never did have children. Maybe she’s adopting? Thought the brunette as she chopped some fresh fruit. It seemed strange though, for whenever something excited her boss she would happily make it known. That’s just how Mrs. Colton is, but the woman never kept any secrets. She pulled a blender from the cabinet below her and added a few extra ingredients before blending it. Madelyn poured some into a glass while debating whether or not she should take a peek at the letter. Soon enough, curiosity was the victor and she wandered back to that corner desk, smoothie in hand.

Perhaps if Madelyn Doucetta didn’t read most of that letter she wouldn’t have dropped her glass cup, but at the sight of her last name, it’s no surprise. What Madelyn was able to read from the letter:

Dear Mrs. Eleanor Colton,

We appreciate your patience over the past few months. We apologize for any inconvenience we might have caused. As you know, our agency has handled many cases such as yours. This year especially, has been our busiest yet, but after digging through our records we are happy to inform you that we’ve managed to locate your child. We have the address and contact information regarding the Doucetta’s below- -

Of course, as any other person would be in her shoes. The college student was rattled to the core at what she just read. She could barely speak, let alone realize the huge mess she had created. It took a minute, but the stinging bloody cut on her hand brought her back to reality. She stood abruptly and swiftly removed the dripping letter from the smoothie puddle with her good hand.

A few moments after the crash sounded, Emily Doucetta came bolting into the room. She stopped short, one eyebrow raised at the mess. But at the sight of her sister’s injury, she took off in search of bandages. Within the next hour, the glass had been swept, the smoothie wiped away, and Madelyn’s hand wrapped. The older sister leaned over, hugging Emily, and thanked her for her help. The younger sister finally questioned what caused her to drop the glass, but Madelyn just brushed it off as an act of clumsiness. Emily shrugged, returned the hug, and headed off to bed. Eventually, Madelyn turned in as well. Reminiscing over the letter until midnight.

>-------<

Before the sun could even rise to welcome the weekend with open arms, Madelyn Doucetta had already decided she would find out more about the smoothie-stained letter. One way or another. She also figured it would be best to not trouble her dear sister with the whole ordeal. After what happened last year, Emily didn’t need any more stress. 

By 7:30 in the morning, she was out the door. Bag slung over her shoulder and a piece of French Toast in her mouth. For the first time in months, she would arrive at work earlier than normal. She planned to search around her boss’s office for more information before she came into work at 8:30. She bounded quickly down the stairs. The side door leading into The Typewriter opened with ease. The first thing was the smell of coffee. The second was Mrs. Colton wiping down the cash register. She never was in this early. After working in this establishment for close to a year, Madelyn knew what time her boss came in for work. 

The college student approached the counter, putting her bag down on it. Mrs. Colton greeted her with a hello and a good morning. While looking questioningly at her bandaged hand, but not saying a word. Her boss reached over and grabbed two steaming cups of coffee. She handed one to her employee with a smile. Madelyn thanked her and returned the smile. The two chatted about how Madelyn’s classes were going, the new cat Mrs. Colton was planning on getting, and the current finances of the bookstore. After some time, their conversation had died down and it was then time to open the store. Mrs. Colton went off to greet some customers she’d known for some time and answer any questions needed. While her faithful employee handled the register. 

Even with the customers coming and going, she still thought about the letter now and then. And went over the reasons why her last name was mentioned. Along with the fact that her original plan to search her boss’s office earlier went out the window.

When the flow of customers broke, Madelyn found herself resting her head in her uninjured hand. Attempting to figure out another course of action. Then something occurred to her that hadn’t before. Was it possible for Madelyn Doucetta to be the daughter of Mrs. Eleanor Colton? To her, it made perfect sense, after all, it made some sort of sense. She groaned at the thought of what the rest of the letter said, but after the inconvenient smoothie spill, she couldn’t make out the rest. To uplift her mood, the college student imagined all the things her 19-year-old sister might say to her if she knew what was going on.

After some time to think she had come up with a newly crafted plan. Of course, Madelyn knew this idea was morally wrong and if she got caught in the act, could break her mother’s trust completely. But if there was something anyone close to her knew, it was that buried fear of hers. For the last winter of the previous year, the brunette had lost her beloved parents in a car collision along an icy highway. The loss was immediate and impactful. Almost breaking both her and Emily in the process. But the poor thing didn’t have time to mourn, she had a sister to take care of. Now, if there is anything that the college student feared it would be losing someone else. 

>------<

Madelyn's plan seemed quite simple. All she needed was Mrs. Eleanor Colton’s key ring because it was on it. The employee knew there was bound to be something in her boss’ apartment. So when the clock struck twelve, the brunette grabbed her bag and rushed in search of her boss. She skidded to a stop at the sight of Mrs. Colton in her office. The middle-aged woman seemed to be reviewing some sort of papers, probably the recently typed-out letters from the customers. Her posture showed she was completely invested in whatever she was reading. Madelyn tapped lightly on the oak door and was addressed with a smile. The question of what she needed was answered with a quick made-up explanation of some lady who requested a certain book. That of course required the storage room key which just so happened to be on the key ring. The college student was met with a yes and after a quick toss, Madelyn Doucetta had her prize. There wasn't a lot of time for the cunning college student to search Mrs. Colton's apartment. Luckily for her, she had been in there one other time, that being her job interview. She stuck the H- H-shaped key into the keyhole and in exchange heard a satisfying click. The brunette shut the door softly behind her and went to the steel filing cabinet in the corner behind an L-shaped wooden desk. Madelyn whistled lowly at the amount of clutter on the desk. Stacks of unorganized paper, half-opened books laid everywhere, along with the occasional scattered writing utensil. It was like the large version of her desk. She began opening the cabinets skipping through anything to do with the bookstore, taxes, or any unpaid bills. Like the climax to any good book, Madelyn expected Mrs. Colton to just enter the apartment at any given moment. Little did she know something else would soon take place. As she opened the final filing cabinet her hope of finding anything slowly vanished. Until she pulled the handle. Finding it to be jammed, the employee tugged harder. That's when the answer to her problems hit her. A flat ebony-colored box fell and hit her, the contents inside spewing all over the floor. As if someone was pulling the strings at that moment, a familiar-looking letter landed in her lap. The brunette carefully opened the letter discovering a birth certificate and Mrs. Eleanor Colton cradling a familiar-looking baby. Madelyn studied the photograph handling it as if it were expensive jewels. She laid it to the side and read the letter. The contents shocked Madelyn, to say the least. That evening she found out who Mrs. Eleanor Colton’s daughter was, and that everything she’d done needed to be explained to her boss. For the brunette knew it was time for the daughter to meet her mother.

>-------<

The two weeks that followed these events were the conclusion of a relentless 10-year search and the beginning of a new chapter for Mrs. Colton. For starters, after Madelyn read the letter found in Mrs. Colton’s apartment she headed down the stairs and waited inside her boss’s office. Her boss was of course shocked to find her employee holding that black box that contained her closest secrets in one hand. And in her wrapped hand held a smoothie-stained letter, followed by an explanation of Madelyn’s curiosity gone wrong and an apology for the actions she should’ve never taken. The tears that Mrs. Colton, hearing such exciting news concerning her daughter, was met by a warm embrace from Madelyn. Afterwards, she had to explain the seemingly impossible series of events to her sister, and the fact that she was adopted. And soon enough, her employee was able to arrange a time and place for them to both meet.

So that Sunday night when Madelyn opened the door that would lead to the first conversation between Mrs. Colton and Emily Doucetta. She didn’t accept the immediate embrace they shared. Followed by tears and the tearful Mrs. Colton leading with millions of apologies. Emily stood in silence for a bit, not interrupting her once, and when she was finished led her to a seat on the couch. For a second the two looked back towards Madelyn, both equally nervous. But with an encouraging nod and a wave for them to continue, the brunette shut the door behind her softly.

While they conversed lowly, Madelyn would then make her way down the stairs that led to that bookstore. Walk slowly up to that old typewriter, and begin typing out the unbelievable letter, filled with this story. So that it too could be strung along with the rest, and draw that same hope and capture the attention of its reader.