Contest #261 winner 🏆

50 comments

Coming of Age Contemporary

January 27, 1997

Dear Aunt Beth Thank you for giving me a dollhouse for Christmas. I love it! Mom says I need to write you a letter to say thank you. Thank you!

Love your neice Hanna

December 26, 1998

Dear Aunt Beth, 

Thank you for the chemistry set! It is really cool! I already made a volcano! It exploded everywhere and the turkey got wet! Dad was mad but mom thought it was funny! 

Love 

Hanna

April 25, 1999

Dear Aunt Beth, 

Thank you so much for taking me to Disneyland! I had the best time ever. I specially liked the Rocky Mountain roller coaster. I wasn’t even scared! Next year when I am 10 I will be tall enough for all the rides.

Can you tell Dad I can wear my Jasmine dress to school? He says it will get dirty but you said I can always wear it. 

Love, 

Hanna

From:sexxycat8908xoxo@hotmail.com

To: beth.levesque@aol.com

Sent: September 14, 2002 at 7:53 pm

Re: Thank you!

Dear Aunt Beth, 

I’m so sad you had to go back home to New York. I wish you could always live here, but I guess then you wouldn’t be the cool aunt I get to brag about to my friends. If you lived here you’d still be cool I’m sure but your life would be very different. I don’t know about anyone as old as you here who’s not married, so how would you meet a man to marry?

Thanks for taking me shopping when you were here to buy a you-know-what. Mom said I’m too young and don’t even have any chest yet. And I can’t even imagine asking Dad. All my friends have one and now so do I! You are the coolest. 

Can’t wait to see you at Christmas! It seems to far away. 

Love, 

Hanna

From:sexxycat8908xoxo@hotmail.com

To: beth.levesque@aol.com

Sent: September 5, 2006 at 11:40 pm

Re: Summer

Dear Aunt Beth, 

Thank you so much for letting me stay with you this summer! I had a blast living the New York lifestyle with you, even if your place is a little small. I really needed to get away from HIM for a while, you know? My mom and dad, they don’t get it. They’re each other’s firsts and onlys. You’ve dated lots of people. 

I’ll always remember your advice: only be with someone who loves you just a little bit more. Not a lot. Just a little. 

I’ll also always remember seeing the Statue of Liberty with you. I took so many pictures with my new digital camera that I filled up the whole memory card. I attached my favorites to this email. We look so chic with our side swept bangs and skinny jeans, don’t you think? 

The friends I met working at DQ are pretty cool too, even if the job was lame. Do you think we’ll stay friends? Maybe I can come visit you again soon. 

Love, 

Hanna

From:sexxycat8908xoxo@hotmail.com

To: beth.levesque@aol.com

Sent: July 21, 2008 at 1:08 am

Re: Paris

Dear Aunt Beth, 

Paris was amazing! That was the trip of a lifetime! Thank you so much for taking me. My favorite part was the Catacombs. So creepy! Or maybe it was Disneyland Paris. Every time I think of Disney, I think of you. Remember when I you took me when I was 9? That was the best trip. Well, maybe not the best. It’s not like we got to drink champagne cocktails at the foot of the Eiffel Tower overlooking the Seine back then. But - different trips, different memories. 

I loved talking to you about going to college in the fall. I don’t know exactly what I want to do when I’m done college, but I do know that I have bigger dreams than just my small town and you get it. You’ve been there, done that, escaped the small town. I’m nervous and excited too. I got assigned my first ever roommate. I only know her name, not her picture or anything. I hope she doesn’t make too much of a mess or want to go to bed at 9 pm or something.

It’s too bad we didn’t get to go to the Louvre and see the Mona Lisa though. Who couldn’t known it was closed on Mondays! Maybe we can go again next summer to make up for it. JK! (But only kind of. Wouldn’t it be great?)

Can’t wait to see you at Christmas! 

I’ll call you Tuesday. 

Bisous, 

Hanna

From:sexxycat8908xoxo@hotmail.com

To: beth.levesque@aol.com

Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2001 2:53 AM

Re: Internship

Dear Aunt Beth, 

Thank you so much for getting me this summer internship at your company! I’m stoked to stay at your place again this summer (and have my very own room this time. Good thing you moved!)

I’m maybe a little nervous about the internship. I mean, the stock market isn’t exactly where I see myself long term. But like you said, it’s worth trying out for a summer to see if I like it AND I’ll learn so much so quickly AND it’ll look great on a resume AND I’ll get to meet so many potential connections. Not to mention I’ll get to live with my favorite aunt. And report to your boss. I’ll get to see what it’s really like to live in your shoes. 

See you in two days! Can’t wait to hang out on the weekend before the start of my grand career adventure on Monday. 

Love, 

Hanna

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Ms. Anna Dalloway

51 William St.

New York, NY 10005

Re: Resignation

Dear Ms. Dalloway, 

This letter is to confirm my resignation from Dalloway and Associates, effective today. This job is not what I was promised and I am not the kind of person who can just file all day. 

Thank you for the opportunity. I hope you find someone else. 

Sincerely, 

Hanna Levesque

hanna: Hey Meg

Sent: Monday, July 4, 2011 05:13 am

Meg: Hey

hanna: Thanks so much for letting me crash on your couch for a few nights while I figured out my flight home. My aunt was *so* mad that I quit that job. 

hanna: I mean, it’s not like they were planning on me being there long term. They barely had anything for me to do… just filing and more filing. Not trading or meeting clients or even making connections in the company like SHE promised. 

hanna: I can’t even type her name I’m so mad

hanna: And THEN she kicked me out of her apartment and said I was an embarrassment and she wished she’d never stuck her neck out for me in the first place. 

Meg: not cool

hanna: I mean, I get she was mad but that was mean and unnecessary. 

hanna: and if the job had been what she promised, we wouldn't have had this problem in the first place.  

Meg: ur totally right

hanna: Anyhow, thanks for getting me out of a tight spot. It was fun reminiscing with the old DQ crowd (even though we learned we canNOT hold blizzards upside down at home, no matter how much we thought we remembered lol.) 

hanna: ugh, I am not looking forward to the cold shoulder at my parents place

hanna: Not sure when I’ll be back in NYC but hope we can hang out when I can 

Meg: I got your back whenever, chica. Hang in there. 

  • Dad, I cannot believe you invited Aunt Beth to my wedding without my permission. I don’t want her there! Thanks for ruining my wedding. 

Read: March 1, 2017 10:01 am

October 8, 2017

Dear Aunt Beth, 

Thank you for coming to our wedding and for your generous gift of $20. We put it towards the tax on a new blender. 

Sincerely, 

Hanna and Anthony

Drafts

From: levesque.hanna8@gmail.com

To: beth.levesque@aol.com

Saved: August 23, 2019 7:48 pm

Re: [no subject]

Someone gave us a dollhouse at my baby shower and

October 31, 2019

Dear Aunt Beth, 

Thank you very much for the new blender. It certainly is very… powerful. And loud. I’m sure it would make great smoothies if I had time. Harper hates sleep, though. 

From, 

Hanna

Drafts

From: levesque.hanna8@gmail.com

To: beth.levesque@aol.com

Saved: January 1, 2020 10:15 pm

Re: [no subject]

Dear Aunt Beth, 

I watched Aladdin yesterday

Drafts

From: levesque.hanna8@gmail.com

To: beth.levesque@aol.com

Saved: April 15, 2020 12:02 pm

Re: I miss you

I’m so lonely.

December 28, 2020

Dear Hanna, 

I can’t tell you how surprised and delighted I was to receive your letter in the mail. 

Neither of us can take back all those things we said back then. Not to say that it’s water under the bridge, but I was wrong and you were wrong. You were a child but I was an adult. Thank you for apologizing, and I am sorry too. There's no use in could haves and should haves, but we can try to be better from here, can’t we? 

As for the blender – while I may not be able to empathize with the pain of childbirth, I can empathize with the pain of a poorly blended smoothie – you know, the kind where you end up chewing weird chunks of kale? Your dad told me you lived off smoothies when you were pregnant with Harper. 

Have you introduced her to Minnie Mouse yet? Maybe when she’s older and we’re all allowed out of this darn bubble, we can all go to Disneyland together. 

Call me when you get this letter. I’d love to hear your voice. 

All my love, 

Aunt Beth

August 02, 2024 21:32

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50 comments

David Sweet
16:53 Aug 09, 2024

It was cool to see the progression in tone and even the little touches in the email names, etc. It was nice to see the evolution of character from child to mother. Great details! Congrats on the win. I hope it inspires you to do even more writing. Keep up the great work!

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Reesey Mc
17:55 Aug 09, 2024

The thing that I dislike about this story is how hard I had to fight back tears and that I couldn't stop smiling. All my Love to Hanna and Aunt Beth!! Definitely deserved the winning slot!!! I want more from this author. I had the same idea...sort of ... but was too chickenisht to write and post. Thanks for the inspiration as well! ❤️‍🩹

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Audrey Knox
18:19 Aug 09, 2024

Do it next time!!! :D My favorite thing about this site is how supportive people are of everyone's writing. Even if you're scared, it's going to be received with love and constructive feedback. I believe in you. <3

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Reesey Mc
19:06 Aug 27, 2024

Awww THANK YOU. That made me tear up on a rough day! Definitely entering this new one

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Sandrine Hu
18:48 Aug 09, 2024

Give it a try next time! The only way to get better at putting your work out there is to try. And thank you for the lovely feedback ♥️

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Reesey Mc
19:06 Aug 27, 2024

Thank you! And YW🥰

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Sally Wirth
16:34 Aug 09, 2024

Great story. You really captured the changes in relationships with age. And no matter how grown up we may be, relationships are still difficult!

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M.D. Adler
16:22 Aug 09, 2024

Congratulations, Sandrine! I loved the format you chose and I was hooked by the family drama. A very heartwarming ending too. Well done :)

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Audrey Knox
18:18 Aug 09, 2024

As someone born in 1993, the details in the earlier thank you notes really hit me right in the emotions. There was a point in the middle when all the notes were so positive where I got this sinking feeling, knowing that there was going to be a turn and that things would sour. You ended up delivering, and the passive aggression and saved drafts felt so real. Though I didn't love Beth's apology at the end, that also felt real. This story was a whole journey, and the attention to detail made me believe every bit of it.

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Alexis Araneta
17:22 Aug 09, 2024

A sweet tale about growing up told in letters ! Lovely work !

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Yoyo Chan
16:52 Aug 09, 2024

congratulations on your win! it was interesting how the thankyou notes evolved in format alongside the relationship between Hannah and her aunt

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Nick Physick
15:50 Aug 09, 2024

A great read!

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18:20 Aug 12, 2024

Hi Sandrine, What I like most about this story is that you found a way to include a cast of characters even though the story is told through letters. Bravo! This story has a fully developed plot with more backstory that is subtly hinted at. I loved your story!

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Olivia Schmidt
19:02 Aug 11, 2024

Omg great story! How did you get inspired to write something like this?

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Wendy M
19:03 Aug 07, 2024

Beautifully done!

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Elena Balaguer
04:15 Aug 21, 2024

The format is just so mind-blowingly unique. Wow. The kind of story that has you speed-reading and wishing it went on just a tad longer.

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Aileena Harper
13:09 Oct 24, 2024

I agree!

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Phillip B
19:02 Aug 15, 2024

Very nice. The progression of the dates was a great idea.

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Pei Pei Lin
19:37 Aug 13, 2024

What a touching story. Congratulations on the win!

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Paul Simpkin
08:21 Aug 13, 2024

Lovely story. Very delicately written. Deserved to win.

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04:36 Aug 13, 2024

What a delightful journey! I was eager to see what happened next. I am so happy that Hanna and Beth made up. That relationship was to previous to waste.

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Christine Grace
20:58 Aug 12, 2024

OMG, these onion cutting ninja's everywhere that part near the end not gonna lie had me when she didn't answer. You deserve an award and it's called putting the readers in their feels award.

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Victoria West
20:28 Aug 12, 2024

Great job!

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10:28 Aug 12, 2024

Wow! I want an aunt like Beth. It is too bad that teenagers have become so self-centred. They get so bored and run away from undesirable circumstances. They don't remember all the good things or the thought that goes into it all. In a bid for independence, they totally burn bridges and say obnoxious things. I'm so relieved she grew up and re-appreciated her Aunt Beth! Congratulations. I wrote to the same prompt but mine is oh-so different.

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Angela Gilmartin
20:50 Aug 11, 2024

I thought you captured how easily people fall in and out of our lives because of (typically) a singular event...the olive branch of a letter from Aunt Beth was a nice suspenseful touch...

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