All My Best

JUNE

Dear Miss Simmons,

It has been a pleasure to have Lilian in your classroom. Her 2nd grade experience has been wonderful thanks to you and Mrs. Hill. We hope you like this small gift. Hint—it is not an apple! Ha! In full sincerity, thank you for everything, and have a great summer.

Our best,

The Thompsons

PS: In case you wait to open the gift, please do refrigerate it! (It is homemade!)

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Dear Mrs. Hill,

Thank you for being a wonderful paraprofessional. With your help, Lilian has had an amazing school year. We hope you have just as great of a summer.

Sincerely,

The Thompsons

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Selene!

I was so happily surprised to see your save-the dates! Frank could not believe it. I think he broke right in front of the refrigerator, staring at the magnet with you and Raoul. My answer, of course, is yes. I’d love to be head bridesmaid. Please let me know what you need. Besides keeping Frank from yelling out when they ask everyone to speak now or forever hold their peace. Ha! Just kidding. Thank you, seriously, for thinking of me.

Love,

Annabelle

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Dear Uncle Stu,

Thank you so much for the super generous donation to Lilian’s fundraiser for her summer bike-a-thon! She is very excited that you’re helping her to possibly win those zoo tickets. We will be sure to post pictures in July so that you can see her in action. Can’t wait to see you at the end-of-summer cookout at Gran’s either! No, I will not fight with Sam.

Love,

Annabelle, Frank, and Lilian

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Dear Gran,

Thank you for sending back the donation card! And for the thoughtful note. Lilian does have a helmet, and kids her age typically do away with the knee and elbow pads, but we do so appreciate the reminder. We miss you too and will see you at the cookout. I promise not to fight with Sam if she’s there, but I do not think we need to worry about that.

Love,

Annabelle, Frank, and Lilian

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Uncle Rob,

We appreciated the donation you sent for Lilian! Every tiny bit helps her to win the prize. It’s our understanding that the money goes straight to the foundation running the event, so I can’t speak to whether any of it might go to funding the specific procedures you mentioned. Thank you again!

—Annabelle

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Hi Rhonda,

Thank you so much for sending the swatches for the bridesmaid gowns. It’s something that might seem small, but can you please see the fabric I’ve included here and compare it to what you have in your studio? The swatches that you sent are lovely, but the bride has taken a look and doesn’t feel comfortable with them because of an ex-boyfriend’s favorite sports team. The yellow she is looking for is more of this goldenrod color I’ve included. Please give me a call once you’ve received and let me know if this is something you have.

Thank you,

Annabelle

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Hey Mom and Dad!

Thanks for sending the gift card for the zoo to Lilian. We wanted to let you know not to mention it when you see us because even though she didn’t win the fundraiser contest, we don’t really want her to learn that she gets the prize anyway. The next time we go to the zoo, we’ll let her know that you’ve sent her spending money for the gift shop. Hopefully she will choose something other than another plushie…

Love,

Annabelle

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JULY

Hi Camille,

Thank you for sending along the sample wedding invitations. They look wonderful. One small detail that might not seem important but that I do need to point out is that the width of the lace on the trifold doesn’t match the width of the lace on the RSVP insert. See where I’ve measured and marked on the sample in my included copies. Is this something that is by design? Either way, the bride would like to know if that is adjustable? Thanks so much, again. I think with this fourth set we’re nearly there, which is great since we do need to get them mailed out ASAP.

Thank you,

Annabelle

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Hi Selene,

Thank you so much for sending the birthday card and spending money for Lilian! It was so lovely of you to remember her birthday. She’ll be so excited to go shopping. She can’t wait to come to the wedding.

Our best,

Annabelle, Frank, and Lilian

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Hi Gran,

Thank you so much for sending Lilian the baby doll that poops and pees. She’s ecstatic over it and hasn’t stopped feeding it. Definitely the favorite birthday present. We miss you!

Love,

Annabelle, Frank, and Lilian

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Dear Uncle Stu,

The science kit was the perfect gift for Lilian! She’s had a blast (pun intended, ha!) with the baking soda volcano and with the crystal-making powder. I don’t know where these things were when I was a kid! You’ve definitely gotten her the best birthday present.

Love,

Annabelle, Frank, and Lilian

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Dear Uncle Rob,

Lilian was so thrilled to receive the red-white-and-blue teddy that you sent for her birthday. If I can catch her, I’ll definitely send that picture of her with it that you’ve been asking for. Thanks again!

—Annabelle

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Hi Selene,

We were so surprised to receive the extra gift for Selene after you’d already sent such a thoughtful card! She could not believe her eyes when the Jeep showed up at the house! We’ve already gotten her on it once—since when do those jalopies go so fast? One day when you and Raoul have kids, if you decide to, you’ll understand why I’m second-guessing whether she needs to wait until she’s sixteen to drive this thing too. Ha! Thanks again!

Best,

Annabelle, Frank, and Lilian

PS: Not your mistake at all! Our invitation does indeed only say Mr. and Mrs. Frank Thompson. I’m sure Lilian will be just as excited to spend the weekend at her grandparents’ house.

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Dear Dawson, Meg, Renee, and Emily

Thank you so much for having Lilian and me over for the weekend! Lilian had an amazing time swimming, and she could not stop talking about “Auntie Dawson and Auntie Meg” playing in the pool with her. It’s so nice to have friends with kids because you both always understand how even a little attention goes a long way. She will, I think, always remember our visit. Renee and Emily—thank you for letting Lilian play a few rounds of Mario Kart. I swear, she’ll learn to tell you two apart one day.

Love,

Annabelle

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Dear Mom,

I took your cards. I took your pen too. I am writing with both of them. I love you.

Love,

Lilian

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Dear Lilian,

I loved your note. Please ask to use my things. Please also clean this room.

Love,

Mom

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Dear Mom,

Okay.

Love,

Lilian

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Dear Stephanie Simmons,

Thank you very much for the lovely bagel assortment you sent to us as we go through this difficult time. It was so very thoughtful of you and helped us greatly.

Sincerely,

Annabelle and Frank

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Dear Dawson, Meg, Renee, and Emily,

Thank you for the lovely dinner platters you ordered for us during this difficult time. It was very thoughtful and so helpful.

Sincerely,

Annabelle and Frank

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Dear Steven and Tammy,

Thank you for the lovely fruit basket you sent during this difficult time. It was so thoughtful.

Sincerely,

Annabelle and Frank

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Dear Joe and Chris,

Thank you for the casserole you sent. It was so thoughtful.

Sincerely,

Annabelle and Frank

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Father Justin,

Thank you for the beautiful service for Lilian. We could not have asked better for our girl. Thank you for keeping her in your prayers.

Sincerely,

Annabelle and Frank

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Sam,

Hello. It’s weird writing that, but there it is. Hello. I wanted to say thank you for not coming to the service for Lilian earlier this month. I worried that you showing up might take away from everything and deep inside hoped you would not come. I do wish now that I had sent you a note to let you know that it would be okay instead of standing there waiting to see if you’d turn the corner into the funeral parlor. Anyway, I wanted to write since I can’t manage to get you on the phone. But please do call if you feel like maybe we can talk. Love you, sis.

XOXO,

Annabelle

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AUGUST

Gran,

I’m sorry I have missed your calls. I’m sure the cookout was as lovely as always. I’m holding up as best as I can. Thank you for sending the beautiful framed pictures of Lilian. I’ll be hanging them up soon.

Love,

Annabelle

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Dear Uncle Stu,

Thank you so much for letting me spend the evening at the beach house. It was quiet, as you promised, and I was able to finish the paperwork that I could not focus on at home. Thanks again, too, for the lawyer recommendation. You and Uncle Rob might not get along, but damn if you both don’t know a good divorce lawyer when you see one.

Best,

Annabelle

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Dearest Selene,

Thank you ever so much for remembering how I was handling every detail of the bridesmaid dresses. It was so wonderful to get your note, complete with prepaid postage no less, requesting that I send you all the swatches I’ve received. It’s possible, though, that they’ve got mixed in with all of Frank’s things when he left. Perhaps the next time you see him, while he’s pulling his pants back up, you can take a look through his drawers to see if you can find them. As to not let your postage go to waste, I’ve instead sent along a small gift in lieu of the swatches.

My best,

Annabelle

PS: I could not quite fit the necessary shipping ice, so I’m not sure how well it’s kept. Do be sure to refrigerate it soon. It’s homemade.

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Dear Uncle Rob,

Thank you for your letter. Yes, you’re right. I hate Frank as much as you now. And you’re right too, of course, about the rest. I probably should not have gotten that abortion because it would have been much harder for Frank to leave me if I still had at least one kid. But who knows? Maybe they both would have died at once. A freak accident is a freak accident, right? God works in mysterious ways, as they say. Thanks for that timely reminder.

—Annabelle

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Sam,

I just wanted to write to thank you so much for your absolute radio silence. It’s come at a time when Uncle Rob had me momentarily questioning whether it’s horrible to have only children. Answer? It’s quite the opposite.

XOXO,

Annabelle

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Dear Selene,

Thank you for the cease and desist. It’s flattering. It’s also meaningless. Do you have the money for the lawyer to actually do anything? Or have you spent it all on your carefully curated secret life with my husband and on your frivolous wedding frumpery? Hey, Raoul? Are you there? No? Of course not. Because you wouldn’t be that careless, Selene. I always did appreciate that about you. The thing about gratitude is that you tend to see more of the world. You tend to see how much opportunity there is to influence others. It’s a whole cycle, really, when you think about it. Thankfulness begets thankfulness. Which means that you only have yourself to blame for this next bit.

All my love,

Annabelle

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Dear Mrs. Cruz,

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read my card. I’m writing because my husband of ten years left me to devote himself to another woman. Why does this affect you? Because the other woman is Selene Forsythe. I believe you will recognize that name as the woman poised to marry your son, Raoul. I’ve never met Raoul, but I do know that his taste in women, it could possibly use a mother’s touch, yes? I wouldn’t know what that is anymore. Or maybe I always will. I’m not sure yet. I’m not a mom, not really, but I’m also always going to keep being a mom because it’s what we do, right? We keep on being what we can’t help being. I can’t help being a lot these days. Bitter. Hurt. Alone. Childless. Husbandless. But there is a lot I can do to help others. Like saving a marriage from wrecking by stopping it from starting altogether. Like reminding people who think they hold power that they’re only deluding themselves. Like telling the truth about how you can survive even what you wish you couldn’t. Your son will survive his heartache, Mrs. Cruz. Surviving’s the easy part after all.

All my best,

Annabelle