For her sophomore year, Kelsey gets an apartment, where she once again has a bedroom to herself. She also has her own bathroom. I totally get that. I have to sometimes share one with a gross brother and a sister who doesn’t put away hair products or makeup. Except it has been put away since I cleaned in there. All I had to do was toss her crap in the garbage and she started putting it away, but not after complaining to Mom first, who was for once on my side.
Kelsey still has to share the apartment with others. She likes Mary, but can’t stand the other two, Tiffany and Shelby. They do sound like real pieces of work, but it’s not like Kelsey can’t get away from them. She does have her own space. Besides, it doesn’t sound like she has time to spend it with anyone. A full load of classes, private piano lessons and working in the bookstore for extra cash. But, despite it all, Kelsey’s found time to write to Brandy. Some of the letters were on Brandy’s birthday, and holidays, when she’s thinking about the little girl she gave up. Other letters were prompted because something happened that reminded her or had her wondering what Brandy was doing at a certain age. Like the little girl being taken into the daycare at the university, carrying a teddy bear. Did Brandy ever have a teddy bear? All kids need a teddy bear.
Then there was the little girl in the park on a bike. It was pink with streamers coming from the handlebars, and she was constantly ringing the bell as a warning before she almost ran over someone walking. She must have just got her training wheels off. She rode without falling over but still had trouble controlling the bike enough to keep from injuring others.
Sometimes Kelsey just wrote because Brandy was on her mind.
Brandy is lucky. Even if she doesn’t know it yet, she had a mom who loved her. Kelsey didn’t just give her kid away and get on with life. She gave the physical baby away, but held onto her kid.
I wonder if I’ll ever meet my mom. Did she love me like that, or did she just give me up to get rid of a bad mistake?
I’m kind of envious of Brandy because she has two moms that love her. Well, I’m assuming the mom who adopted her loves her. Kelsey certainly made sure her daughter had loving parents.
Brandy,
It’s your sixth birthday. Or, yesterday was your sixth birthday. I didn’t get a chance to write yesterday because some crazy things happened. It all started with a tattoo. For the past year I’ve wanted to have your foot, from the old birth certificate, tattooed on me. I’d been saving every penny I could to pay for it. Well, the place I was going to have it done, Reeds, was holding auditions for new artists. They have a reality TV show that is really popular. I think it has more to do with the Reeds being really hot, than the awesome tattoos. But, that is beside the point. Because it was cheaper, I agreed to go with one of the people auditioning, which was for the best. I would have probably gone all fan girl if I’d gotten a Reed to do my tat. Well, guess who did my tat? Alex Douche Dosek!
Alex the Douche is Alex Dosek? As in the Mr. Dosek to the woman I need to teach me piano?
Not possible.
Is it?
How many Doseks can there be out there?
And, the guy with Mrs. Dosek did have tattooed arms.
I almost walked out. I mean, I hated this guy with a passion. But, it was important that I got your tattoo on your birthday, so I gave in and let him do it. Best decision of my life. Not only did he give me the foot, but your hand, right over my heart, and he connected the two with a line of music notes in the shape of your body, just like you laid against me right after you were born. Your name is there, and Brandon’s. It’s the most perfect tattoo in the world.
After he was done, he got me to go back to his place for a Thanksgiving meal.
Thanksgiving? Brandy’s birthday is at the end of November, like mine?
I know it’s just a coincidence. Thousands of people have birthdays this time of year, though I wouldn’t mind being Brandy.
At least I finally have a timeline. Kelsey’s never linked a birthday with any other event. Hell, none of the letters are dated, so it’s guesswork of when they were written unless Kelsey is talking about a holiday, or something like graduation, which usually happens in May or June.
Alex kept in touch with the guys from high school and shares a house with Christian, Ryan, Zach, Sean and Dylan. I was there all night just talking to them. It was great and so good to see them.
I hope you had a wonderful birthday! I can’t believe it’s been six years and a day since I last held you. Only twelve more years and I’ll be able to meet you if you want to meet me, and I so hope you do. I’m living for the day when I finally get to see my little girl again, even though she will be all grown up.
Love,
Kelsey,
Your Mom
Brandy,
I’m shaking as I write this. I am so worried about you.
My eyes go wide and I sit up as I start reading the next letter. What happened? How does she know something is wrong with Brandy? When did they meet?
Seventeen
Remember when I said I got a tattoo? Well, that was filmed for the reality show, and it aired about a week ago. This hasn’t been the best week because I had finals and lost a student teaching job because my boobs were shown, even though the network made
