August 8, 1859

August 8, 1859

Dear Saifya,

You are so mean!  I want to know what happened!  I guess I’ll know eventually, considering what just happened today.

I was just coming home from doing some errands in town and was going to held Duncan do the laundry when I heard someone calling my name.  I turned around and running up the road towards me was Jaime!  I hadn’t seen him in a really long time, and I was very happy to see him.  Well, not a really long time.  A week, really.

He stopped right in front of me and hugged me tightly.  I was very surprised, since he had never really touched me before.  I must admit, it felt kind of nice.  Like he was a big, strong, handsome teddybear.  He knocked all thoughts of my new friendship with Duncan out of my mind.

“I’ve been looking all over for you!  I’m free today, so I was wondering if you wanted to do something with me,” he offered.

I nodded vigorously.  “Of course!  I’d love to do something with you.  What do you want to do?”

“Well, I found this really pretty waterfall in the forest.  It has a really neat room behind it, so I thought I’d show it to you.”

Now, I know what you’re thinking.  You’re thinking about the waterfall that you told me not to go to, so I had originally told him no.  But he was begging me and pestering me, and he was so cute that I just had to say yes.

As soon as I told him yes, Jaime just became so excited and happy that I couldn’t help but feel excited myself.  I hadn’t seen the waterfall in almost two months, so I was looking forward to seeing it.  Because I was already wearing my walking shoes, Jaime and I just went straight to the forest.  I didn’t even think to tell Duncan where I was going.

“Do you know where it is?” Jaime asked.  I replied that I thought I did, but I wasn’t entirely sure, so he should lead me there.  He seemed perfectly happy with that, so he took my hand, much like Frederick had with Grandma, and led me through the forest, not even bothering to stay on the path.

In what seemed like a few minutes we were there.  Oh, Safiya, it was even better than what I had remembered!  There were so many colors there.  Even more than before.  There was blue and purple and green and silver, of course, but it almost seemed like there was red and orange and yellow in there as well.  You could see every single colour of the rainbow in it.  It was absolutely magical.

Jaime sighed.  “Isn’t it beautiful?”

I nodded dreamily.  “It sure is.”

“Do you want to see what’s behind it?”

Just like before, I felt as though it wasn’t my place to go back there, that I really shouldn’t, that I wasn’t allowed.  But Jaime was insisting, and I couldn’t help myself, so I agreed.

Jaime had taken my hand again and was just about to lead me back there when we heard a rustling in the woods behind us.  We turned around quickly, thinking it would be some lunatic killer coming to murder us where he wouldn’t be found, but it was just Duncan, coming to ruin the moment again.

Duncan was breathless, like he had been running.  He announced, “The MacJohns are back, and Cindy is looking for you.”

I sighed and turned to Jaime.  “I really have to go.  I’m sorry.”

He was glaring at Duncan.  It was a look of pure, unadulterated hate, and I just couldn’t understand it.  I pulled on his shirt.  “Jaime?”

He snapped out of it almost instantly and smiled at me, and everything was okay again.  “It’s fine.  We’ll just go again some other day.”

I nodded and followed Duncan back home.  He asked, “Can you do me a favor?  It’s the only one I’ll ever ask of you.”

“Of course,” I replied, shocked.

“Don’t go behind the waterfall.”

I was confused.  “Why not?”

He shook his head and cursed.  “I can’t tell you.  I’m sorry, I just. . . . it’s not something I’m allowed to share.”

I got angry with him then.  I don’t know why, but at that moment I just couldn’t stand the sight of him, so I snapped, “If you can’t give me a good reason not to go behind the waterfall, then why should I listen to you?”

“Because you trust me?” he asked hopefully.

I snorted.  “Trust you?  I barely know you.  You’re too secretive.”

By that time we were back home, so I went in the house and slammed the door behind me.  I swear, a second before the door closed, he said quietly, “Some secrets aren’t mine to share.”

Oh Safiya, after I did that I felt so mad.  I still haven’t apologized, but he just made me so angry!  What should I do?

Needing help, Lucy