# Letters from the Heart

Author: Revresbo
Tags: First Person, Fox, Letter, Wolf

#10 of Heart

Hey, Mikey,

I have to laugh just thinking about it.&nbsp; Maybe you don't find it as amusing as I do.&nbsp; I know the memory makes you smile, but now, even as I write, I can't stop myself from chuckling.&nbsp; You know what I'm talking about, right?&nbsp; The day we met.&nbsp; It's because of that day I'm writing this by hand.&nbsp; There's already an envelope, addressed and stamped, sitting on the table beside me.&nbsp; I hope you appreciate it.

My first day in the city.&nbsp; I know it's not a very big city, but it was big enough for a small town girl.&nbsp; It also wasn't really my first day.&nbsp; The sun was setting when I pulled off the highway.&nbsp; I remember because I almost couldn't read the sign for the restaurant because the light was right in my eyes.&nbsp; I'd never heard of Smitty's before.&nbsp; My town didn't have one, and I never travelled much.&nbsp; Normally, I would have driven around to find a familiar place, but I was still tired from the going away party last night and the long drive, so I was willing to eat anywhere.&nbsp; Do you believe in fate?&nbsp; How different would I be now had I gone somewhere else that evening?&nbsp; It doesn't matter, I guess.&nbsp; I didn't go somewhere else.&nbsp; I walked through the door and into your life.

I often wonder what you thought of me when you first came to my table to ask what I wanted to drink.&nbsp; I must have appeared shy.&nbsp; I've always been grateful for my reddish-orange fur.&nbsp; It can hide my blush most of the time.&nbsp; I asked for a margarita and you asked for my ID.&nbsp; You sly dog.&nbsp; In one move you got my name and age without even asking.&nbsp; While you were looking at my driver's licence, though, I was looking at you.&nbsp; You were wearing the standard black pants and white dress shirt, and the name tag read "Michael."&nbsp; That almost made me pay no attention to you.&nbsp; I don't think I ever told you, but I had a boyfriend in high school named Michael.&nbsp; He wasn't a wolf, though.&nbsp; He was an asshole a fox, like me.&nbsp; He seemed like a great guy.&nbsp; At least until I found out he was using me to make someone else jealous.&nbsp; Worse, the "someone else" was a guy.&nbsp; I have nothing against gays--you know that--but he wasn't remotely interested in any female.&nbsp; God, I was mad.

You looked different, though.&nbsp; You had a smile.&nbsp; Yes, I know, all waiters smile.&nbsp; But yours was different.&nbsp; It was somehow genuine, yet sad.&nbsp; That's what drew me in at first.&nbsp; I wanted to know how you could be so happy and yet sad at the same time.&nbsp; I would think that I was dreaming, but I've seen you smile since.&nbsp; Sometimes the sadness is there, and sometimes you're just happy.&nbsp; I wish I could see your smile right now.

When you handed me back my ID, you said something like, "Don't get many Cassandras around here."&nbsp; It was weird hearing my full name.&nbsp; Did I ever tell you that?&nbsp; I've gone by nicknames for so long that I sometimes forget I was named Cassandra.&nbsp; It made the shift from small town to big city much more apparent for me.&nbsp; I remember smiling and blushing some more, but I didn't know what to say.&nbsp; You went off to get my drink as I perused the menu.&nbsp; I can still remember exactly what I ordered when you came back.&nbsp; Heaven only knows why, but I wanted breakfast food.&nbsp; I got the Strawberry Dream Waffle.&nbsp; It's funny.&nbsp; I probably wouldn't remember if that wasn't the night I met you.

The reason I remember is because when you brought it to me, you started making small talk.&nbsp; You asked if I had visited the city often.&nbsp; I was so confused until I remembered you had seen my licence.&nbsp; When I told you it was my first time, your grin grew, and you said "Welcome to the city" with so much warmth.&nbsp; It made me chuckle.&nbsp; It still does.&nbsp; You can be so cute sometimes.

After that, nothing out of the ordinary happened.&nbsp; You asked how the food was, refilled my water glass.&nbsp; I paid you at the till, and you walked off, probably to clean the table.&nbsp; The place wasn't busy that late in the evening.&nbsp; I remember thinking that I didn't want to go to my residence yet, so I went to the lounge side of Smitty's.&nbsp; I was about halfway through my first drink when you walked in.&nbsp; Well, second, if you count the margarita.&nbsp; You were still dressed in your dressy clothes, but the name tag was gone.&nbsp; So was your smile when you went to order a drink.&nbsp; I remember thinking that I wanted that smile to come back.&nbsp; It was, and is, infectious, your smile, and I wanted to see it again.&nbsp; I felt unusually bold, so I walked over to your table and said, "Mind if I join you?"

You looked so surprised.&nbsp; It was comical.&nbsp; Sorry, my pen jiggled because I was laughing again.&nbsp; I can still see the look on your face.&nbsp; Once you got over your shock, you said, "Not at all."&nbsp; I was thinking that most people would say, "Sure" or "Go ahead."&nbsp; Then you followed it up with "Please do."&nbsp; I was impressed by your manners, I must admit.

We chatted for quite a while.&nbsp; I learned you were a city boy who worked full time, and you learned I was there for university.&nbsp; I told you I would be in residence on campus, and you told me you lived in a "sardine can" of an apartment.&nbsp; I asked you about what attractions and recreational stuff were in town, and you mentioned the park, the art gallery, and the museum.&nbsp; You must have listed some other things, too, but those are the three I remember.&nbsp; You asked about my program.&nbsp; I told you I was just taking some general classes until I figured out what I wanted to do.

I don't remember what time it was when you looked out the window and said, "I should head home.&nbsp; Don't want the walk to be too cold."&nbsp; It had been an unseasonably cool fall, and you were only wearing your work clothes and didn't have so much as a sweater to go over top.&nbsp; I'm still not sure why you were so reluctant to accept my offer to drive you.&nbsp; It can't have been just because I was a relative stranger.&nbsp; Even after we got to know each other, you didn't like to ask for rides from me, or anyone else, for that matter.&nbsp; I persuaded you, though--the first of many times.&nbsp; I can see your scowl when you read that, but I can't help but smile.&nbsp; Sorry.

You were right.&nbsp; It wasn't far, but it was on the way to the university anyway, so why would I care?&nbsp; After you thanked me, I said the cheesy "Don't forget to write" line.&nbsp; But you just said, "I will.&nbsp; Ever since email, no one takes time for the personal touch anymore."&nbsp; I don't know why, but that stuck with me.&nbsp; As a matter of fact, when I sat down to write this, I couldn't help but think of that night, which is why I wrote all this.&nbsp; I hope you enjoy the personal touch.

I'm sorry.&nbsp; This is rambling and long and unrelated.&nbsp; I would start over, but I want to share that evening with you again.&nbsp; I hope it still makes you smile.&nbsp; Unfortunately, I didn't just write to fondly reminisce.

I need to ask you a favour.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/YnLZbqve
Part of the series Heart
Previous: https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/217279-a-settled-heart-part-3.md

