First. Part 7

Happy Birthday! I miss you!!!!

Beth.

P.S. The food here is awful! One girl said that this stuff tastes like prison food.

I wonder how she knows that?

Dear Beth, 6/27/81.

h.e.l.lo. I was so excited to get your letter! I got your card today, too. Thank you.

I can't believe I am going to be 15 tomorrow, can you? Sometimes I think we are getting so old. Mom says that dad is going to start teaching me how to drive, and he's going to stop at the driver's license place and get me a driving book to study!

Isn't that exciting? I can't wait.

Everything here is pretty much the same. It has been soooo hot here, too.

But as you know, it's dry heat. What's humidity like? I hate it. I've heard that humidity can cause all kinds of pimples. Is that true? I sure hope not! If I plan to live in New York or Los Angeles some day, I'll get the hugest zit on my face as I'm trying some huge case in court!

Wouldn't that be awful? The judge would probably laugh his b.u.t.t off.

Me and Darla went swimming yesterday. It was fun, but we ran into Scott Mathews there. I am so sick of hearing about him, and having to see him. I mean, jeez. I don't care about him or any of his stupid friends! They tried to invite us over to Scott's house for some stupid pool party. Darla was thrilled. I didn't want to go, so I didn't. Besides, I think my parents would have flipped!

My mom says we are way too young to date, and she thinks that Darla's parents are just asking for trouble by encouraging her to. I don't know if I agree with them, but all the same, I'm not interested. I have too much else to worry about other than some boy.

I better go for now. It is so late, and I am so tired. I think my mom has a big day planned tomorrow. She won't tell me. I miss you, too. Please come back soon!

Love, Emily Jane Thomas ~~.

Dear Em, July 3, 1981 I am so happy! We had to write a short one-act play to act out with ourselves and two or three other people, and then we performed them for our teacher, he's this strange guy named Buck. That's what he wants us to call him. Wild, huh?

Anyway, so we perform them, and he'd pick the one he liked the best, and then the winner would do their play for the entire camp.

I won!

Isn't that great? See, Em, I told you those scenes that you and me acted out would be useful (smile).

I met the coolest counselor today. Her name is Casey something. I don't know her last name. She is so much fun. She isn't in our cabin, but the one next to it. I think she is good friends with our counselor, Kim. She is from Montana, but lived most of her early life in England, and has this wicked British accent. She is really big into the theater. She is seventeen. Em, you should see her. She has long, blonde hair with these big expressive brown eyes. Eyes kind of like a puppy dog.

She has the most beautiful smile. I think you'd like her, she's so nice.

I've heard that about humidity, too. But I don't know if that's true or not.

I've actually noticed that my skin is healthier here. Don't know. Either way, Em, no judge in his right mind is about to kick you out of a courtroom! If he does, tell me, and I'll kick his a.s.s for you. (smile) Better go. Happy 4th of July! I miss you so much! I hope these next two months fly by.

Love, Beth ~~.

Greetings!

7/8/81.

Hi, Beth!

I was so happy when you called me. When I didn't hear from you on my birthday I was so sad. But then you called the next day, and it was all okay again. Just the sound of your voice made me happy, and not miss you quite as much. At least for a while, anyway. (grin) Me and mom went to the store today. We both ran out of eye make-up. That stuff is so expensive, you know? Jeez. Those cosmetic companies must think we are all rich. Good thing my parents give me a generous allowance.

I am so proud of you, Beth. I knew you would do well there. I saw your mom today. She asked if I had heard from you. Why haven't you written her? She got a job finally. I think she said she's at the grocery store. I hope she'll like it there. I know it's been hard for you guys since she got fired from the bank after that whole... deal.

I didn't know you guys were allowed to be friends with the counselors?

Better go. Darla is taking me to the movies tonight. I have to start getting ready.

When are you coming home?

P.S. Do you think I should use my full name once we get to high school?

Love, Emily Jane Thomas ~~.

Dear Beth, 7/14/81.

Beth, why haven't you written?

Are you okay? Please write soon. I miss you!

I miss your letters, too....

P.S. My dad took me driving today. It was so scary! We went driving around the cemetery so I could see what it's like with a curvy road. Plus my dad said that if I killed us we'd be in the right place. He's such a goof!

Emily ~~.

Dear Em, July 21, 1981 Hey, Em. Sorry I haven't written in awhile. I've been really busy. Buck has us working our b.u.t.ts off. Me and this guy, Chris had to write a 2-act play together. It is really good. That took a lot of time, though. We couldn't decide on a script forever, but then he finally decided to agree with me.

Of course, I had to persuade him just a little. (evil grin) I'm glad he came to his senses. I hate the sight of blood. Oh! I have got to tell you about this.

Last night me and Casey, remember the counselor I told you about?, snuck out and went swimming. It was so fun! It was so bad. We are not allowed to be out of our cabins past ten, but we waited until about one in the morning, and met out behind our cabins.

She really surprised me, though.

She took off her clothes! She wanted me to 'skinny dip' with her, but I was like no way!

But there we were at the lake, and she is completely nude.

She is beautiful. I really admire her a lot. If I could only have half the body at seventeen that she has!

So my mother got a job? Good for her.

Better go. Miss you.

P.S. Why did you have to buy eye make-up? You don't wear eye make-up. Do you? Oh, and humidity is beginning to get sticky hot. We're in the middle of a major heat wave right now.

Ugh!!

P.S.S. To answer your question about your name.

Why would you go by your full name just because it's high school?

You said you always hated your full name.

Love, Beth ~~.

Dear Beth, 7/25/81.

I was glad to hear from you. I was getting worried. This Casey sounds kind of like trouble. She can get you both in so much hot water if she's not careful. She is the counselor! Be careful, Beth. Why on earth would she take her clothes off in front of you?

Scott Mathews finally asked Darla out. She was so excited. She set me up with one of his friends, Seth Lewis. I think it's kind of ironic that his name and yours rhyme.

Anyway, I am so glad that you'll be back in a month.

How is the acting going? I miss you.

P.S. Yeah, I do hate my full name, but it sounds a lot more grown up than Emmy. Don't you think?

Love, Emily Thomas ~~.

Dear Em, August 1, 1981 Hey. Wow. Casey went on a trip with some of the other counselors to a town called Cropville, (no kidding!), which is only about ten miles away from camp. She bought me this really beautiful bracelet. I'm laying here on my bunk right now looking at it.

It's silver, (I told her how much I like silver) and it has a bunch of charms on it. Like this one is a heart, this one is a happy face, and this one is a sad face.

She was tying to get as close to the comedy/tragedy faces of drama as she could. Isn't that sweet?

We've snuck out every night for the last two weeks.

It's been amazing. We almost got caught last night. It was pretty close.

Better go. Miss you.

Don't grow up too fast, Em.

Beth ~~.

Dear Beth, 8/5/81.

What are you doing, Beth? Are you crazy? You are going to get into so much trouble! What is it with this girl? What are you doing that is 'so amazing'? What, does she let you lay on top of her, too? Do you two kiss, and do other stuff, too?

Emily ~~.

Dear Beth, 8/7/81.

Hi. I'm sorry.

I had no right to say that, Beth. Please forgive me? How is camp going? Have you written anything else, lately? I miss you a lot.

Love, (if you can) Emily Thomas ~~.

Dear Beth, 8/12/81.

Are you ever going to write back to me? Where are you? What is going on? Do you still see Casey? Talk to me, Beth. Please?

I broke up with Seth. He wanted to kiss me. I thought he was just way too much of a dork.

It's been really hot. Billy is going to be able to come home for Christmas. We just found out.

Have you written your mother yet?

I miss you, Beth.

Love, Emily Jane Thomas ~~.

Dear Beth, 8/15/81.

Emily Jane Thomas ~~.

Dear Emily, August 20, 1981 h.e.l.lo. Camp is good. They made Casey leave. She left yesterday. b.a.s.t.a.r.ds.

I should be coming home in about a week. Probably around the time you get this.

I hope you're doing good. See you soon.

Beth ~~.

I stared at the short letter in my hand. I wasn't sure what to think. Was she mad at me for letting my mouth get away from me yet again? Why did her friend have to leave camp? I had so many questions and thoughts running through my brain it made my head hurt.

I sat down on my bed and stared out my window. I re-read the letter again before I tossed it on the comforter beside me. Grabbing my teddy, Ruffles and holding him to me, I laid back against the pillows. My teddy always comforted me. I looked at the pile of envelopes I had stacked on my dresser. All of Beth's letter's from over the summer. It had been so exciting to come home from some place, and see the newly arrived letter waiting for me to tear open and read. Beth's large, sloppy writing called to me. I smiled as I realized her scrawl was as carefree as she who penned it. The smile disappeared when that new girl, Casey entered my thoughts. Was she Beth's new best friend? It sounded that way to me. I sighed as I finally admitted to myself that I was jealous of this counselor. Why did Beth like her so much? Was it because she was older? Was she prettier than me? I rolled my eyes at this last thought. Who cared what she looked like? Blonde with big, brown eyes. Sounds ugly to me.

I rolled over on my side, taking Ruffles with me. Staring at my closet door with the poster of Olivia Newton-John on it I sighed. Olivia had blond hair, but she had beautiful blue eyes. Not dorky brown like Casey. Her glossy lips smiled at me, her over-sized shirt leaving her bronze shoulder exposed, her short hair swept back from her face with a headband. I smiled back at her. I wished that someday I would be beautiful like that. Suddenly needing to hear the soft voice of the G.o.ddess, Olivia, I rolled off the bed to my stereo and put on my record of the soundtrack to Grease!. I smiled as I heard Olivia sing 'You're the One That I Want' with John Travolta. I closed my eyes with a smile as the pianist began to pound out the blusey beat.

"I got chills, they're multiplyin'," I sang as I danced around my small room with Ruffles in my arms. I started as my bedroom door slammed open, my aunt Kitty leaning against it with her eyes closed as she sang along with me.

"You better shape up, 'cause I need a man.....'" I giggled as she came into the room and grabbed my hands and swung me around.

"You're the one that I want, oh oh oh. Honey. The one that I want, oh oh oh. Honey. The one that I want, oh oh oh. The one I need, oh yes indeed!'"

The song came to an end, and we both collapsed on my bed out of breath. We turned to look at each other, finally exploding in a fit of giggles.

"You're so silly, Aunt Kitty." I laughed.