PROLOGUE: Last spring these letters began showing up in my email. I thought the address had been typed wrong and sent a reply warning the writer, but it bounced back as undeliverable. I know that seems impossible, but the letters are here, and I think the web holds many weird gremlins.

Last night I decided that, perhaps, the universe brought them to me to show to others and, if you can get over your qualms about eavesdropping on strangers, some of you might find them interesting too.

Letters from Sky

By Jan S

Prologue & Part 1

 © 2008 by Jan S

I am doing some editing: correcting the homonym and spelling errors that I spot, adding and fixing some punctuation (which gives me trouble in my own writing), and trying to clear up some slang and some disjointed parts that gave me problems. However, I do want to leave them in thirteen-year-old-ese. Antecedents of pronouns get mumbled, and full stops seem to be endangered at times, but that is how they are written, and I hope that isn't too distracting.

I'll post them as I get them edited, hopefully every night or so, and I should be finished in about two weeks. One note: there are some events near the end of this batch that may bother some people, however, I promise this is not that kind of story and those incidents are only briefly mentioned a few more times and, hopefully, there will be other things of interest.

Before we start I must thank my friend, Daphne, for her advice on how to treat these letters.

All the rest is up to Sky.

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Part 1

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>>Tuesday, Mar. 25th (evening)

Dear Marsha,
Hi, Marsh! I'm real happy you wrote Dad! And I'm glad you want to hear from me too. Why are you over being mad at us? Never mind. Dad said I shouldn't talk about her or any of that.

I am happy to talk to you even if I can't about that. I guess I kinda have missed you, Marsh. You know I never even knew you and Mike weren't Dad's kids. I guess I did, but I never thought about it at all, and now it's like you were never part of my family. I think Dad misses you a lot. He is a lot different - more willing to talk and stuff and wants to know about me, which is kinda a pain, but OK. I kind of think he always did, but our mother got in his way so much.

OK, sorry again! Really! Please don't get mad at me. I want you to write back!

So, you know I'm at another new school now, and this city is good. It is already warm enough to swim, but I can't until June because of the operation I had. But I go and watch people. There were two girls in the apartment complex that swam a lot, and we played tennis too. They have both those at this country club just across the street from the complex, and those girls' father belongs to it. Dad said he will try and join when we get a real house if it's close.

Yeah, so -- The apartment has three bedrooms -- so you could come visit maybe -- well maybe. And a balcony that you can see a mountain from if you look just right. But those girls don't really live here, they were just staying with the father over their spring break and went back home today.

My school just had three days at Easter. So far I haven't met people there because they gave me some test and tried to get my schedule right. So today was my first real day of classes anyway and nothing really happened.

I'm not going to try out for sports or anything - I can't 'cause of being sick, and my grades really suck. But there's a recreation center Dad wants me to look at so I'll meet peeps and stuff. Mostly though I just play "City of Heroes", and keep making superheroes and do their costumes. I suck at the game part so I make new ones all the time.

'K -- so, how is college? Do you like it? Are the classes real hard? Do you have a boy friend yet?? (You don't have to tell me, if you don't want too.)

And what about Michael? Does he like it or not? Is it weird not having him around for you for longer than camps, you know? I know, I know, you don't know what it's like to not have a twin; said that enough, but I meant in a regular way too.

Oh, BTW -- I got a job!! I mean it is just babysitting one time (remember I'm only 13, duh -- or did you even forget I had a birthday?). Do you think it's weird for a boy to be a babysitter? Well anyway, the lady doesn't, and I'm going to get thirty-five bucks!

So that's all, bye and write back whenever you want too, OK? Think I could have your phone number at college, maybe. I'm gonna get my own cell phone real soon. Dad said it would be a good idea.

Your brother,
J. S. Elliot (Sky)

P.S.: BTW, you and Mike can't call me Fats or even Pudge anymore. I lost more than thirty pounds since last summer and am really skinny now. Really. cya

P.P.S.: I play tennis now and don't suck as much as I used to. I guess not being fat helps.

P.P.P.S.: That really is the way you're supposed to do this. It means post-post-post script. So, this one is after the post-post script for three Ps. Did you know that?

P.P.P.P.S.: You can use the address on here to write back when you get around to it. I'll check on it everyday.

P.P.P.P.P.S.: I hope this wasn't too long - bye

P.P.P.P.P.P.S.: I hope you and Mike don't change your name back to what it used to be.

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>>Thursday, March 27th (afternoon)

Dear Marsh,
Hi again. Yeah - if our mother gets all your phone bills it would be a bad idea to call and stuff. That's all right. OK?

It was great getting your letter today though. School really sucked. I never knew any of the answers to anything. I guess they are just way ahead of my old place or something, and I've missed a ton too. Dad drives me to school, but I take the bus home, and I hate it. But I might get used to it.

About the lady that gave me the job. I think she works with Dad or something. Anyway, the other day those girls I told you about and I went over to the swimming pool. And I couldn't swim because of my operation.

I didn't know you didn't know about all that, but I guess you wouldn't. Something came open in my stomach or guts or somewhere like that - it wasn't just my appendix, something else. So, yeah, I was in the hospital about over a week and out of school longer, and Dad had to get this creepy nurse to come in in the day for about a week before I went back to school. That was all at the end of January and in February too. But I feel good now and all but can't swim until the end of May - Dad told me not to play tennis for more than about ten minutes at a time too but, now those girls went back to their mother's house, I won't be doing that anyway probably. And no, I had lost most of the weight I lost before that. I just kinda stopped eating at all for a long time after Halloween last year, even before. And the doctors don't think that either one caused the other, but who knows? I have to be on a special diet for a long time too, and that really sux big time.

So, I was just sitting beside it and putting my legs in and talking, not swimming. And oh yeah, one of the girls knocked my shoes into the pool when she was getting out too - not a joke or something, just accident, and now I gotta buy new ones. And Dad says that it was because I was careless - so it's good I'm getting money for babysitting tomorrow. But I guess that's off the subject, huh? And he didn't say that 'til way later. Dad gets pre-turbed when I do that in writing stuff.

So the girl's father came outside when it was time to go, and this lady was with him. So after they said "hi" and all, the lady said that she was in trouble and needed a babysitter Friday night while she went to a meeting of the neighborhood committee or something, and could either of them do it (they're both older than me - eighth and eleventh grade, I think.). But they couldn't because they are going back to their real home tomorrow (Which was last Monday) (and that's across the country - so I won't see them anymore probably.).

Then we went to the lockers. I mean they did, I just walked though them to the other side and waited. (It felt weird and a half, because they have a door from the men's room blocked off to do work, and I had to go into the lady's locker -- I mean they do have a special path with like a big tarp thing marked off, but you know it's funny walking into the wrong door, and I ran to the other end.), and I had to borrow Becky's shoes (yucky, almost red crocs) - because they were getting a ride after they ate at the club place, and I was still walking.

Then, after Becky and Ann left, I started walking home and through the inside part, which is way shorter than going around, and it was lucky because Dad was in there sitting in the bar part, and the lady was with him, and she must work with him or something, because they knew each other already. Dad called, "Hey, Judey," (Like he still does some times just to bug me.), or I wouldn't have noticed.

So Dad tells me the lady's name is Ms. Younger (Younger then what IDK (hehe)). So then the lady says, "hi," too and asks about being new at school and all that stuff they do when they want to seem nice to kids and stuff. And she calls me Judey too, and I'm like: only Dad calls me that, and that sometimes it's Jude, but most people call me Jesse, because that is what my initials sound like, and that you and some people call me Sky which is from my middle name.

And she says I have lots of names, and Dad is like: At that age and looking for identity, yada-yada, -- and stuff like he can be sometimes.

And then the lady asked me if she can call me Sky, I think just to get Dad to stop analyzing like, and says that's a pretty name (yeah, well really.). Then she asked how old I am, and I say thirteen, and she yells, "Perfect. Do you have any experience babysitting?"

And I shook my head because not really, but Dad tells her that I watched those two boys down the street every afternoon last summer. I told the lady that was only after they got back from day camp, (I didn't say about going to the same day camp), and I just had to play soccer and stuff for a couple of hours, and they weren't really babies but were eight and ten.

She said that sounded like experience to her, and did I like it? Then she said her kids were older even, and she would only be ten minutes away and back by eleven thirty, and if I could nuke leftovers and tell them to go to bed, I had the job, and it would be thirty-five dollars for a little over five hours. So I decided to do it, and Dad made a dumb joke about getting paid for taxi service at midnight, but I could tell he didn't really mind.

So that is how I got the job already that you asked about. I just hope her two kids don't turn out to be real brats. Bobby and Chip were OK, but could be real pains sometimes after only two hours. I'll find out tomorrow though and write you about it if you want to hear.

I'm glad you got lots of friends and like college -- that sounds so neat to not have people bossing you all the time, and not having to go to class if you don't want, and it would be like spending the night with friends and eating out every night too. Isn't it??

Jim sounds nice, too. Do you think I will ever meet him? Does he know you have a dorky -- I mean fantastic -- little brother?

Oh, I might have at least one friend here, but who knows? Anyway, about halfway home on the bus today this one guy, a jock who lives over in the big houses, came over and sat with me because all his group had got off, and asked all about me and stuff. But I know that won't be my group if I ever get one. They're way to cool and stuff. I just hope I didn't say anything dumb he uses on me later.

This seems to have gotten real long again, but it's nice to have someone to talk to because of being new, so I hope you aren't bored S-less by all this, Mars.

Good luck on the test. Economics sounds real yuck!

Your brother,
JSE (Sky)

P.S.: You're sure boys babysitting isn't weird? Dad says not to worry about it. I think it might be, and hope no one finds out.

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>>Friday, March 28th (afternoon)

Dear Marsha,
Hi, it's me again.

That guy I told you about on the bus yesterday was still friendly today. At least after everyone had left he was. He was in my gym class and was talking to the coach when I got there, but I only had to go to that long enough to show the teacher my doctor's note because I can't do it, and the nurse and he had to both see the note before I got the pass to study hall. On the bus we talked about how the gym teacher was a jerk. And he was, making jokes about me getting sick so others could hear. And Zack doesn't like him either, even though he's on the football team, and so he's one of his favorites.

I know he's just being nice because being nice to the new kid is something you're supposed to do, but I hope it last.

Anyway, it's almost time to go to my babysitting job. I hope the Younger kids are OK, and that I don't totally screw it up. The lady said her kids were older than Bobby and Chip -- the Younger kids are older -- I just thought of that! OK, don't moan so loud. But what if the kid is like twelve? He might be in my grade and be real PO-ed about his mom getting a sitter and all that. I mean I know some kids that had sitters when they were twelve. I guess I didn't because you just had to stay home, and I never thought about it.

OH well. I'm going to ride my bike over there - it's just past the golf course, maybe I said that already - but Dad is getting me because he doesn't want me riding that late.

Wish me Luck!

Your brother,
JSE (Sky)

P.S.: I don't know if you are really interested in hearing all of this stuff all the time or not. "The Fabulous Life of Jude the Incredible." It would be OK for you to say shut up and stop writing so much.

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>>Saturday, March 29th (morning)

Dear Marsha,
Hi - So you don't think it was strange for a boy to baby-sit boys, but what about girls?! Cause that is what I did!

And I think I screwed up - BAD!!!! - and I'm probably going to get thrown in jail - or labeled a perv - or something, because of what happened.

Lisa wet her bed. And I helped her get changed. I don't know what else I could have done, she walked in, and it was about a quarter to twelve and her mom should have been home but wasn't. And I changed the bed and was in the bathroom when she washed up, and I saw her naked, at least where it counts. I didn't touch her -- well, held her hand and rubbed her back some, gave her a hug, you know, but that was it.

And she had just gotten back to sleep about three minutes before her mom walked in, and Dad was already in the drive because she had called him on her cell, so I didn't talk to her about it. And I didn't even think about it, because I was just helping, and it just seemed the right things to do at the time, but when I got into bed I started to worry. And Dad left for his office before I got up, and do you think I did right?? What do you think they will do to me???

I have to walk over there and get my bike, and I guess it will be best to talk to Ms. Younger. Maybe they won't be there; they had early soccer games today. But she will know by now and might already be talking to the police. What do you think'll happen, Marsh?? Ohhhhhhhh.

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>>Saturday. March 29th (afternoon)

Hi Marsh,
I got a cell phone!!!

Dad took me up to the mall, and I bought some new shoes. (I got white ones with some blue at the toe and heal because Dad says they like it better if you wear white at the tennis court, and I've never seen a sign or anything but lots of peeps do, and I can't wear them to school because they have this real strict dress code anyway, even though it's not a private school or anything.)

Anyway here's my number (My very own one!!): ---/---,----, in case you're ever somewhere where you can call me! It's red and it has a mp3 in it, but not a camera. And it's a flip, not a slide one and doesn't have one of the keyboard things in it. But, so now I got to figure out how to load songs and stuff. But I can't do anything with it until it's charged overnight -Bummed! and more, right? So I've just been reading the book.

Oh - you remember the big comforter you used to have on your bed? With all the red, blue and green and white stripes? Would it be OK if I used it - just to borrow? Dad kept all your things, but he says they are yours and Mike's, and he is going to store them for you. And most of it is piled in the extra bedroom. (You have about twice what Mike has, BTW) Anyway, I didn't want to keep those old bunk beds when we moved (and I am using your or Mike's mattress - but not the headboards - I put those white bookcases there.). So now I need stuff for a bigger bed, and it's hard getting out to get stuff with all the settling in and things, and at Dad's office too. So do you mind?

OK, I'm going over to play tennis with those girls visiting their father I told you about.

Bye
Your favorite Bro ('cept maybe Michael),
Sky

P.S.: nvm; I g2g

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>>Sunday. March 30th (morning)

Dear Marsh,
OK, I guess I did leave you hanging, huh? When I got over to their house, Ms. Younger and the kids were gone, and I decided to wait and was sure she would be furious. But then Wendy, that's the younger Younger (OK, got to get over laughing every time at that, don't I?), jumped out of the car and was real happy to see me, and then Ms Younger got out, and she smiled at me, and I felt tons and tons better right away!

She wasn't mad at all, and I was like, "Can we talk?" And she told the girls to go and get changed, and I asked her if I had done right with the whole thing. And she like apologized to me! And asked if I was grossed out and stuff, and said I had done real well and thanks for starting the wash right away and like all that.

So it was weird, huh? Not a villain but a hero?? And then Wendy came into the kitchen, and she was in the buff, really totally, and starts asking if she really has to take a bath. And her mom just talks to her like it's nothing, and they work out it was muddy at soccer, and she has a party, so yes, she must take a bath, but she can keep the braids I did for her last night. And then Lisa comes in, and at least she has underpants on but nothing else, and I'm just standing there while she talks to her mom about what to wear to this party, and griping too because it's her sister's friend really, and she is missing horseback riding lessons. (Oh and Wendy had put her nightie on in front of the TV last night too, but she's little and it didn't take her that long, and she was like she didn't want to miss the show; but probably more wanted to hear what Lisa and I were saying, and I had just looked the other way.)

Then Ms Younger says that since it is an all girl house they do that kind of thing, but if it bothers me she will tell the kid's not to in front of me. So, I guess, they are like those kids that lived next to Granma and Grandad that ran around in the garden hose without anything on, and that's why last night isn't a big deal to her. And it really just surprised me, you know, to see them do that.

So, I said it was OK, I didn't think they need to change the way they lived and told her about those kids, and that some of them were bigger than me, so a least Lisa's age back then, and so I was used to it. She asked if I ever did that with those kids, and I said I didn't like to even then, maybe because I was so fat, but I remembered when you and Michael did (hope you don't mind toooo much.). And we talked about loosing weight and stuff.

So that's how I'm not going to jail or anything at all. And I also got my second babysitting job because Wendy came out for some help with the strings on her top and got me to redo some braids, and it wound up I'm taking them to a movie tomorrow, because they had been promised, but their mom has to work because of the stuff that made her late last night.

So now I get to see "Horton Hears a Who". Oh Boy! But I'm going to get paid for it too!

Bye for now,
Sky

P.S.: Thnx for letting me use your comforter. I don't think there is too much else in there I could use. But I will look through the real old stuff for plain shorts and Ts. TY.

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>>Sunday. March 30th (night)

Hi!
Oh -- how can I write so much all the time and leave stuff out too? Last night I just got real tired or I'd of said more, Marsh. So to take all of your questions in time order (which is what Dad tells me to do):

Part 1
Do you remember that kid, Ben - or Benny -, that used to be my friend, and then our mother got mad at us and wouldn't let me see him ever and even changed the car pool and stuff. That was way last year. OK, well after that we figured out how to chat on line - his brother helped us, and I didn't want you or Mike to get into trouble. So we would talk every night and that, and some other chatting, and from playing online games, is how I learned to type. (But when I lived without Dad, I didn't have a computer at all, and he went to a different school, and I guess we lost track of each other - I looked for him, but he's changed his addresses which were kinda kiddy-ish.) Dad says I hit all the wrong keys with all the wrong fingers, but I'll probably never be able to change now. I use my left hand almost only, because I have a mouse in the other one when playing games.

Part 2
Babysitting, first time: There were two of them, you all ready know that, but I got to stay in order - one, eleven (Lisa), and the other is nine (Wendy; the younger Younger :)) Did I use that already? They didn't think that was funny either.

It was a whole lot different from the stuff I did with Bobby and Chip last summer. I mean we didn't wrestle or run or stuff, and it was night too. And they didn't even fight me when I told them to go to bed and things either. Wendy already had her birthday and so is in third grade and really the same age as Chip.

Lisa is eleven and in sixth grade. And she did kind of mind having a babysitter, but I used the old line of me being Wendy's babysitter and not hers - we would just be friends like, and she went for it, and then she got upset when she found out that I was in seventh grade and only one year ahead of her too -- which I can see that -- but she knew that I was already thirteen, and her birthday is still almost three months away, and that there was nothing to do about it.

I think it was OK because I had you as a sister! Really. Because here is what we did: Right after dinner we baked cookies, and I wouldn't 'a known how to do that except for you. And then we watched a movie and talked about what great cooks we were and about the best cookies we had ever had and stuff.

Wendy started messing with my hair and said it was pretty and like that, and that she wished she had real curly hair like mine, and I set her right on that and told her that I used to have it cut lots shorter.

Oh, guess you don't know. I haven't had a hair cut since last summer almost -- that time you drove me, and then I had to go back, remember that -- I guess because of the other stuff going on, and because of something our mother did. But so, now it is grown out kinda wild and comes over my ears, or way passed my shoulders if you pull it.

And that got me to say I'd do something good for her hair, but after she was ready for bed (which got her to do that quicker.). I did about forty braided tress that reached down to her neck, and they had an old bead set that I put beads at the end of each braid, I didn't cornrow them, just started near her ears. She and Lisa were crazy about them though, and I had to do Lisa's too, but I just did a French braid, 'cause it is way too long to do the tresses thing to too -- to the middle of her back; it would have taken hours. See, it's because of you making me help with your hair (sitting on that stripped comforter in the old days) when I was little, that I could do that. So things went OK.

At least until bed time, but you know all about that, and it might have been all the milk Lisa had with the cookies that caused the problem. That and like the changes happening inside, and she's going to the doctor her mom said.

It really was OK (until I started to get worried after I had got home). They are funny kids and all too, and I guess they thought I was all right because they asked their mom to get me again later.

Is that enough info about all that? Oh - we watched "The Spy Kids, II"

Part 3
The Return of Becky and Ann: I thought they were gone too and live a long way away, but it turns out there's a suburb here named Springfield, and they live there, not the city that was near Grandad. They're W-1-3-5 kids (don't know if you called them that -- that's the weekends they're at their fathers, and Wednesday too), so even though this was their father's year for spring break, they were still back because it was the fifth weekend of the month. I ran into them getting here when Dad and I were leaving for the mall. I guess since all their friends and most of there stuff is at their other house they get bored here and don't mind hanging with me even though I'm younger.

Part 4
Jude's Babysitting Adventure, The Sequel: I was waiting in the parking lot at the appointed time. The vehicle approached from the south (I think) and stopped beside me, I got into the stated vehicle, and...

OK-OK, I'll stop. Nothing really big happened, Ms Younger handed me a ton of money to pay for everything, and was happy I got a cell because it would make meeting up after easy, and Lisa put my number into her mother's phone and called me from the backseat (My first phone call!!).

I was expecting to be real, real bored (and so was Lisa, and I had to tell her to stop running down having a baby sister and all.), but actually it was real, real funny, and even the grown-ups were laughing. You should see it with Jim. Really.

After it was over we were walking through the mall to the other end, because when I called her that was where Ms Younger was, in a coffee place, and I was holding Wendy's hand because Ms Y. told me to, and I saw that boy who talks to me on the bus, Zack. And he yelled, "Hi, Jesse." And luckily I got to say to the girls, "Don't call me Sky!" before he got over. So later I had to tell the girls all about the teacher that said my initials stood for "Just Smart Enough", because I got 95s but never 100s, and how it had stuck. And they got about my liking 'Sky', but that some people at school would use it on me too.

Zack was just hanging at the pin-ball place -- see I told you he was way too cool for me to be friends with. Dad won't let me hang at a mall yet.

Then we found their Mom, and they brought me home.

OK? Did I get everything? Tell me if I didn't. G2g to bed, school -- uggghhhh -- tomorrow.

Your sib,
Sky

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>>Tues. April 1st (early morning)

GUESS WHAT!!!!

Dad won the lottery!!! REALLY -- a huge one -- like half a billion or something. And he found out he had actually adopted you and Michael, so now he's gonna get custody of you too!

Your (rich) Bro,
Sky

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