My 19th letter to you

Dear Daniel,

I hope the summer is going well – despite the very mixed weather we’ve been having!

We’re making the best of it. The garden at home is struggling – I managed to harvest only about half the potatoes I thought I would, but it’s still a good result, given how much rain we had. The tomatoes (Jo is looking after them) are in a worse state, but that’s also because we went away for a week in May.

Right now I am in Ireland with your sister Daphne, who is with her friend Isidore doing a pony camp. We are in a place called Leitrim, a wild, beautiful part of Ireland where however it rains quite a lot! Isidore’s dad is cycling around Ireland as we speak (he’s a former champion cyclist) and his mom is working from the cottage next to me here.

I’m sad to hear that you don’t want to see me, and also that you are not interested in meeting Daphne, who talks about you all the time and is – frankly – determined to get to know you sooner or later. You will have a hard time not meeting her, I’m afraid, as she has a strong character and works busily at getting what she wants. (Sometimes that is a challenge, I can tell you!)

But most of all, I wish you well and send you my continued love. Please know that whatever happens, I will always be here for you, the day you decide to take the leap and get to know me.

Love,

Dad