Trials Of Thelma: Unbroken

First Love (Part 2)

Dear Thelma,

I want you to know how much you mean to me. You’ve shown me kindness and understanding in ways I never expected. Your friendship has been a light in my life, and I can’t imagine my days without you.

I know I’ve made mistakes, but I promise to always try to be better for you. You deserve nothing less. Thank you for seeing past my flaws and giving me a chance.

Yours always,

Goodwin

Thelma held Goodwin's letter close to her chest, feeling the warmth of his words seep into her heart. She re-read the letter, her fingers tracing over the ink. She had never received a letter like this before, and the sincerity in Goodwin's words touched her deeply.

A soft smile played on her lips as she tucked the letter into her notebook, hiding it from prying eyes.

After school, Thelma walked home with a lightness in her step. Her thoughts were consumed by Goodwin and the tender words he had shared with her.

Later that evening, Thelma heard a knock on the door. She opened it to find Goodwin standing there, a shy smile on his face.

"Hey," he greeted softly. "Can I come in?"

Thelma nodded, stepping aside to let him in. "You are here... but you can't stay long, my dad will be back soon and will kill both of us if he sees you." she said looking outside to check for her dad. "I got your letter," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Goodwin's eyes lit up. "I'm glad you liked it. I meant every word."

"I'll see you at church on Sunday?" he asked. "Of course," Thelma replied, a smile playing on her lips.

He squeezed her hand gently before turning to go. "Take care, Thelma." "You too."

************************

As the weeks passed, Goodwin and I became close friends over time. Our initial tension melted away, and I found myself looking forward to our meetings at church and the occasional visits to my house. My life felt a bit brighter with him around, but I never expected what happened next.

One sunny afternoon, after school, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it and saw Goodwin's sister, " My brother asked me to give you this" she said. I took the paper from her and quickly hid it in my pocket and waited until I was alone to read it. My heart pounded with excitement as I unfolded the letter to read at night when everyone was asleep.

Hi.

I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. You mean so much to me, and I can’t keep these feelings to myself any longer. I’ve never felt this way before, and it’s all because of you.

Will you be my girlfriend?

Yours always,

Goodwin."

My heart raced as I read his words. Goodwin wanted to be more than friends. A mix of joy and fear washed over me. I was happy, but also scared of what might happen if my parents found out. My mom and dad were strict, and I didn’t want to face their anger. I decided to keep our relationship a secret.

The next time I saw Goodwin at church, I took him aside. “I got your letter,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. And?” he asked, his eyes searching mine.

“I’d like to be your girlfriend,” I replied, my cheeks flushing. “But we have to keep it a secret.” Goodwin smiled, relief evident on his face. “I understand. We’ll be careful.”

Our relationship blossomed in secret. Goodwin would sneak over to my house before my dad came home from work. Sometimes he’d bring me little gifts—my favorite snacks or a pretty flower he’d picked. Jayden, my brother, never told on us, probably because Goodwin always brought him his favorite treats.

One afternoon, Justin said something. We were sitting on the steps of Cajetan's office, waiting for Bible class to start. “You and Goodwin seem close,” he said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you two dating?" he asked bluntly, catching me off guard.

I blushed, looking around to make sure no one else could hear. "Yes, but please don't tell anyone," I pleaded.

Justin smiled reassuringly. "I won't. Just be careful T, okay? Your parents would freak out if they found out."

"I know," I said, grateful for his understanding. I still cherished my time with Justin. We had been friends for so long, and his support meant everything to me.

However, Goodwin often felt jealous of our friendship, especially when I arrived early at church to spend time with Justin.

One afternoon, Goodwin showed up earlier than usual, interrupting a conversation between Justin and I. "Hey, Thelma," He said, trying to hide his annoyance. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" I excused myself from Justin and walked over to Goodwin. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," he muttered, looking down. "I just wanted to see you." I sighed, knowing what was really bothering him. "Goodwin, you know Justin is just a friend. You don't have to be jealous."

"I know," he replied, his expression softening. "I just... I care about you a lot."

"I care about you too," I said, squeezing his hand. "But you have to trust me." He seemed to relax after hearing those words.

***********************

We were sitting at the dinner table one evening when my mom suddenly gasped, clutching her belly. “It’s time,” she said, her voice strained. My dad sprang into action, helping her to the car. They rushed to the hospital, leaving me at home to take care of Jayden.

We didn't hear from anyone by the time we left for school the next morning. We got back to meet dad at home, “Your mom had the baby,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “It’s a boy.”

Relief washed over me, mixed with excitement and curiosity about my new baby brother. I couldn’t wait to meet him, to see this tiny new member of our family.

The next few days were a whirlwind. My mom and the baby stayed in the hospital for a few days, and I was left to manage the household and made sure I cooked meals to be taken to the hospital by my dad for mom. It was a lot of work, but I didn’t mind. I was just happy that everything had gone well with the birth.

Mom and the baby finally came home some days later, and I was overjoyed. My baby brother was perfect, with tiny hands and a soft, downy head. He was named Anthony, and he quickly became the center of our lives.

***********

As I was helping my mom with Anthony weeks after, she looked at me and smiled. “You’re growing up so fast, my daughter,” she said softly. “Soon you’ll be off to university. You need to do very well in your exams to get in. We have very high expectations and we hope you make us proud.”

Long after that conversation, the endless weeks of preparation and eventually exams began. Boy what tough times....