Topic: To Mr. Cath

Audrey Horne · Date: 2013-01-08 20:56 EST

Audrey leaves the note with the receptionist; neat slanting handwriting on notebook paper that's been folded neatly and placed into an robin's egg blue envelope.

Dear Mr. Cath,

Renfield told me that you were in the hospital. I hope that whatever it is that's put you there passes quickly. I know that you don't know me that well, but you seem like a really nice guy and I'm a firm believer that the world is severely lacking genuinely decent people.

Get well soon!

Sincerely,

Audrey Horne

Cath · Date: 2013-01-09 18:20 EST

He leaves his reply with the lady at the desk, after spending a bit of time figuring out the address to send it. Plain white envelope, with plain white paper inside. Although, some impulse, some je ne sais quoi that reminds him of his brother, something makes him drop an ivy leaf into the envelope before he seals it.

Dear Mrs. Horne,

Thank you for your kind words; they are very much appreciated right now. I hope to be out of the hospital before the end of January, but the doctors obviously have the final say in that, so we'll see.

I certainly try my best to be a decent man, and I suppose that's all anyone can say. You certainly seem like a pretty swell lady yourself.

Hope the New Year treats you well.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Cath

Audrey Horne · Date: 2013-01-10 17:50 EST

Another note, this one complete with her address. For the ivy there's a dried daisy tucked in the envelope.

Mr. Cath,

Thank you very much for the sweet letter and the lovely ivy leaf. I've placed it in my scrapbook. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the end of January. I'm sorry if this letter is short, but right now I'm trying to keep my daughter from chewing on the pencil.

Thanks for the swell lady thing. I believe I'm getting there! If they serve you jello, don't eat it and if it doesn't smell like turkey then it's probably something else. I'm only telling you this because tummy troubles probably won't help your current affliction.

Keep getting better, Mr. Cath.

Yours truly,

Audrey

Cath · Date: 2013-01-22 09:57 EST

The paper of this one is a bit beat up, as though it had been shoved in a drawer the wrong way for a while:

Dear Mrs. Horne,

Apologies for not writing sooner; the last few days have been surprisingly busy or sleep-inducing for me. I suppose it's a good experience for me, being on the other side of all of this medicine and such. Still, I'll be quite relieved to finally get out and get back home. You're well, I hope? You and your family both?

So you have a daughter, then? Lucky! Children are quite a wonderful handful, at any age. Sad to say I don't have any of my own, although I do have more than my fair share of brothers.

It's a strange thing, but I'd had a perfectly reasonable time with my hospital food--until I recieved your letter. Fairly soon after that, I was served what appeared to be a tray filled to the brim with different colored liquid that stank to high heaven when I put my nose near. Suffice it to say I skipped that particular lunch, and I was never able to get a satisfactory explanation for that. I have a friend or two who have been bringing me food ever since, so it worked out in a way.

May you and yours continue in good health and thank you for the kind wishes.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Cath