Letters to Her Soldier by Hazel Gower

invited Mathew if she knew. ”
    “Why didn’t Dad
say anything?”
    “Ha, our Dad
learnt long ago not to interfere when Mum’s plotting . ”
    “You didn’t tell
me he’s younger than me and looks like that . ”
    Greta bumped him
with her hip.   “Oh, must have slipped my
mind.   Don’t sweat it, bro.   She’s loved you forever. ”
    As Greta said
this, Bianca sent a beaming smile to the doc and laughed.  
    His brother came
up beside him and whacked him on the back.   “Sorry I’m late, got stuck with paperwork on a
DMV.   Looks like I got here at just the
right time.   The food looks great.   Hey, isn’t that your woman laughing over there
with that man?”
    “Shut the fuck
up, Gavin . ”
    “Ah, I see.   You’re still too scared to claim her.   Well, it looks like someone else isn’t. ”
    Letting his
anger free, Caleb punched his brother, and because he knew his brother so well,
he dodged the hit that came back at him.  
    “What the hell
was that for?”
    “I told you to
shut up . ”
    Caleb looked
around to see everyone staring at him.   His mother was rushing toward him with a
worried look in her eyes, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off Bianca.   She said something to Mathew, stood up, and
almost jogged to him.
    His mother
turned to everyone.   “Sorry, folks, just
some silly sibling rivalry . ” She snatched the dish
from him, placed it on the table, and walked inside.  
    Sighing, he
followed his mother to the back family room.   His mother glared at Greta, Gavin, and him.
    “I want to know
what on earth is happening.   And I want
to know now. ”
    “Nothing, Mum. Everything’s all good.   I said something I shouldn’t to the
birthday boy.   It’s all sorted now. ”
Gavin went to walk away, but his mother shook her head.
    “It doesn’t look
sorted.   I want to know now what’s going
on, or I’ll volunteer you for a romantic weekend getaway instead of a date
night in my charity ball. ”
    Caleb growled as
his brother couldn’t blab fast enough.   “Caleb’s sulking because he missed his chance
with Bianca because he’s scared she’ll reject him. Now Bianca has some guy all
over her, so he took his anger out on me. ”
    Bianca came in
and stood with her arms crossed over her chest, staring at him.   She looked so hot.   Her hazel eyes shone with anger, and her arms
pushed her breasts up like an offering.
    “Well, that explains
what happened in the kitchen , ” his mother said.
    Caleb needed to
hold Bianca.   Walking past his mother as
she talked, he pulled Bianca into the room and into his arms.
    “When did this
happen? Why haven’t you said anything to me?” his mother asked.
    “Oh, he’s been
in love with her for years, Mum.   Only just noticed it himself a couple of years ago, though. ”
    His mother gave
a shut-up look to Gavin.   “You can go now,
Gavin.   I think I’ve heard enough from
you. ”
    His traitor of a
brother strolled out of the room.   Greta
went to join him, but his mother grabbed her hand.   “Not so fast, missy.   How long have you known?”
    “Not long.   Dad knew way before me. ” And with that, his
sister shocked his mother and got away.
    “How?” his
mother asked.
    “Letters.   Bianca sent me letters every week, sometimes
twice a week.   She kept me sane. ”
    Tears rolled
down his mother’s cheeks as she said, “You wrote to my boy every week . ”
    Bianca fidgeted
in his arms and croaked out, “Yes . ”
    “What did you
say in the letters?”
    He felt Bianca’s
shoulder lift.   “Nothing
really. I told him about the silly dramas at school, the antics Gavin
got up to, or about me and Greta.   Sometimes I just sent him new recipes I made, and
if I could, I’d send him samples. ”
    “Why didn’t you
tell me you did this? I thought I was like a mother to you. ”
    “I don’t know.   It never came up.   It started the last year of school right after
I turned eighteen. ”
    “Are you two
together?