JANUARY 2021

"Mom, what's this?"

Juniper's tired eyes turned to her daughter. "Bring it here, sweet."

It was a box of photographs, but Jane wasn't interested in that. She could look at those later. It was the letters that caught her eye. They were addressed to and received from someone named Michael Kelso, in a town in Wisconsin she had heard the name of only a few times. And the handwriting in some of them was unmistakably her mother's.

"Damn!" Juniper joked. "You've found my old letters to my weed dealer."

"Mom!" Jane laughed. "Please, tell me, what are they?"

June exhaled. "Let's give them a read."

≛

August 1978

Hi, Michael. I can't believe I'm ALREADY writing to you, but I can't help it. I miss you. You left an hour ago, and I miss you.

I don't know when you'll get this; you might not even be home by the time this gets to Point Place, but I can try, can't I?

This letter is kinda pointless. Anything to be close to you works, I suppose, even if it's not physically.

Let me know how you're doing, yeah? I love you.

~June

≛

August 1978

That was fast, Buggy. I didn't know you were so excited to talk to me. Even though I'm pretty cool, I guess. 

Eric and Donna are back together. I think. They're always confusing me with  t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶   their relationship and all. I thought me and Jackie were confusing.

Donna's going to a Catholic school and she looks SO HOT in her uniform. She's got the short skirt and all, and she hasn't been straightening her hair a lot, so

Oh no she's coming into the basement

I'll just keep writing

Anyway, no need to worry about her. She's all over Eric. I don't think I'd have a chance if I wanted one, which I don't  =)

I love you. I'll talk to you soon, Buggs.

Love,

Mike

≛

September 1978

Hey again! School's started up, which is kind of gross, but Lucy's found a new lady friend, so she's not mad. She sends her regards to Donna, by the way. Remind her to call (she has her number).

Archie's doing well, too, my parents have started paying him to babysit Tommy, but he's really just hanging out with me. Tommy made this airplane model and now he's dead-set on being a carpenter. He's not even five years old yet, and he's got his life more figured out than me. How sad is that?

For me, I'm doing pretty well. Looking into colleges, maybe somewhere near Wisconsin or in Chicago so I can visit you, but it really depends on what I want to do. I've been thinking about doing something with music. I don't want to start a band or anything, but maybe I could teach or do something in music production. Who knows? It's almost the '80s, isn't it? Possibilities are endless.

I love you always.

~June

≛

September 1978

I got it! I wanna be a cop! I'm gonna go to police academy and all, and even Hyde says it's a good idea! I hope you're wrong when you tell me not to trust Hyde so easily... Oh, well. I'm gonna do it!

That's really cool that you're gonna do music stuff. Make sure to get me concert tickets for The Rolling Stones when you meet them, alright? Also Led Zep. Also Queen. Also The Who. Also Alice Cooper. What the hell, just give me all of them. I'll take good care of em, I promise ;)

Jackie says our "summer romance" was like the one in Grease, so I think she's happy about it.

I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you so so so so so so so so much Buggy  =)

Yours,

Mikey

≛

December 1978

...Michael? Are you getting these?

You didn't respond to my last letter.

I don't want to be pushy or anything, but I hope you're okay. It's driving me crazy, not hearing from you. Please send one back when you can.

I love you <3

~Your Buggy

≛

January 1979

Happy New Year, Buggs! Sorry I didn't answer for a long time, some stuff was going on and I couldn't find the time to write.

I have to tell you something. I was at a concert, and I nailed this girl in a bathroom stall. And I don't want to hurt you, but we agreed that we wouldn't cling onto each other forever romantically, y'know? Anyway, I got her pregnant.

I'm going to be a dad.

I've been thinking a lot about it, and I want to be involved in the baby's life. I'm sorry if this hurts, please know I'm not trying to do that.

Remember that I still love you, okay?

Yours always and forever,

Michael

≛

August 1979

Michael, please.

Answer me?

I haven't heard from you in months. I know you said you were busy, but you can't have been so busy that you couldn't find ANY time to write. If you don't want to send letters anymore, that's okay. Just let me know.

It's been a year since I saw you last, in person. I don't want this to be the same as it was when we were young, where we lost contact and I never saw you again until you popped up out of the blue. That was a coincidence. Coincidences don't repeat themselves too often.

Please answer my letter. Just let me know that you're okay. Or let me know if you don't want to write anymore.

I love you.

~June

≛

September 1979

Hey, June. Hyde's coming over to California for a bit and wants to meet up, would that be cool? See you

Love,

Michael

≛

September 1979

Hi, Mike. Thanks for responding, even if it was only... briefly. Aren't you going to say anything about your responses (or lack thereof)? I care about you, and the most you give me is a two-sentence letter a month after you got one from me begging you to respond?

It hurts, Michael. I know you said you didn't want to hurt me, and I don't think you do, but it hurts. You wrote "love" at the end of your letter, but I don't think you do anymore. Not even platonically. Am I reading it wrong? I'm sorry if I am. You didn't even call me Buggy.

I hope you're doing well.

~Juniper

≛

October 1979

Hey, it's me again. Hyde has been staying over at my place for a few weeks. I thought I'd let you know... We're together now. No, that's sugarcoating. We're fucking. I don't know how long it'll last, but we'll see how it goes.

I miss you, Mike.

I miss you holding me. I miss your voice. I miss the feeling of warmth that fills my heart and butterflies that fill my stomach when I get a letter from you. When can I feel that way again?

I miss you.

I'm trying to move on. I'll see if it works.

Hyde's been talking about going to New York, to visit his ex-girlfriend, Anastasia. I think maybe they could be together. He seems like he's still in love with her.

I love you.

~June (Buggy?)

≛

November 1979

Hyde hasn't gone to New York, but he's back in Point Place now. Say hi to him for me if you see him, and if anyone else finds this letter before Michael, give him a smack on his fucking face.

Sorry, that was aggressive.

Michael, when are you going to respond?

I'm just about ready to give up on you.

~June

≛

January 1980

Right, here goes.

I'm not over you. I don't know if I ever will be, and it's stupid. I hate that I'm still so hung up on you when you haven't replied to a single one of my letters since September.

But I'm moving on. I still love you, and I don't think I'll stop loving you. History has proven that, hasn't it? And history repeats itself.

I hope to see you in the future. I'm going to stop writing, but maybe one day we'll pop into each other's lives again. I hope we do.

This letter is dedicated to the one I love. That's you.

Remember that. I love you always, even if you're with another woman and I'm with another man. We'll never have what we had in the summer of '78, or any time before that, but I'll always be here for you if you need me. I'll always be your friend.

I'm sounding like a broken record, but I love you, Michael. Please, PLEASE don't forget it.

~Buggy

P.S.: Happy New Year! Can you believe it's the '80s?

≛

January 1980

I love you, too, Buggy.

≛

"This guy sounds like an asshole," Jane wrinkled her nose.

"Oh, he wasn't," Juniper smiled softly. "I don't know why he didn't write back, but ob-la-di, ob-la-da, am I right?"

"Mom, please stop with the Beatles references."

June laughed joyously. "I've raised you well enough to understand them then, huh?"

Her husband pattered into the room and Jane glanced up. "You've got visitors, Junie," he smiled, light dancing in his bright blue eyes. "A bunch of old people in the hallway."

Down the corridor, she caught a flash of bright red hair.

Knowingly, Juniper grinned.

"Bring 'em in."

≛

(not) brought to you by dedicated to the one i love - the mamas & the papas

brought to you by lissy <3