Dear T,

I really hope you don't end up being away during that time. I know you're probably a therapist rarity in that you tend to work a few days between Christmas and New Year's. But, as you know, that's a stressful time for me. I do appreciate your explaining why you might have to be away and saying that it's only a 10% chance. Though the way my mind works, I'm thinking, "Well, it will likely happen then."

Of course, you have to know that I'm wondering what relative it is. I don't think it would be your parents, as I'm pretty sure they're local. Unless by "traveling," you just mean staying at someone else's house the next county over. Maybe a parent of your wife's? I don't want to ask. And I guess I also wonder, from what you said about the surgery, if it's something like a knee replacement, where it's not a case where their life is threatened by their condition. As opposed to something like surgery for a cancer, though I image that would be more urgent. Would be kinda funny in a way if it was for a hernia because of H.

And I think I do need to talk about the other thing I mentioned, the love thing from a year ago. I just got scared today and couldn't do it. It seems silly that I feel the need to reconnect with you first after less than a week away, but there we are. We'll see about Wednesday...

Love,
LT