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One
Common Drama |
Two
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Three
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Five
Ring Circus |
Mrs. Lu
4, villa Maurice Rollinet
Paris 19è France
Dearest Bernadette,
I just received a phone call from your friend, Marie-Claire, from Marseilles. We were so happy to get news of you and Jerome, especially after all these months of unbearable silence. She comforted us in telling us how hard you were fighting to deal with things. She also said Jerome was superb. Not much about Catherine though. Do you not think, my little Bernadette, that the time has come to make a definite decision about her case.
In my last letter, I told you honestly what the situation was, and what my position was. Catherine cannot stay so far away from you and her little brother indefinitely. She needs a mother and must be brought up with her brother. I am doing what I can for her, but it is insufficient; I have my worries, my expenses and work - more than I could care for. I cannot replace you, be her mom. Catherine needs you, more than ever, emotionally. She needs help with school as well; her results are far from fantastic. She must repeat fifth grade; I think she was unlucky with her teacher - they did not get along well. I can only follow her school work from a distance and, besides, I disagree with these new teaching methods.
Her school work must be closely monitored. I cannot do that. If I accepted to take care of Catherine, it was because you asked me. For one month, three at most. It has now been three years...
Sunday the 16th. I am continuing this letter from my kiosk. I run this one at marché Biron and it really takes up a lot of my time. After all the problems we have had, we had to set things up in a way to pay the bills.
Your daughter cannot suffer because of our problems. This is why I informed her grand mother of what was going on. Catherine could not stay endlessly in boarding school. Although I could not bear it, I let her grand mother take her out, buy her things she needed (all the while refunding her, of course). Catherine is nice girl - tall and stocky for her age; clothing or shoes are always in short supply. Her grand mother also takes care of her clothing - sowing, laundry... there is no way to avoid it. Where do you think I could find the time to go shopping with Catherine!!!
And there is no way I can think of leaving Catherine every weekend in boarding school. Besides, rules require that she leave the first Sunday of the month. We cannot leave her closed up with no affection! The same is true of summer camp; we just cannot leave here there for all the holidays after she has spent the school year in a boarding school... run by nuns to boot!!
This year, I managed for her to have good holidays again. I will take her two to three weeks in September. She will spend August at summer camp and July with her grand mother in Cannes. Lord knows how difficult it is for me to keep contact with someone who acted so terribly with mother. Necessity forces my hand.
June 20. For a long while, I kept you informed about this situation. Meanwhile, we barely know how you two are doing.
My little Bernadette, I urge you to stop keeping your daughter far away from you and her brother. This situation cannot go on. I have done everything I could these last three years. Moreover, I did not want to leave Catherine isolated and without affection. I repeat, her place is by your side.
The holidays are near. It is about time. So many worries. Catherine and Raphael are not easy to handle. Raphael is completing his Bac. Catherine is entering 10th grade. Philippe passed all his exams this year. Sylvie is an excellent student and Nathalie is a cute little girl. Pascal and Olivier are also wonderful. What joy these little ones bring, but one also tires counting the worries. Josee is often ill; terrible liver crises! Guy is working hard to furnish their house. Lu had a bad winter. He is in treatment to give him more strength. I am quite tired and the years are starting to show their weight.
Lu and I are going to Nice for a few days and we will then go off to Spain for holidays. We will be near Santander, where we rented a house for the season. The doctor wants Lu and I to have a long rest. We deserve it.
Again, I urge you to write me quickly. I want a lot of news of the both of you. From the bottom of my heart, let me convey how much I love you. A special hug for Jerome.
We all send our love.
Magda Lu
I am updating the accounts. I hope to be able to tell you soon where we are at.