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to get sarcastic with me, young lady.”
    “Sorry, Dad,” Melissa mumbled as she berated herself for letting her father make her feel inadequate once again.
    “I’m sure the doctor will cut back on the appointments once she gets to know Melissa,” Greta said to her husband. “Besides, Melissa needs to do something to get out of this funk she has been in.”
    Funk , Melissa thought. They have absolutely no idea.
    “I read somewhere that psychiatrists sometimes give homework to their patients. Did Dr. Foster give you some homework?” Greta asked.
    “As a matter of fact I do have an assignment to do,” she answered.
    “Homework?” Peter snorted. “She should be going to college and doing homework from there,” Peter stated to his wife.
    Melissa ignored her father. “I’ll have to get started on the work after I put the baby to bed.”
    “Oh, I can do that for you, Melissa. I hardly ever get to put her to bed.” Greta looked over at her granddaughter who was happily eating mashed potatoes and gravy. “I will read her a long story and she will probably fall asleep before I ever get it finished,” Greta remarked.
    “Thanks, Mom. I appreciate that. I think I’ll go get started now.” Melissa stood up and kissed her daughter on the forehead. “You be a good girl for Oma.”
     
    * * *
     
    In her bedroom, Melissa pulled an old shoebox out of the back of her closet. She tucked it under her arm, grabbed a pad and pen from her desk and sat down on her bed. She laid the pad and pen next to her and rubbed her hand over the shoebox before she gently placed it on the bed. She lifted the lid and pulled out the letters from Stefan. She noticed that they were well worn from years of re-reading them. She took the first letter out of its envelope and began
    reading.
     
    Dear Melissa:
    I am writing this letter while sitting in my bedroom looking at a picture
    of us. You only left this morning, but I am missing you so very much.
    I fear these next twenty-eight months are going to be very long indeed.
    But all I have to do is look at some pictures of you, and I am able to find
    the strength to make it through this time. What did your family say
    when you told them of our plans? I hope that they were as happy as my
    family. I know that you begin university next week and that you will be
    very busy with schoolwork and studying, but I will patiently wait for
    your letters. Take care of yourself. Know that I love you very much,
    and I am thinking of you all the time.
    Love with all my heart,
    Stefan
     
    Melissa wiped a tear from her cheek. She picked up the pad and pen and began to write.
     
    I still cry when I read the first letter from Stefan. I received this letter
    after I was home for about eight days. I was so happy to get it. I
    remember that I re-read it several times and told my best friend,
    Valerie, all about it. She was so happy for me especially since over the
    same summer she met a great guy named Dennis Rogers. They are now
    married and have a child of their own. I also remember that I was so
    upset about how my own family was reacting to my news of Stefan and
    our plans that I did not even answer this letter. I feel ashamed of that.
    Stefan was writing to me on the day that I left Germany, but I didn’t
    even answer the letter.
     
    Melissa put the pad and pen down on her bed and returned the first letter to its envelope. She picked up Stefan’s second letter, tenderly removed it from the envelope and began to read.
     
    My dear Melissa:
    I have not received a letter from you yet. Are you all right? I hope that
    nothing is wrong. I tried to call you but when someone answers they
    just hang up on me. At this time, my imagination runs away with me.
    I fear that you have changed your mind about coming back to Germany
    and to me. I hope that this is not true. I think about you all of the time.
    I miss you so much. I imagine how busy you are at university, and I tell
    myself that this is the reason why you have