[cinderella]

Quill dipped in red ink - the color of love...

My dearest, to say that you have always lived in my heart all these decades is redundant. You know I will always love you. And even if I never see you again, you are always with me. My life has been an empty shell - always seeking to find the passion and love we shared, but to no avail - it only really happens once.

I hope with all my heart that you are happy in your life, even if it is without me. And if you no longer feel the same for me, I console myself with the thought that it is only one empty heart. That at least one of us has found happiness. And perhaps that means that one of us did not love as well. No matter. I had love at least once in my life - some never do. So, in that respect I am grateful to you, my eternal beloved.

I roll up the parchment, tie a red satin ribbon around it, and place it in the translucent green bottle. I place it on the foamy crest, and point it southward...to Florida. Please unfold this message with care, for it holds my heart.