12 July 2024

Dear Clair,

I know it's early in the Summer. I know Summer practically just began and you were going to be trying to establish a closer relationship with your father. I know I shouldn't be writing just yet and should give you time to adjust to a normalcy among your journey and I apologize for sending you a letter straight away.

But I wanted to let you know that if you are to write to me, you can no longer write to my London address because I'll be staying most of the summer with my father in the Southwest of England near Cornwall. A terrible thing happened - Aunt Maggie's new husband Mark recently opened a restaurant and there was a fire - a disastrous fire - and it's gone. All that stands of it is some of the structural features. The insurance company doesn't want to acknowledge the claim and Aunt Maggie and Mark are left trying to pick up the pieces. They thought it best that I come here since their attention will be elsewhere.

It's strange being back and I don't know if I should have my guard up or not. You know AngelFyre had visions of my father and while she couldn't quite place what the visions were of exactly, she knew how they made her feel and she feels that my father is a horrible, horrible person somehow.

I've yet to see anything of that but something strange is going on here. When I got injured over Winter Break here, there was that girl that helped me - Clara. I plan to find her again. Sometimes I still have myself convinced that she was somehow a figment of my imagination and other times I know she had to be real - but none of it makes sense.

Right now I'm just wishing I was back at home in London, listening to my music and just having come home from Gabe's house. I wanted so much for this summer to be one that I could reconnect with my muggle friends and spend more time with Aunt Maggie and get to know Mark and his dog more. I'll try to make the best of it though. I'm going to try and learn more about my father while I'm here and try and lay low with the other vampires. They're all unsettling in their own way.

I'm really hoping that his summer is a summer of new opportunities for you, Clair. I hope you meet him, spend time with him, get to know him, and connect with him. It's not always easy when they're a stranger - I understand that. But you've got a chance at having one parent around and even if they aren't the parent you want; they're the parent you've got. You know?

Sorry for the rambling, but please write me back soon. It's difficult being in a large old castle without electricity when you can't use magic to make things all better.

- Simon Kincaid