Letters to Mama

Kara blinked. What else should Mama know? The fountain pen in her hand bled ink across the page. She brushed her hand over it, smearing the blackness on her hand. She cursed silently. Standing, she carefully folded the letter and placed it into an envelope. She carefully licked it shut and stamped it. Then, she went outside to wait.
Evan's father was the local mailman. Of course, during the summer he had to help out. The dusty road led towards Thomas's Creek. He walked along it towards the Millar's house. He hummed as he stepped gingerly around puddles of mud. As he reached the house, he realized someone was on the porch. He ran up to meet her.
"Hey, Kara." He smiled. His copper hair shone in the midday sun.
"Hello, Evan." She glanced up at him.
"You got that letter for your mama?" He patted his messenger bag. "The mail's gotta go out today."
"Yes. Here you go." Her dainty fingers held out the cream envelope.
"Thanks, uh you wanna uh get a milk shake later today?" He looked down, taking the enveope.
"Okay." She looked out past him. As if he wasn't even there.
He nodded. "Okay, I'll come by after my rounds." But she wasn't listening anymore. He turned and jumped down the steps, starting the long walk back to town.
An hour later, Evan was at the post office. He was sorting the mail before going back to Kara's. He shifted through the telegrams before spotting one with Ken Millar's name on it, Kara's father. He opened it and the reading shocked him, the paper glided to the floor because Evan was already gone. He burst into his father's office. "You knew Kara's mother was dead?!" He demanded.
His father didn't even look up. "Dead? She has been rotting in a Pennsylvania cemetary for a month now."
Evan's fury increased. "Then what about the letters?"
"They're void." He stopped writing and winked at his son. "Don't forget to tell her, tonight."
Evan paled, but he had no other choice. He left.
The malt shop was brightly lit and fairly empty when Evan and Kara entered. They both were seated quickly before being left alone. The electric lights hummed in the silence. "Umm, Kara?"
"Yes?" Her big doe eyes made his guilt hit a peak.
"Umm... never mind."
The shakes were excellent, and before Evan knew it, he had to take her home. The dark street was illuminated with random street lamps. He heard the drunken singing of his friends.
"Hey! Isn't that Evan over there!" He winced. They rambled closer. "Evan my man." The lanky older boy wrapped his arm around him. "Is this that chick with the dead mother." Before Evan could reply the boy leaned over and whispered to Kara. "Why aren't you mad at him. He never told you til now. You were writing letters to the dead!" Kara shrieked and twisted away. Running as fast as she could.
"Kara, wait!" He shot after her, the boy's laughing ringing in his ears. "Kara!" He grabbed her arm.
"Let go of me!" She sobbed. He spun her around.
"Kara listen to me." He hugged her close. "I'm sorry, I couldn't find the right time to tell you."
Her sobs quieted. "So she's really dead?" Her whisper broke his heart.
After a silence he replied. "Yes." They fell to their knees together and cried.