Aunt Cathy

Dear Ex-Aunt Cathy,

Don’t you think that if you were contemplating divorce you might be hesitant to dish out hundreds to get professionally done, extended family included, group shots? I mean, I understand that it might have been a bit awkward to have that conversation… “Um, honey? I’m worried that we might not be together forever and I wouldn’t want you to have to use whiteout on all of the pictures…” But wasn’t it uncomfortable for you to stand there anyway?

I was probably around ten or twelve when you and my Uncle Shane decided to end it. I’ll never forget how before she even got the chance to pick out a frame, I overheard my mother talking to Aunt Sharon on the phone discussing whether it would be appropriate to still put the photos on the mantle, or if that would make Uncle Shane feel bad if he ever happened to come over and see them. 

The funny thing is… this is the most vivid memory that I have of you. There are some vague recollections of various Christmas’s. I remember the wedding a little bit (the memory that stands out from that is that you and Uncle Shane were foolish enough to have bells with signs that said you would kiss every time someone rang it… didn’t think Great Uncle YouKnowWho would get quite that drunk, eh?), but other than those few random tidbits, you don’t stand out. 

I guess I just find it stunning how one moment someone can be so engrained in a family picture like this, and the next they’re moving out, never to be heard from again. It actually kind of scares me. Wasn’t that disorienting for you? It makes me think about all of the dreams and expectations that I have. I’m sure you never intended for anything like that to happen, but then again no one ever does. Everyone thinks that they’ll be the ones who it works out for, but how many people do you know for whom that actually came true? I generally tends towards optimistic... but jeez.

I hope that you don’t interpret this letter as one of anger, because it honestly isn’t. It’s mainly just because you’re the significant part of this picture. Other than you  being in it, it’s just another typically boring picture of your typically dysfunctional family. It’s a situational thing so don’t take it personally. 

That being said, and I’m pretty sure I saw you at the mall once… it would’ve been nice for you to at least acknowledge me. I was once your niece you know.

Sincerely,

Hannah