Postcards from Home

Dear Wyatt & Ari,

I hope Greece is treating you well and you’re all settled.

We can’t wait to visit you in Little Heart Bay when you’re ready.

Maddox and I miss you so much.

Not much has changed since you left, other than the fact I’ve now gone full-time with this author thing. I’m very inspired, and most days, I can barely believe writing happy endings is my job. I hope you guys don’t mind if I use your story as inspiration for a future book.

In other news, Maddox has started a new life as a gym teacher at the elementary school. One would think he’s trying to keep an eye on Fynn at all times. But I guess fatherhood changes the best of us.

Fynn is happy here. He’s finally stopped having nightmares, and he’s doing starting to adjust to school. It helps he’s got the other kids looking out for him.

Life is good here.

See you soon (I hope).

Love, Ash

***

Wyatt!

Where are you? Come back!

Everyone misses you, you bastard.

I can’t believe you’ve abandoned us for the hot sun and beautiful beaches. As if we don’t have both.

Parker is telling me I should be nice, so…just kidding, I suppose.

We’re all doing well here.

Levi is about to start middle school! When did that happen?

Anyway, Parker is busy with his new job, but he’s sending his regards anyway, and once he can get some time off, we’ll be paying you a visit so we can see what the big deal is with Little Heart Bay.

Perhaps I’ll convince him to get us another kid until then, though he keeps saying “social workers are not allowed to steal kids for themselves” or some shit. I can be pretty convincing, though. Levi needs a younger sibling!

That’s all from us.

Hope you’re enjoying your much-deserved retirement but not too much. I still hate you for leaving us.

Love, Hwan, Parker & Levi

P.S. I guess we miss you too, Ari, though I still haven’t forgiven you for taking Wyatt away from us (you bitch!).

P.P.S. Sorry about that. Hwan is still working on his penmanship. He meant “Love you both.” Parker x

***

Hey, Wyatt and Ari,

Mayberry feels different without you here.

I hope you two are happy in Greece, though. You deserve it after what you’ve been through.

There’s not much to report here.

The Outpost is doing well. I do miss Elliot, though. These kids I’ve hired don’t have half his passion, but I’ve got to make do, I guess.

The kids are doing good and staying out of trouble. Can you believe it? My kids? Staying out of trouble? Me neither.

Santi is on a work trip to DC with his podcast. My little political commentator. I’m so proud of him.

That’s all from us.

If you find any local cookbooks, send them my way. I’d love to make a Greece-inspired menu for the summer.

Kind regards, Joey x

P.S. You better be watching Santi’s show or else.

***

Hey, Wyatt and Ari,

Are you having fun in Greece? I’m not jealous at all.

Okay, I’m a little jealous, but King keeps reminding me we live on a perfect, summer island, so I shouldn’t be.

We are doing very well. The pet salon is still busy as usual, but we’ve roped in Mac to help. King is a mess. Mac’s applying for college, and he doesn’t want her going too far, but she’s dead set on Cali. He’ll be inconsolable if it happens.

I’m still juggling both the teaching and the security business. I’m thinking of quitting one or the other, especially now that one of my apps has taken off, but I’m too young to retire. Coming to visit you guys for the whole summer does sound appealing, though. If I can convince King to close the salon, that is.

Hope you have an amazing time in your new chapter in life.

See you soon,

Best, Slade

P.S. Mac has sent you a box of candy from home. Please let her know when you receive it. She won’t relax until it’s safely in your hands.

***

Hi, hot stuff Wyatt and Ari,

Azrael and I hope you are enjoying your new home and having lots of good sex making good memories.

I hear Greece is perfect for the libido soul.

Everyone is good over here.

Azrael is working long, crazy hours at the hospital, (thanks for ditching us, Ari) but he’s saving lives, so I can’t be too mad about it.

Noah has turned into a geek is doing well at school and is completely smitten with his baby brother.

Harri is adorable (pictures attached), and he can’t wait to meet you two.

The shelter is still thriving, which is a good thing seeing as I’ve got my hands full with the baby.

We miss you.

Don’t forget about us, okay? Or I’ll come over there and murder you both. (Note: since it is illegal to threaten bodily harm, let’s just say it won’t be pretty.)

Love and hugs,

Duke, Azrael, Noah, and Harri

P.S. Apparently, Azrael found the postcard before I sent it and has “fixed” my writing. He’ll die next.

***

Wyatt and Ari,

Mayberry is not the same without you.

Heck, we’re not the same without you, but we all want you to be happy, and if you’re happy, that’s all that matters.

How’s the house? How’s the town? I hope you’re having the best time.

Bear has picked up some shifts at the Outpost and is driving Joey crazy (I’m sure he’s told you already). He says he misses his grandpa Wyatt. Well, you know. If you could read his mind, that is. He’s still a teenager, after all. Why would he ever tell us how he feels?

Wesley sends you his love, and he says if you need help with your garden, he’s just a message away.

The café is doing well. We’re thinking of expanding. The building next door went up for sale, but we haven’t decided yet.

I’m experimenting with some new recipes, so if you come across any good ones, let me know. Zach says I’ve exceeded him. I don’t know if I believe him, but I have become quite the master baker (and for some reason Wesley is laughing as he reads this over my shoulder).

All in all, life is good here.

Thank you for everything again.

Love,

Teddy, Wesley, and Bear

***

Dear Wyatt & Dear Ari,

I hope you’re having a blast in your new life in Greece. I can’t say I don’t miss you both, but I’m happy knowing you are happy.

We’re all fine here.

We had a minor scare with the farm when a crop started getting sick and we couldn’t figure out why. Thankfully, we isolated the incident, and all the other crops are unaffected. Never a dull day in farm life.

Zach and Teddy are thinking of buying the building next door to expand the Butterfly Café. I don’t mind as long as I’m spoiled rotten with all their delicious cakes and desserts.

I can’t believe Troye is already in elementary school. When did that happen? He’s got Wesley as his teacher, thank God! We promised him we’d visit his godfathers for Christmas, so I hope you’re ready for some serious babysitting.

See you in December.

All my love,

Dare, Zach, and little Troye.

***

Hey, you bastard (that was aimed at Wyatt. Love you, Ari),

I still can’t believe you’ve left. I swear one day I’ll wake up and you guys will still be here, bossing us around.

You better be living your best life out there or Imma have some words for you.

I thought you’d like to know Joey is doing well managing the Outpost (I mean, no surprise there), and we’re number two on the places to eat in Mayberry Holm (and Joey won’t calm down until he’s number one).

Ari would probably be proud of me for getting promoted to charge nurse. Next goal, nurse manager, but I love Maria, so I’m happy to wait until she retires. Which might be sooner rather than later with her new grandson to take care of.

Donovan is still at the security firm, and he too might soon get promoted to manager if Slade decides to take a step back. We’ll see.

Sophia and Alice are in Wesley’s class this year, so that’s exciting. At least we know the girls are in good hands.

Everyone is missing you, especially me. I can’t believe you dragged me to this island and then abandoned me. Bastard.

I hate you.

Ah, who am I kidding? I love you. If anyone deserves to be happy and loved, that's you. You built this place. What we all have. The families, the love, the community. It’s all thanks to you.

Visit soon, yeah? Or else!

Love,

Autumn (& Donovan)

P.S. Check out the girls’ drawings they sent you. They spent days on them. I didn’t have the heart to tell them Grandpa Wyatt’s nose isn’t that big. And I don’t even know what the thing between Ari’s legs is. I was afraid to ask. You better hang them up on your fridge. Or else!

***

Dear Mayberry Folk,

Thank you all for your postcards. Ari and I have spent hours going through them, reading them, and laughing (or crying).

We both miss you too, but our life here is beautiful. We’re slowly making friends, and Ari has even managed to rope me into participating in the local queer community, small as it is.

The food here is phenomenal but so is the company. Everyone is so friendly and helpful.

Princess is living his best life, though I think the summers might be too hot for his poor soul.

We gave Elliot a ton of things to bring back to you. I hope he didn’t eat half the stuff before he got to Mayberry.

I’ve actually started writing too. I found a group of other expats here who meet up regularly to write and stuff. I never thought myself much of a poet, but Little Heart Bay has inspired me.

Or it might just be Ari.

Speaking of, he’s opened his own practice here and is busier than ever, but he’s his own boss, so he’s taken plenty of time off to help with the house. It’s all ready for you, and we can’t wait to have visitors. Our home will always be open to you, you know that.

Send all my love to your partners and kids, and I can’t wait to see you all again. Keep an eye out on Mayberry Holm for me, okay? It might be safe now, but it will always need people like you to protect the island and the community we’ve built.

All my love from our home away from home,

Wyatt and Ari