Pen Pal

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of mental illness, self-harm, substance use, cursing, death, sexual violence, sexual content, and child abuse.

At her husband Michael’s funeral, Kayla Reece acknowledges her overwhelming grief. She hears one of his coworkers, Sharon or Karen, crying behind her, and Kayla leaves the funeral to be alone. Kayla goes home and notes her headache, which is the fifth one she has had this week. She finds a letter in her kitchen that makes her uncomfortable. The letter is from the Washington State Penitentiary, and it has LOVE written on it in red. The letter reads: “I’ll wait forever if I have to” (5), signed “Dante,” but Kayla does not know what it means.

In the morning, Kayla’s headache remains, and she complains about the weather in Washington, which is usually dreary, windy, and rainy. Kayla tries to work, illustrating children’s novels, but she is too upset to draw happy characters. She finds water on the kitchen floor from a leak in the roof, leading her to reminisce about fixing up the house with Michael. Fiona, their housekeeper, arrives and is startled by Kayla. Fiona asks if Kayla is staying in the house, and Kayla confirms that she will.