Mum,

I know you and I haven’t spoken since I have taken the job at Tokyo-Zion Academy, but you need to realize that I am not a child anymore. I listened to you and dad rant about how the academy staff does not live up to wholesome standards. Times are different now. I used to be a sweet and good little Catholic girl back in Ireland. Well, I’m not sweet nor little anymore. (I still am good, somewhat.) Plus, I am not in Ireland, I am in Japan. Could you please quit trying to control my life now? I am eighteen years old and in college now. You have to give up your need for control or else things between us will get worse. Dad has finally accepted my job at the academy. Why can’t you? My boss and her staff are good souls at heart. Sure, they are a little rowdy and vulgar, but they mean well. They treat everyone equally. My people, as I call them now, all have open minds and kind hearts at the end of the day. So relax, I am in good hands! That’s all that matters in the end, isn’t it?

With that out of the way, Lillian says hi. She is so much like you. Sometimes, I think you cloned her from yourself and sent her to Japan to live with me. (I find that so creep that I have to force myself to think about something else at times.) How is dad, by the way? Is he out of the hospital from his back surgery. I prayed every night for him. (Yes, I am still going to church even in college. It’s so hard to find a Catholic church in Japan. Most of everyone is either Shinto or Buddhist.) Anyway, I’m going to send him some chocolates with this letter. We both know how much he loves that! Don’t eat them up from him! I’ll know when I call to ask later on this week!

Anyway, please accept my job at the academy and stop talking badly about it and the staff here. The sooner you do that, the sooner we’ll both be happy and talk again. See you and dad this summer.

Love for you,

Your little, Viki