Hey there.. I doubt you will read this but you never know! I've never written to you but I suddenly feel like I need to. it's going to be a long letter. I might show it to you, or I might not, but I need to write it down, to explain my feelings for you and my grief for Dave and how much I love you both.
We've had a turbulent few weeks and I wanted to thank you for your patience with me. I know I can be a bloody nightmare at times and I know I've been especially difficult lately, even mean to you at times; I've been lashing out when I've been hurting but I'm so sorry you were hurt too, that was never my intention. I know I make you worry about me when I'm going through a bad spell, and am stuck under my duvet hiding from the world.. I'm sorry that I don't eat properly sometimes and I get so sad and panicky about trivial things, and I stop socialising or even popping to the corner shop, and sometimes I can't even bear to talk to you about what is on my mind. These things trouble you greatly and I am really very sorry. I can never explain myself properly.. I know I can tell you anything, even if it is about Dave -
especially if it is about Dave - but sometimes my mouth just won't open and I can't speak the words. I get so wrapped up in my grief at times that I forget I am not the only one affected by it, directly or indirectly, and that by shutting myself away I am inadvertently shutting you out. I'm sorry
I hope you know how special you are to me. Even though it did distress me when you told me what was in your mind the other day I respect your honesty so much and I really do believe you now when you tell me that you are certain you are in love with me and want to be with me. How could I not, when you are being so loving and supportive, and when you make it so clear that you want to spend as much time by my side as possible? I am sorry that at times I can struggle to be a "normal" girlfriend. I know you understand and I should stop apologising, but but I also know that it does bother you that I often need to be alone and sometimes can't even manage to cuddle you or sleep in the same bed as you. I suppose it was always going to cause us some difficulties, grieving over Dave while being with you, as it's not been two years since he died.. I know sometimes I worry we got together too soon, but I don't really mean that. It felt right to me at the time and I am certain Dave would be happy for me, as his family are - and that's all that matters, screw what anyone else thinks. You and I both know that it doesn't have any bearing on my feelings for Dave or how much I grieve for him and how much I miss him, how much his death hurts me and how I will never, ever understand how he can actually be dead.. that will always be a part of me. I don't love you as Dave's replacement but as your own person, entirely distinct, equally dear to me. You've been so brilliant - a girlfriend whose last boyfriend died is a lot for anyone to take on and I have been honoured to have found someone who understands it all so well and never feels threatened or disconcerted by it, even when the grief hits me hard. You just hold me and tell me that you want to help me feel safe again. I don't know if you realise how amazing that is
It's been really bad lately, hasn't it. I was not expecting Valentine's Day to be such a huge trigger, but it really was.. and I'm sorry I've struggled to be around you; it's nothing to do with you, you know, it's just that sometimes I need to grieve on my own. That's my way, I shut myself away for over half a year after Dave died and although you share my home now - our home - sometimes I still need to hide myself away here for a little while and work through my feelings on my own until I can manage to live alongside them again rather than feeling utterly swamped by them. There will always be times when it hits me hard and knocks my feet out from under me I think, as this isn't something you ever "get over"; I did love Dave so very much - I always will. They will become less frequent though, I think, and although no less painful, swifter to recover from. Having such strong feelings about Dave's death for the rest of my life does not mean that my love for you is reduced in any way, though; quite the opposite - I feel that my love for you is enhanced by my grief and love for Dave. I am now acutely aware of the preciousness and precariousness of life, and happiness, and how important it is to love as intensely and passionately as possible, and not waste time on half-measures or holding anything back out of fear or caution. I also feel that my life has been so enriched by loving Dave, and even by the devastation of losing him, that although sometimes I still feel so incapacitated and broken by it all I also feel incredibly lucky to have had the love of two such amazing men. I am so fortunate, and sometimes when things seem dark and hopeless I need to remind myself of this - how honoured I am to have known and loved Dave, and now to know and love you, and for my love to be reciprocated by you both
Right now we have a challenge on our hands - kick the insidious creeping opiate usage before our dabbling turns into something darker, get ourselves back to work and back to stability, and build ourselves up again after everything we have been through over the past 18 months. I know we can do it though, because we are strong, we want it badly enough, and we both want to make sure the other one is safe, happy and well. We can lean on each other; although I feel like sometimes I lean too heavily on you, I know you relish feeling needed and all you want is to look after me. I want to be able to look after myself and to have independence and self-reliance, as I fought so hard for that in the 12 months after Dave's death, and you know I find it hard accepting help at times.. but I also know that there is no shame in seeking support when I need it and I am learning to let you help me
I hope I support you too; I really try to. I hope I make you feel happy and secure and wanted, despite the difficulties we face. I hope you know how much I love you and how much I want stability for us. I'm tired of drama and upheaval; I want to settle down with you. I like hearing you talk about babies (although I'm not quite ready yet!) and I can't believe you've even picked out names (best hope we have a girl or we're screwed though, haha). I am so glad you don't believe in marriage either. I want to spend my evenings staying in nesting with you. I love it when we're curled up watching our nature documentaries, or getting as cosy as we can under the duvet and just lying there holding hands. I love it that we can relax and snuggle up while listening to hardcore drum and bass at full volume. I love it that we love our friends and make sure we find plenty of time for them, but also sometimes sneak home early so we can have dirty sex. I love how beautiful you make me feel, and how sexy you look while doing your weights. I love it that we both really just want to take care of one another and keep each other safe. I love how you tease me about my so-called "speech impediment" and "mumsy vocabulary". I love how you hold both my hands when I am anxious and don't make fun of me for still having a security blanket (well, not much anyway, hehe). I love how obsessed you are with me not cutting my hair ever again. I love how honest and emotional you are, and how your smile takes over your whole face. I love how calm and content I feel when I lie next to you. We fit together so well, you and I, and I know we can get through this difficult time - after all, stability isn't about things going smoothly all the time, it's about our ability to deal with turbulence and emerge the other side still smiling together
