The Correspondent

Sybil informs Basam that Hattie has responded and enthusiastically details all that she has learned about her so far.

Harry writes to Sybil because he saw a movie trailer that reminded him of her. He is excited for her and Hattie’s correspondence and asks if she ever wrote to Dezi Martenelli, Enzo Martinelli’s son. He notes that his father framed George Lucas’s letter to Harry for him, and it sits on his desk.

Though it falls outside of their usual correspondence schedule, Sybil writes to Harry about picking him up on August 10th to confront Melissa Genet together. In her postscript, she admits her vision is declining and asks if her penmanship is worsening.

Rosalie responds to Sybil’s scathing letter and stands her ground, as she’s already apologized and would do the same again for Fiona. She reminds Sybil that after Daan’s funeral, Fiona came to her unprompted, grieving like Sybil had grieved when Gilbert died. It was evident from their conversation that Sybil never told Fiona about how she felt when Gilbert died or her divorce from Daan. She believes Fiona needs Sybil and tells her to fix their broken relationship. She tells her she loves Sybil still, despite knowing there will likely be no communication afterwards, and regrets telling her about Fiona’s miscarriages. She ends by telling her that her son’s surgery had gone poorly, though after six weeks, there is progress.

Sybil writes to Dezi, Enzo’s son, and invites him to tell her what he has to say so that he can leave her alone after.

Sybil writes to Felix about her escapade with Harry to the College of English to confront Melissa Genet. He accompanied her, but she entered the empty classroom alone. She admired Melissa from afar and was surprised to find her being condescended to by an older man. When he left, she announced herself discreetly. Melissa recognized her immediately, and they laughed at their situation. Sybil invited her for a drink, and over wine, she learned how poorly Melissa was being treated for being a young, Black, female scholar. Melissa permitted Sybil to audit a class and sheepishly admitted that she’d denied her at first because Sybil had expressed a dislike of poetry, and Melissa is a poet. Sybil also updates him on her correspondence with Hattie and how Caroline’s principal asked her to speak at a school event. She mentions that she enjoyed her time in Houston with Mick and is now considering whether she should allow him to stay with her in turn.

Dezi writes back to Sybil, surprised that she figured out his identity. He found letters she wrote to his father after Guy Donnelly ruled he be sent to prison. He recalls the day he met her, as his mother dragged him and his brother to beg her for mercy. At the time, Dezi was proud of his father, even though he sometimes did illegal deliveries. They were poor, and his father dreamt of sending him and his brother to the best schools. He recalls that Sybil’s eyes were cold and dead then, and he couldn’t understand how she could be a mother. He admits to hating her his whole life. But the hate became enormous, and when he saw her, old and small, he understood he was lost and destroyed her flowers, which did not help him.

Hattie thanks Sybil for sending the DNA report, and after verifying the findings, she has determined there is no reason to doubt them. She explains that while she and her brother Declan knew their mother was pregnant before Hattie was born, she’d claimed the child was stillborn. Hattie’s father, Charles Thorne, was half Crow, which, given the ancestry identified in Sybil’s DNA, further supports their kinship. She details that her father abandoned her and her mother when she was born after a hard life of drinking and gambling. Her mother, Louisa, returned to Scotland and married a Welshman, whereby she gave birth to Declan, John, and Douglas. She died in 1998 from lung cancer, and Hattie later found that her father died in Montana in a stampede. She gifts Sybil a picture of the four siblings and asks about Sybil’s life.

Felix writes to Sybil because his partner, Stewart, cheated on him. He’s decided to return to the United States, though he’s still deliberating where to go. He is devastated and wonders what the use of such a long relationship was only to lose it and its meaning.

Sybil writes to Harry to ask how he’s getting on at MIT. She also asks for his help in finding information on Charles Thorne, her father. She gives him the details Hattie provided and tells him she contacted Dezi in September.

Harry sends three printed articles about Charles Thorne and asks if he can come stay with her in August after his internship. In his postscript, he admits that he is happy, but he believes his father is unhappy with his mother back at the hospital. The first article talks about the death of Charles B. Thorne in the stampede and his surviving wife, brother Eugene, and two children, Davie and Joe. The second article explains that a herd of cattle were spooked by a rattlesnake, which left three dead as they took off toward Star Canyon. The third article is a manifest of passengers aboard the SS Adriatic, from New York to Liverpool, which includes a Louisa Thorne with a child, Henrietta. Charles B. Thorne is noted as deceased.

Sybil writes to Colt about being right on the stalker’s identity. She feels that she’s been waiting for him for years, as she knew that she and Guy were wrong about Enzo’s case right away. She wonders what her life has amounted to and what meaning her letters will have, given that she will go blind.

Sybil sends a thank-you note to Theodore for the Yule cake he gave her. She confesses that she will not be able to read or write for much longer, as her eyes take a long time to adjust in the morning, and sometimes, they don’t adjust at all. She tells him in no uncertain terms that at 78 years old, she is allowed to live her life as she wills and have her friends visit—which is what Mick is. She asks that he get over his jealousy, and if he does, they can discuss things over cards and scotch on her next visit.

Sybil writes back to Dezi and confirms that she does remember him and his brother. As she is going blind, she has had time to consider her life, and one of her prime regrets was what happened with his family. She explains how she lost Gilbert a month prior to his father’s case, and she had returned prematurely. She was jealous of his mother, who still had both her sons, and her misery clouded her judgment. After the case’s ruling, however, she was haunted by her behavior, and she wrote to his father, who wrote her back with stories of his life and how he intended to move back to Italy when he left prison. She asks Dezi for his father’s address so she can write to him and apologize.

Sybil writes to Hattie. Her mind has a hard time consolidating her new family members with her life. To her, her adoptive parents are her true parents, and her sibling is only Felix. She explains how her mother died of cervical cancer and her father, a banker, remarried quickly thereafter. She gives her an overview of her children and past marriage and details her career in law. She tells her that Mick proposed to her the week before, which has left her confused since she still has a relationship with Theodore. She gives Hattie the articles about Charlie Thorne and asks about Hattie’s life.

Didion writes to Sybil to thank her for an Eavan Boland poetry book and expresses her condolences for her loss of sight. She inquires about the situation with Mick.

Dezi writes back and expresses his sympathy for Gilbert’s death, as his own eldest daughter died the day after she was born. He tells her how his son overdosed on heroin three years ago, and though he survived, he is much changed. His father died when he was 15. After his time in prison, he returned to Italy and began drinking. He arrived on his mother’s porch in Italy, drunk and ragged, and his mother sent him away. He went to a bar, was hit by a car, and died five days later. He believes that the reason why he is so angry is because despite being a good man, his father met a terrible outcome. Dezi now owns an Italian sandwich and meats shop called Nelli’s.

Basam writes to Sybil and details the hardships in his family over the past few months. Basam is worried, as he left Syria to give his children a better life but feels he is doing something wrong. The good news is that he interviewed with Dale, Bruce’s friend, for the second time, and prospects for a new job are looking promising. He thanks Sybil for all her help.

Sybil writes to Felix and asks whether he has heard from Stewart and whether it wouldn’t be worth hearing him out. Though there is no further news from Hattie, she has been reading everything on Scotland and the Crow tribe. She tells Felix how Mick flew across the country to propose to her. She is considering it, as he makes her feel as she did when she was working in law. She invites Felix’s thoughts and hopes he’ll visit soon.

Melissa writes to Sybil to provide her with the fall term’s course list. She asks if Sybil would be willing to audit her poetry class and tells her about her summer vacation in Europe after her latest IVF treatment failed. She promises to follow Sybil’s advice to meet the year boldly and unapologetically.

Sybil writes to her ophthalmologist that her vision is rapidly worsening, and he offers to schedule an appointment by phone with his assistant. Sybil accepts.

Theodore drives Sybil to her appointment and expresses his worry for her. He tells her he is going to Germany with his daughter, as it is important to her to see where he and his deceased wife came from. He asks Sybil to water his roses for him while he is away. He tells her he is happy for her regarding Mick’s proposal.

Sybil writes to Fiona after a disastrous phone call. She is hurt that Fiona believes Sybil taught her not to need her. She explains how she found out she was being adopted and how the notion troubled her. She became fixated on it, since she is particular about rules and structure, and being adopted made her feel alienated from the social system. Her parents had given her the letter from her biological mother, and she admits now that she’d wanted her birth mother to claim her. She began writing letters because of her and found relief in it. She believes, however, that writing letters has kept her at a distance from the people she loves most. Daan was the exception to this. When Fiona was born, Sybil was terrified of being a bad mother. Though she worked to do everything right, she failed. When Gilbert died, she pushed everyone away for fear of losing someone else. She admits to having always felt like an imposter in life. She apologizes to Fiona for being distant and not telling her about her oncoming blindness. She tells her about Dezi and finding out how Enzo died and the grief it gave her. She asks about her thoughts about Mick’s proposal. In her postscript, she promises to tell Felix and Bruce about her eyesight.

Sybil writes to Rosalie. She asks whether she placed Lars in a home while they weren’t speaking and supports her decision if she has. She details the fight she had with Fiona and how it went wrong. Like Rosalie suggested, she wrote to her with honesty and now worries over its reception. She then apologizes profusely for being unjustly angry and not being there for her in her difficult time. She then gives her a summary of the events that happened since they last spoke. In her postscript, she tells her she is trying to read Pride and Prejudice one more time despite how hard it’s become to read.

Stewart writes to Sybil to ask for her help so that he can speak with Felix. He explains how he met a Frenchman at a time he and Felix were having troubles. Though he had gone for coffee and walks with the man, Stewart had remained faithful. Felix wouldn’t believe Stewart when he tried to explain. He admits he flirted with fire, but he asks Sybil for her help to reach Felix all the same.

Sybil sends Dezi one of his father’s letters to her. She apologizes to him and asks for his mother’s address in Italy, as she would like to write to her, too.

Hattie writes to Sybil, apologizing for the delay in her response. She explains her life and how she never married or had children but dedicated herself to her work and brothers. She, too, has deteriorating eyesight, which she says is hereditary. She asks if she and Sybil can speak over the phone and expresses her regret that their mother gave her up for adoption, though she doesn’t know why. She invites Sybil to visit in the summer and signs off as her sister.

Sybil writes to Dezi’s mother and apologizes for not seeking leniency during Enzo’s case and for the pain she’s caused with her bitterness.

Sybil writes to author Larry McMurtry and tells him of her appreciation for his novel, Lonesome Dove. She especially connected—though grudgingly—with the idea that not all protagonists have a happy ending. She was surprised by the courage it took him to leave his characters in unbelievable dismay and how accurate to life this is. She was moved and appreciated the life the characters had outside of their disappointment.

Larry McMurtry writes back and thanks her for her note.

Sybil writes to Theodore and tells him she broke things off with Mick because he was a bit too much for her. She informs him that she has booked a flight to London for the end of April to see Fiona for a week and will then travel to see Hattie. She asks if he would like to take a trip with her to Paris if she finds she enjoys traveling.

Theodore accepts.

Sybil writes to Rosalie on the day she is leaving for London. She notes her nervousness and excitement, and in her postscript, tells her to expect all their shared letters. She tells her she hopes she can collate them and perhaps sell them as a manuscript one day.

Sybil writes to Theodore and describes her amazement at Scotland and how she feels an instant connection with Hattie and her half-brothers. She is astounded by her own deliberate avoidance of travel now that she sees how enjoyable it is. She takes the opportunity to tell Theodore the true story of Gilbert’s accident, whom she called Colt for their shared love of the racehorse, Secretariat. She explains that they went to Canada for a vacation by a lake, and she’d brought work with her—something she hadn’t been meant to do by agreement with Daan. As she was working on the dock, Gilbert constantly asked her to swim with him. When she wouldn’t, he asked her to watch him jump. She had expected him to jump from the dock where the underwater stones had been cleared and, annoyed, told him to jump without looking. But he jumped from a boulder and hit a shelf in the water and broke his neck. She never told Daan, despite wanting to. Gilbert’s death spelled the end of many things: their marriage, travel, and more. She tells Theodore that despite how hideous the story is, she is trying to be brave, and he feels like coming in from the cold and lonely road. She asks him to move in with her. In her sign-off, she claims she is his and has been for quite some time.

James writes to Sybil and updates her on wanting to sell his house now that Harry does not want to come back to Washington after his internship. His wife will most likely remain in California, and his daughters are living their own lives. He asks that she come visit and inquires what happened with Mick.

Sybil writes to Colt for the final time. She explains that she began writing in an effort to live and keep him by her side, and it’s worked. She feels she’s stretched his personality too much. She allows herself to remember him now, recalling how he’d once seen an unhoused woman in a park and felt guilty for saving his money for a toy he wanted. His guilt had made him ill, and he wouldn’t be soothed until he gave the money to the woman the next day. When Sybil brought him to the park, however, the woman was gone, and Colt grieved. Sybil expresses how boundlessly apologetic and distraught she is for what happened to Colt and how much she has missed him all these years. But she cherishes every moment they had.

Felix asks Sybil to thank Theodore for transcribing her letters to him so they can keep corresponding. He tells her of celebrating Independence Day in France with Stewart, adopting a dog called Yvette, and having his essay published in an upcoming Vogue issue. He tells her he’s looking forward to her visit in France this October and teases her by asking if she and Theodore share a room now.

Sybil writes a postcard to Rosalie from Paris. She tells her of her visit and how she marvels at the various sites. She explains that she didn’t like audiobooks but sometimes has Theodore read to her. In an addendum to the postcard, Theodore writes that Sybil’s loss of vision is making her afraid, but he is taking care of her, and while she cannot see the details in the art they see, she still sees the Eiffel Tower’s lights.

Harry sends the first draft of his novel, Dynasty of Sight. He acknowledges that he most likely wouldn’t have finished the book had he not stayed with Sybil. He hopes that Theodore can read it to her and signs off by saying he loves her.

Sybil writes to Rosalie to tell her of the views of the loch in Scotland and how her family members are coming around to visit. She expresses her grief at learning of Lars’s decline. She agrees with Rosalie that while they feel 30 in their hearts, their reality has turned out more painful than they thought. She tells her she will return in late April and will visit her with Theodore. She thanks her for being the last one who writes.

Theodore writes to Hattie to tell her Sybil has passed away on what would have been Gilbert’s 57th birthday. He found her slumped at her writing desk with a cup of tea. He invites Hattie to the funeral service and expresses his happiness at having spent so much time in Scotland with her. He maintains that Sybil thought of her life as very full. He gifts Hattie a picture Fiona took of all of them from her last visit.

Fiona contacts Dezi to let him know Sybil has left him the money she inherited from Daan. She notes that Sybil specifically requested Dezi use the money to help his son. Fiona thanks Dezi for his kindness toward Sybil, as it relieved a heavy burden in her last years.

Theodore writes to Fiona and shares an unfinished letter Sybil tried to write to Daan before he died. He offers to answer her questions after she reads the unfinished letter.

Sybil attempts to respond to Daan’s letter. She often strikes through her words but states that she is sorry he is dying. She tries to confess what really happened with Gilbert, as she knows it is his right to know, but she ambles to tangents and fails to find the words. She tries to address the debt she believes she owes him for taking care of Fiona and Bruce, and she wonders if she could have said the truth back then if it would have changed their marriage. In the end, she disparages her inability to communicate and how her letters amount to nothing. She admits to the DNA match testing, to losing her eyesight, and to how very sorry she is. She ends the letter by saying Daan is gone and that she will see him soon.