Letters to My Mother — Rebecca Heath

We were reaching the Student Union when Dr. Rosenau broke the silence. “You know, I never eat young ladies on Fridays. Only on Tuesdays.” I couldn't help laughing. “Do I look that apprehensive?” “Yes, rather.” He opened the door for me. “But I have just the cure for you. It's David Rosenau's patented shyness remedy, strawberry shortcake garnished with whipped cream, to be taken at least once weekly in charming company. Doctor's orders.” Kate is a college junior, a gifted student who skipped two grades in school, a naval officer's daughter who's lived in more places than she can remember. Shy and bookish, she's never had a boyfriend, let alone been kissed or gone on a date. Kate thinks falling in love is something that only happens to other girls. David is a college professor, a sailor, a brilliant scientist trapped in a failed marriage; he buries himself in teaching and research. David's convinced that love has passed him by and he'll go through life with an empty heart. When Kate gets a campus job as David's typist, they discover they're both mistaken. Letters To My Mother is the story of a May-December romance set in 1950s Seattle.