Dear Lieu,

The formal letter is attached, but I wanted to write you personal.

I'm resigning from the force. Funny as it may seem to you, I'm staying up here in Canada with Fraser. I hate to leave you in the lurch, but I finally figured out that this is where I need to be. Fraser helped me with the formal letter. Big surprise there. Could you send me the forms I need to cash in my pension?

Thanks,

Ray Kowalski

Attached:

May 2, 1998

S. Raymond Kowalski
c/o Cpl. Benton Fraser
RCMP Post
Inuvik, NWT
Canada

Lt. Harding Welsh

Dear Sir:

Please accept this epistle as notification of my resignation
from the Chicago Police Department, effective immediately.

Sincerely, S. Raymond Kowalski
Detective First Class

***

Dear Mum and Dad,

I'm not sure how to write this so you'll understand, but here goes. I'm staying up here in Canada with Fraser. I love him. Don't know how to say it any better than that. Dad, please take the Goat. I know you'll take care of it. Not many roads up here to drive it on anyway, and those they do have are covered in ice and snow a good part of the year. Mum, before you start worrying about the cold, don't. The cabin that Fraser got for us to live in is super insulated. Yes, I'm eating good too. He makes sure of that. Have to eat to stay warm up here.

Ok, big favor I'm asking here, but could you pack up my apartment? Don't try to ship it all up here, please. Just my winter clothes, my stereo and my CDs. Throw the rest of it out, give it to Goodwill, whatever's easiest for you. As soon as we get the phone hooked up I'll call and give you the number.

Don't hate me. Please. For the first time since Stella left I'm happy. Fraser loves me and I love him. I think we can make it work. Be happy for me. Some people don't get second chances, and I've got one now.

Your son,

Ray

***

May 10, 1998

Dear Frannie,

You probably heard by now that I'm not coming back. I know you're probably feeling really down right now but don't. You weren't stupid or blind. Me and Fraser weren't carrying on behind your back all that time, honest. I didn't even know that I loved him until the thing with Muldoon was over and I was sitting there thinking about coming back to Chicago alone. I couldn't do it. Fraser and I went on this adventure and it's turned into a bigger one than we ever thought. Ha, ha. You know this is where he belongs and now I know where he is that's where I belong too.

The year I spent being your pretend brother made me wish I really did have a sister. You're a great person, Frannie. Really. Give my love to your ma and let Tony, Jr. have the turtle, if you think he'll take care of him. Fraser and Dief say hi.

Ray

***

May 22, 1998

Vecchio,

I snuck this into the envelope. I hope you've read Fraser's letter and picked yourself off the floor already. I know me and you had our problems, recent and a long time ago. That's not what this is about. Don't go all crazy on Fraser, capische? He still thinks the world of you and it'd be crappy to mess with that. You probably think I'm not good enough for him, the same way I feel about you and Stella. Vecchio, be good to her. Make her happy. If I ever hear that she's not, I'll come down there and kick you in the head. That's a promise.

By the way, a bowling alley, you put Stella in a bowling alley? No rope or duct tape involved? Ok, I'm shutting up now.

Kowalski

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