Not Without You

forty-eight

To: Leo Sangster (leo.sangster@ outlook.com)

From: Aria Madden (amadden@ icloud.com)

Subject: Pairs Nicely with Spreadsheets

Date: September 17th, 2025. 7:30 PM

Attachments:  <summerbreak.jpeg>, <thephotothatpairsnicelywithspreadsheets.jpeg>

Leo,

It's day sixteen without you. I can't believe it's already been sixteen days. It feels like just yesterday, we were hopping around Whistler and completing the bucket list. How's the campus life treating you so far? I heard through the grapevine, AKA my mom, that you've settled in well now and already made quite the impression on the golf team. I hope your statistics classes are a lot more fun than they sounded when you explained them to be at the beginning of the semester. I don't understand why you would pick a program that requires statistics, but whatever floats your boat. I want to know all the details about how classes are going! 

As for me, tomorrow is my big day in Toronto. Scarlett and I are in a hotel right now unpacking our shit. Well...Scarlett's unpacking. I'm writing this email to you, obviously. I'm a little nervous for my interview, to be honest. I'm being interviewed by Ron McLean! Can you believe that? Agh! I might just pass out, which is saying a lot because I usually don't fangirl over other people. 

Anyways, Scarlett is beginning to yap at me for not unpacking. Only twenty-one more days until I get to see you again -- you and your mom are coming to Calgary for Thanksgiving, right? I want some of the apple pie your mom was talking about. Think she would mind making one?

Love always,

Aria, xo

P.S.

There is a photo attached that will pair nicely with your spreadsheets should the math ever frustrate you and you need to relax ;) The other one is a picture of us at the cliffs this past summer, y'know, before you got arrested by your mom's ex. 

To: Aria Madden (amadden@ icloud.com)

From: Leo Sangster (leo.sangster@ outlook.com)

Subject: Um...

Date: September 17th, 2025. 9:47 PM

Attachment: <dadandkitgolfteam.jpeg>

Aria, 

Um...For future reference, can you please give me a less subtle hint about what type of photos you're sending me and a more prominent one instead? I was in a coffee shop when I opened it and, uh, yeah...Luckily, no one saw my screen, as I was sitting the far corner. That being said, those photos definitely go with spreadsheets. So, thanks for that! I owe you one. 

What are classes like, you ask? They're something, that's for sure. I find a lot of them to be very interesting. So far, urban geography is my favourite course. My least favourite, though, is geographic data analysis. It's difficult to jump back and forth between digital and paper when trying to collect the data, and some of the programs are difficult to manoeuvre, but I'm learning. As for golf, I think the team finds me promising. At least, I hope they do. It's difficult to tell. That being said, I'm already counting down the days until the new season starts up, as we're ending the current outdoor training in two weeks. 

Text me the details about when your interview airs. I want to be able to watch it. Hopefully, you won't say anything bad about me ;) That's so cool that you're being interviewed by Ron McLean! (Which has to count for something if even I know who he is! haha). You're going to do just fine with the interview, Aria. You're a natural and you've also got your dad and Isabella to rely on if you need help. I wish I could be there to support you, but just remember I'm there in spirit; I'm always thinking about you.

I've been counting down the days until Thanksgiving, too. With every day that passes, I become more and more anxious about seeing you again. I miss you. A lot. And just because of that, I think I can get my mom to bake an apple pie for Thanksgiving. That's my creative way of saying, "Of course we're coming to Calgary for Thanksgiving."

Love you,

Leo

P.S. Check out the photo of Uncle Kit and my dad when they were on the golf team! It's pretty amazing!