![crumpled-148834_640.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWWbHW1q6X1gM8bLxDYjE1hoZ7wVdS6EY4wfaAh5xsB53/crumpled-148834_640.png) ^{[Source](https://pixabay.com/vectors/crumpled-ball-paper-waste-148834/)} This is the next instalment of *The Crumpled Letter* for March Madness with Freewrite House. You can read previous instalments by clicking the links below. [Part One](https://steemit.com/marchmadness/@juliamulcahy/march-madness-the-crumpled-letter) [Part Two](https://steemit.com/marchmadness/@juliamulcahy/march-madness-the-crumpled-letter-part-two) [Part Three](https://steemit.com/marchmadness/@juliamulcahy/march-madness-the-crumpled-letter-part-three) [Part Four](https://steemit.com/marchmadness/@juliamulcahy/march-madness-the-crumpled-letter-part-four) https://i.imgur.com/jBfujgw.png?1 Doris woke the next day to a gradual lightening of her room. She had left her curtains open the night before. Yet another change. She had liked waking up to natural light in her youth but had spent many years now in the darkness because Bill had liked it that way. The thought tickled her and she stretched out across her king size bed, luxuriating in the space. She remembered back to how she had felt yesterday waking, and the day before that, smiling brightly at how differently she felt now. She didn’t completely understand this new lightness but thought it had something to do with her decision to volunteer while in the Charles Dickens museum. She looked at the little alarm clock on her bedside drawers and saw that it was only six forty five. Having spent so many hours wallowing in her bed over the last few weeks, she knew that she wanted to rise early today and do something different. The fear she had been experiencing at the prospect of living her life alone, was now turning into a mild excitement. Her journal was filled with ideas of what life could be. She was plugging into a long forgotten curiosity for life, realising only now that she had squashed so many of her passions down inside of her, just to keep Bill happy. That made her laugh again. “Well, I obviously did a great job there.” She said aloud. “So Doris, what do you want to do with yourself today?” She had lunch with Deirdre arranged for one thirty at Daphne’s; she wanted to fill in the volunteer form and send it off so she’d be able to make the orientation evening, but what could she do this morning? Hmmm, she stretched out again catlike. Walk... I’ll go for a long walk over the Heath. Blow away the cobwebs and stretch out my body fully, she thought. I could make my way there now and have my first cup of coffee at Kenwood. Now that would be a lovely start to my day. Luxurious and indulgent, she laughed and then she shouted, “because I’m worth it!” And for the first time, in a long time, she actually believed it. ![Kenwood_House_-_geograph.org.uk_-_584809.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmT1iMm1wjUbGEv6NKtL9vP9cvcFfctahK2RUa3QRib4E4/Kenwood_House_-_geograph.org.uk_-_584809.jpg) ^{[Source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kenwood_House_-_geograph.org.uk_-_584809.jpg)} https://i.imgur.com/jBfujgw.png?1 https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmR8CE3cog614YioNSWXWxVYbe6xaHrPsXwQwBrmNZYcCn/MarchMadnessBanner.png If you want to read some other March Madness writers and support them too, check them out below. @kaelci @ireenchew @mariannewest @kaerpediem @linnyplant @balticbadger @wakeupkitty @aislingcronin @carolkean @jeanlucsr https://i.imgur.com/jBfujgw.png?1 New to Steem? Still trying to find your feet? There's a great community over on Discord that are waiting to help. All you need do is click the banner below, the one for Steem Terminal. Just hover your mouse and you'll see it change. Steem Terminal is just one of many great communities. It has been set up to help. You can read more about it [here](https://steemit.com/discord/@xcountytravelers/join-us-for-a-fascinating-journey-into-de-mystifying-the-steem-blockchain-and-discord) and [here.](https://steemit.com/steemterminal/@thekittygirl/steemterminal-the-concept) https://i.imgur.com/jBfujgw.png?1 https://media.giphy.com/media/i3oGCwt1qTdsIJCBb9/giphy.gif [![SteemTerminalBanner.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYppGeSD2VQh5Bdy53rxXu63iYfiLAynHNNb8ikG4cgS2/SteemTerminalBanner.jpg)](https://discord.gg/XZGPGpz)

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