Dear Diary
Genevieve remembers when her sister Nico first got together with Tomas, one of Genevieve’s best friends. It was a little strange at first, but it was also pretty great. Genevieve was gratified to see two of her favorite people so happy together, and she got to spend even more time with them now that they were a couple. Still, in addition to enjoying them as a couple, Genevieve maintained strong, independent relationships with them both. Nico and Tomas built a life together that Genevieve admired and hoped to find for herself one day, and she treasured her friendships with each of them.
One weekend, when Genevieve was house-sitting for Nico and Tomas, she noticed a notebook in an open drawer in Nico’s desk. She couldn’t resist pulling it out and opening to a random page, though she could tell it was a diary. She was shaken when a quick glance revealed writing by Nico about her strong attraction to one of her co-workers. Nico expressed regret and shame, but also acknowledged that she was genuinely drawn to this colleague, and she described her struggle to figure out what to do about it. Genevieve slammed the diary shut and returned it to the open drawer. She was aghast, but she also felt extremely guilty. She was overwhelmed by mixed emotions.
She wondered why she didn’t notice anything different in Nico’s behavior. She was also hurt that Nico didn’t think of her as a trustworthy confidante about something so serious—despite the ways their lives intertwined, Nico had always trusted Genevieve in the past. At the same time, she was angry on behalf of Tomas. Did he have any idea what was going on? Tomas would be devastated. How could Nico feel this way?
Finally, Genevieve continued to feel guilty. She should never have opened the diary. Nico deserved her privacy. Maybe this was a fleeting moment in time and things had changed, maybe Nico didn’t really feel that way… Genevieve was heartbroken and confused. She wondered to herself if there was anything she could do that would make her feel better about this situation. How should she face the pair when they returned?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What should Genevieve do? Would it matter if Genevieve had noticed the date of the entry was the day before? A month earlier? A year earlier?
Is reading someone’s diary without their knowledge morally wrong? Why or why not?
How, if at all, should this diary entry affect what Genevieve thinks about Nico or her character?
