Before I Wilt Away

Before I Wilt Away - 10 Years Later

Before I Wilt Away - 10 Years Later

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10 years later...

"Where could it be...?" I said to myself.

I was looking for that picture Mother gave me of Father when he died in the second World War. It was of him and Mother on their wedding day. She gave it to me so I would always remember him. But where could it be?

I looked in all the books in my bookshelf to see if I stuffed it in between the pages. No luck.

I searched in the boxes of items Mother had given me when I moved into my own house from college. No luck.

"If I were an old photo, where would I be...?" I was completely confused. Where could I have put it? "Maybe I should check the attic?"

I climbed up the screeching stairs to the attic. Maybe it was in one of the trunks.

When I reached the attic I saw that everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. The only window was dirty and needed to be cleaned. The light that came through exposed dust floating in the air.

I went over to an overturned bookcase and searched through the books there. When I blew the dust off, dust scattered everywhere, making me cough. I filtered through the pages with no luck.

I huffed and sat in one of the old wooden rocking chairs. I rocked back and forth and wondered where I could have placed it. I searched nearly everywhere.

I narrowed my eyes at a corner of a trunk peeking out from behind a pile of countless things. "Ah-ha!" I cried.

I got up and made my way over to the trunk. I pushed the things on top of the trunk off and cleared away some of the dust from on top on it.

It was my old packing trunk. The one I used when Father made us move from place to place.

I opened the lid and saw my old clothes and books. I grabbed the top book from the pile and lightly swept my hand over it so I could see the title. 'Jane Eyre', it read.

Why did it look so familiar?

I opened the novel and skimmed through the pages.

When I got to the middle... Rose petals silently fluttered down.

I leaned down and studied the dried petals.

"What beautiful petals..." I started.

Then it hit me like a kick in the stomach.

I gasped. "David!"

My head was swirling with memories and questions.

Is he still alive? What happened to him? Is he married? Does he have children of his own? Was he lost at war? Did he even go to war? Did he wait for me?

...Is he still waiting for me?

I had to hold onto my hat to keep it from flying off my head as I watched the waves lap against the beach. The wind from Seagull's Watchpoint was strong and still smelled the same. The trees were the same lush green as before and the sky was the same bright, energetic blue. It was as if it stayed the same while I grew up.

Twelve years ago I was standing right here.

And it still looked the same.

The door screeched in protest as I swung it open.

My old house never was lived in again after we left.

The wallpaper was peeling and the windows were broken. The ceiling beams were molding and starting to break.

I walked to the kitchen and ran my fingers along the wooden table from which my family sat around and ate dinner.

I turned to my room. It was still white with a small bed in the corner, still made from the last time I folded the sheets. Still waiting to be slept in again.

I looked out the window and remembered my old view.

And on the window sill was my rose.

My scarlet red rose.

It was dried out from the sun, but nonetheless, it looked the same.

I held it up and fondly remembered when David had given it to me.

"Here," he said, handing me a beautiful scarlet rose. "I found this behind our house. I want you to have it."

I gently smiled and took the rose. "Thank you, David. It's amazing."

I set the rose back down and made my way out of the house.

I had to see if he was there.

Even though David's house was next to mine, it was still a mile away.

I decided to walk instead of take my car.

I started walking and with each step anticipation rose. By the time David's house came into view I was nearly sprinting and I was sure my heart could be heard from a mile away; it was thumping so hard.

I knew where he'd be.

I turned around the corner of the yellow house and scanned the garden. My eyes fell upon a white shirt working in the rose bushes. His back was turned to me.

My heart was going a million miles a minute and I knew it wasn't from the run.

I silently walked up to him and stood there, wondering what to do.

He saw my shadow and turned around to face me. "May I help you..." He trailed off when he saw my face. "...Miss?" His eyes looked full of unknown recognition for a moment.

Then they were replaced by pure joy and happiness.

"Emily!" He exclaimed, pulling me into a tight embrace.

"David..." I said softly, hugging him back.

He picked me up and spun me around, just like he did that night on the beach.

I was filled with such love and happiness, I was afraid I might burst.

He waited for me!

I nearly cried with tears of joy.

He set me down and held me still in a warm hug. "You came back." He breathed into my hair.

"I promised, didn't I? I told you we'd always be together. I'd never break that promise." I replied. "Never."