The Beautiful Hummingbird - Part I

The Special Places Edit

Last night I was temporarily blinded and consumed in an emotional bubble of contentment and happiness. In the cold light of a new day it all feels a bit unreal.

I've spent the whole day at College distracted going over everything that happened during the whirlwind of the last six days. I know I shouldn't do it because it emotionally invests me more than I should allow it to.

I have one of my pep talks with myself. Harry is travelling back to London today. You can't call him as you don't have his number. You said it yourself to take it slowly.

My ability to over consider everything is draining and the end of lectures can't come soon enough.

My house feels unwelcoming and empty when I walk through the door. I am struggling to understand what I am expecting to happen. My life is no different to how it was six days ago. Who am I kidding, of course it is.

I feel like a completely different person and I suppose if I'm honest with myself if I never see or hear from Harry again, perhaps he has done me a favour bringing me out of myself. Perhaps now I can go out with College friends when they ask, I can start living a little and having some fun.

I sit on the sofa hugging Darcy bear for comfort that actually isn't that comforting because Darcy smells of Harry! Before I know it I nod off.

I am woken around 8pm to a knock at the door. I open it and I am surprised to see my neighbour Albert stood there.

"Glad I've caught you Tasha, hope I'm not disturbing you but that nice young man stopped by earlier, Harold isn't it?"

"Harry, Albert, his name is Harry," my heart is already racing at the thought that he was here again.

"Oh yes dear that's right Harry. He was looking for you, I spotted him as I returned from the post office." I hang on Albert's every word. "He looked disappointed to have missed you but I told him that you were probably at College, anyway he asked me to give you this."

In Albert's hands is a large flat square gift, wrapped in black shiny wrapping paper secured with pink and white ribbons tied in a bow. Handing me the package, I thank him and he bids me goodnight.

Back inside I place the gift on the coffee table and notice there is a card attached handwritten with the words 'For Natasha'.

Carefully unwrapping the gift and turning it over I am presented with a black frame with four black and white photographs set in white mounts. I traced my fingers over the glass at each of the photographs in turn:-

The morning sunrise through the trees in the farmers field;

Close up of the mug with a heart on I used at Anne's house;

A scrabble board with the tiles spelling our names and 'Special Places';

Close up of 'Natasha' horse from the merry-go-round at the fairground.

An overwhelming feeling washes over me, it is the most thoughtful gift. 'Special Places', I cannot believe he has done this for me. As I stare at it in awe I notice something else I have initially missed. Within each photograph there are hints of colour showing through.

To anyone else looking at the photos they would have just seemed like a random set of prints but remembering back to our conversations over the last few days, they confirm Harry's feelings and all the 'what ifs' are swept away on my wave of uncertainty. His statement in front of me is enough to convince me that the bubble has far from burst.