The Girl Next Door

Part 6

London, England. Late August 1961.

            Clara sat on her bed with her face buried in her hands. She was supposed to be packing, but she'd been putting it off as long as possible. They were supposed to leave London in a few hours. Clara did not want to go. This city, this street, this house had become her home. Canterbury felt a lifetime away.

            She sighed and wiped the tears off her face. Grabbing a sketchbook, Clara climbed out her window and onto the rooftop. She sat leaning against her house, looking through her drawings of her life here. She found one toward the back of her and John sitting on their rooftops, and another of their tree house. At the very back of the book, Clara had tucked the drawing of her that John had done.

            "Clara?" 

            She looked up. John was sitting on his rooftop. Clara forced a smile and waved at him. "Hi, John."

            "Today's the day, huh?"

            Clara nodded sadly. "We're leaving in a few hours."

            "I'm going to miss you, Clara," John said.

            Clara hopped across the gap between their rooftops and hugged him. "John, I don't want to go. I wish I could stay here, with you. I have nothing to return to back in Canterbury."

            "I wish you could stay," John whispered.

             "Can we go down to the tree house?" Clara asked. "Just one more time. I have something to give you."

            "Sure," John said, letting go of her. 

            They climbed back through their windows and met on the street. They held hands as they made their way down the street. When they passed Mrs. Beazley's house, Clara and John were surprised to see she was outside. 

            "You there, Oswald girl," she called, looking up as they passed.

            Clara stopped. "Hello, Mrs. Beazley."

            "I got somethin' for ya," the old woman said, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a crumpled red leaf. "I believe you deserve this, after the time you had chasing after it." She handed the leaf to Clara.

            Clara took it, smiling. "Thank you, Mrs. Beazley. You've been a wonderful neighbor."

            "You take good care of yourself, now," Mrs. Beazley said. "Goodbye." With that, she hobbled into the house.

            Clara and John continued their walk down the road and she told him about the leaf. It seemed like just yesterday, yet somehow Clara felt older now. Living in London had done well for her.

            "The old place looks sad," John said once they reached the lot.

            "Well, it's losing an occupant," Clara replied. "And a friend."

            They climbed into the tree house and sat up on their favorite branch. Clara leaned her head on John's shoulder. "Will you come back here once I leave?"

            John shrugged. "Probably. I'll just sit up here and think about you and I, and our fun times here. We did some great stuff this summer, didn't we?"

            Clara smiled. "It was the best time of my life. I wish I could stay in these past few months forever."

            They were silent for a little while, then Clara remembered something. "John, I have a few things for you." She pulled a folded paper out of her pocket and handed it to him.