One

Four years
Later

 

 

One

I couldn’t help but smile at him.
Despite our ups and downs, here we were on our three year anniversary. He was just as nervous as I was, but we were happy.

‘I got some wine, I got red and white. We didn’t really talk about wines in our three 
years of being together, so I’m not sure what one you prefer’ his hands are shaking as he shows me the bottle.

I take them out of his hands and put them next to me. I then place my hands over his.

‘It’s perfect’ I bite my lip.

‘It’s not. I was hoping there was going to be stars tonight, but then the clouds are in the way. I hoped to put a picnic blanket down, but I couldn’t find the one I had, so I went to the shops and they had none left there’ I smile and kiss him lightly.

‘Harrison, it’s perfect’

The corner of his lips turn up and his eyes brighten. He stands up and walks away a bit. I watch him go, but then he turns. In his hand is a pot of Calla Lily’s.

‘I brought these so we could plant them. Three years of being together, a flower for each year’

I stand up and run to him. He places the plot to the ground and I chuck myself at him. I wrap my legs around his waist and kiss him with such passion, it made my head spin. It was true, I loved Harrison to pieces. But there was something in the way. It wasn’t the Calla Lily’s that I unfortunately pushed over. It was the boy I met four years ago.
He just wouldn’t leave my head as much as I wanted him too, he wouldn’t and to be perfectly honest, I didn’t want him to.
But in this moment, I knew I loved Harrison and I knew he loved me. And that perfect.
I pull myself away and he lets go of me, I look into his eyes.

‘Happy three year anniversary’ he says, a massive grin on his face.

‘Happy three year anniversary’ I repeat, smiling.

We go back to the blanket Harrison had to bring and we sit. I start eating and he pores me some wine.
We laugh, we talk about memories, we do everything we can.
After an hour, once the food has gone and the bottles are drained, I stand up.

‘I better go’ I say.

He nods and also stands. Harrison looks at me and smiles.

‘You are so beautiful, Ruth’ He murmurs.

I smile. ‘I’m really not’

He narrows closer to me and bends down, his mouth right by my ear.

‘You are. Beautiful in every single way. Inside and out’ he pulls away.

I smile. ‘Anyway, I better go.’

He nods and I turn and walk away, but before going, I look round at him.

‘Harrison’ I call.

‘yeah?’

‘I love you’ I reply.

He grins. ‘I love you too’

I walk away and slip into my car. I head home.

Once there I unlock the door and shut it behind me. I flip a switch on and the room lights up. I run up the stairs and into my room. I put the keys on the side before flopping onto the bed. I close my eyes and start to cry.
There was a reason for my tears, because it may have been the anniversary of my relationship, but it’s also three years since my mother’s death.
We hadn’t even been here a year when she had the crash. They had to turn the life machine off and let her go. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.
But I knew she wasn’t going to recover. I signed the piece of paper and just sat next to her. I held her hand and talked to her about Harrison, the guy I liked. I then told her about Tom. I hadn’t done that yet and I felt it was the right time.
I watched them turn it off and her slip away. It wasn’t like my father’s death. I didn’t have to sign that paper, I didn’t even watch him go, him and I had never really been close. But my mother and I, she was my best friend. 
I wipe my eyes and sit up. I stare at the picture of her and I on my desk. I miss her so much.
I stand up and head out, I go down to the kitchen. I pour myself some water and sit down at the table. Closing my eyes, I rest my elbows on the table and place my head in my hands. I sigh and wish I could stay like this forever. At this moment I didn’t care if my house was burning down, I wasn’t in the mood of getting up.
I let go of my face and take a sip of my water. I place it back down and start to rub my temples.
This day was far too long for my liking, how comes two events, one happy and one sad, had to be on the same day?
I look at the grandfather clock in the far corner. It read 12:01. It was midnight.
This day four years ago, I left L.A and came back here.

‘Happy fourth birthday life’ I laugh and sip more water.

The door goes and I look down the hall. I decide to leave it, I’m not in the mood to talk. I sip more water when they knock again. I groan and get up. The table shifts a bit and my water falls over.

‘Crap’

I hear a laugh. I frown and forget about the spilt drink and go to the door. I open it.
There stands someone with dark blue eyes and brown hair.
My eyes widen.
There stands Tom.