Midnight approached as the movie came to an end. I arose from the couch and moved towards the door expecting a cheerful hug goodnight and then I’d be on my way. But that’s not what was to be. As I reached for the door, she called my attention back. The promise. I had forgotten the promise. Or at least I had hoped she had forgotten the promise, but girls never do, do they? Neither had she. So with a hardly convincing, “Of course I didn’t forget,” a disarming smile, and a blanket in my arms, we left the apartment and greeted the starry night sky.
It was February; snow was still on the ground. The moment we left the warm, cozy front room, our soft breath turned to mist and willowed silently into the night. We walked soundlessly to the old, worn couch. Ruby was the affectionate title it was given. The once regal sofa had grown soft and tattered with years of use and it welcomed us brightly as we eased onto it. Conversation began and flowed easily as we bundled up in the blanket for warmth. The words that were spoken are unimportant, only that they were said. And as we spoke, her and I, snow began to fall slowly and lightly as the hours drew on towards morning. Luckily, Ruby was safely tucked under the cover of a slight overhang and thus protected from the falling snow. What was the promise you might ask? I had promised to share with her that night three things personal to me that I could not see my future without; three of my most treasured wishes. The nervous tension in my heart was released with pleasure as some of my most cherished hopes and dreams were given over and entrusted to another. They flowed so easily and then, willingly. It was as if I was talking to someone I had known my entire life, not someone I had met only a few months ago.
We talked for hours, her and I, and they passed so comfortably with Ruby to keep us company. The sharing of our hearts that night tipped the scales in her favor, and I will never forget that wonderful night under the stars and in the falling snow. And what of my dreams? Well as fate would have it, she herself became the one they were of. To this day I have seen two of my three dreams come to life through her, and who knows when the third one will be...
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2 comments:
I can totally identify with the blessing of having a close friend to confide in. I like the image of soft breath that "willowed" into the night. Why is Ruby the couch outside in the falling snow? Wouldn't Ruby get wet and mouldy? Tell us the the present day significance of this past experience. Did your three dreams come true yet?
I like that you captured the idea that it didn't matter what you said, just that you said it. That's so true, isn't it? Sometimes it's the experience of talking and listening and sharing that matters, not the actual words. I like your descriptions of the conversation, the words flowing easily, releasing tension. I like your revised ending, discussing the dreams. It adds more substance to your narrative, especially since they came true "through her."
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