Clear as day.

Pink littered the kindergarten room.

Hearts hung from the ceiling.

It was valentine’s day.

 

And even the little kids knew that this made up holiday meant something.

The teacher had all the little kids make a card for their valentine.

There was a lot of “I luv you”.

Words that would mean so much more when they could actually spell them correctly.

 

But now came the fun part as they were all going around the room giving them out.

As the teacher walked around the room, she stopped by him.

He wasn’t drawing anything.

He didn’t have a piece of paper out.

He quietly sat at his desk, waiting.

The teacher inquired,

“”Where’s your card?””

 

He got up and walked over to a little girl’s desk.

The little girl looked up with a smile waiting for a card or some chocolate or a hug.

He stood there for a little bit.

Everyone started to notice.

 

Finally, perhaps feeling all the little eyes on him,

He stuttered,

‘I…I can’t…draw. or write real good.

So I got you this.’

He handed her a postcard from Arizona of the Grand Canyon.

 

‘My mommy and daddy got this for me when they went there.

and I want you to have it.

I know this isn’t as cool as your other stuff and i know it doesn’t say it on there but…’

He paused,

And pointing to the great schism said,

‘I…I love you this big.’

Goodbye.

He awoke with the same thought

Of  how to tell her.

He sat up.

Rubbed his eyes.

And picked up the phone.

Voicemail.

He left a platonic message.

She would call back.

He hoped.

 

He packed for the airport.

Moving your entire life in one flight seemed dramatic

But how else can you move across the country?

No call.

He checked again to ensure his hearing hadn’t suspiciously vanished.

Nothing.

Fine.

At least that was less person to care about.

 

Sitting in the airport with his life in luggage,

He remembered the first time he saw her.

And how quickly that thought left his mind

As his phone went off.

Not her. Friends.

We’ll miss you. We love you.

Have a nice trip.

Pleasantries.

But he loved them.

 

A short nap was interrupted.

Family this time.

Pleasantries.

But he loved them.

 

[Sorry but all flights to california will be delayed an hour]

 

Well that was fortunate.

We didn’t want to miss out on the evening cuisine at the airport sushi bar.

Nothing Robert Frost and weathervanes could not fix.

 

However, less than a quarter through said hour and our hero’s head lay against the back of his chair

in a deep sleep.

Too deep to hear the baby crying and the mother trying desperately to quiet her.

Too deep to hear the elderly couple whisper “I love you” to each other just like the first time, so long ago.

Too deep to feel his phone vibrate.

Her.

 

He awoke as the hour was up to the someone gently shaking him.

“Young man i think they’re going to leave without you.”

He thanked the kind woman and sat up.

He thought about her.

And how he should have done more.

Maybe he should have dropped by.

But it was for the best.

So he stood up.

And as he gathered himself, he saw her.

 

At first, shock.

Then…happiness.

He hugged her.

Something fell in her pocket.

Reality.

He backed away.

 

“So you were just going to leave? With a voicemail?”

‘Well, when you didn’t call me back i figured…’

“I called you like ten minutes ago.”

He checked his phone.

And she was right.

‘Sorry.’

 

“So i guess this is it then?

You promise you’ll come back and visit?”

‘I promise.’

They embraced again.

 

[This is the final boarding call for the flight to california]

 

He let go.

‘Well, i guess I’ll see you soon.

I’ll call when I land. I’ll miss you.’

“I’ll miss you too.”

 

And that was the end of it.

He walked as briskly as one with carry-on luggage can.

She watched and waited for him to leave her view.

And a tear came down.

She took her sleeve to her cheek and sat down to watch the plane leave.

 

She reached in her pockets for a tissue

and fumbled with a foreign item.

Retrieving it, she read the frail piece of paper.

She couldn’t help crying at the message in ink.

Of love lost. Requited. But lost. Until time saw fit for it to return.

In a familiar handwriting, it read

‘I was always yours.’