The date was August 7 1983, It was Jakub's birthday. It was a sunny but cold day. As soon as he woke up he thought about his girlfriend. He was so excited to celebrate his birthday with her. He got out of bed thinking his day would be great. He walks out of his room and sees his parents discussing something, his mom looks worried and his dad looks mad.
He walks up to them "what's going on?"
They look at him and tell him to sit down.
"Son I know this must be hard to hear but we have to leave and go to America," his dad says.
Jakub looks at them with a blank stare. "B-but why I love it here and she needs me." Jakub is referring to his girlfriend Tereza, whom he recently found out is very sick.
His mom looks at him and says "We know but your dad needs this job Jakub, we need to think about us, this is an opportunity to give you the life that you deserve".
Jakub looks furious and screams at his parents
"She needs me. I can't just leave her after all we've been through. I have friends and I don't want to meet new people. I want the friends I have now!"
His parents look at each other and his dad says
"Son, we don't want to move either. You think we want this, we wish we could stay here but I need this job. You know how much we've been struggling lately. We leave in a week that's plenty of time for you to pack and say goodbye. Jakub with tears running down his eyes runs back to his room and slams his door.
It's been 6 days since that conversation. Jakub is now packed and still hasn't told his girlfriend. He can't find the right words. He finally works up the courage to tell her not knowing what to say, he goes to her hospital room and walks in. Her family is all around her bed and he is in tears. They walk him out of the room and explain that she is in the worst condition. Jakub tells her parents. "But I have to leave and my parents are leaving and taking me to America. I hate having to do thi-. He can't finish his sentences. He doesn't know where to run so he just runs. As he's running he's thinking about his girlfriend so he goes to where they went on their first date. The playground. He thinks back to when he was 10 he was playing on the slides and he saw the most beautiful girl and immediately he walked up and asked for her name. He just walks around the now trashed playground. He stays there all night thinking about her. He goes back home and sleeps. He wakes up the next morning and they leave for the airport.
10 Hours Later
While he was on the plane he had time to think and write in his diary.
*Hey I'll probably look back at this years later and still cry, I'm on the plane now. I'm going to America. I wonder how it will be? I wonder if friends will come easily? My English isn't perfect so I hope I don't get laughed at. I miss her. I wonder why now. I'm not worried. I know God has a plan for everything. Time is passing by so slowly. I've never been on a plane before the butterflies and excitedness you could call it when the plane takes off. Well I'm tired and I know this will be a long flight. So goodbye for now.*
New beginning
Jakub has now arrived to america. He grabs his things which aren't very much. Thank god he knows a little English from school or else they would have no idea what to do. His dad's new job had hooked them up with a hotel for a couple nights while they figured out a permanent spot.
"I wonder how the hotel will be. I've heard very good things about america." Jakub said.
"Don't get your hopes up, it's just a little place." His dad said
Jakub didn't care though he had never been to America so anything would be exciting. They got there and he loved it. He thought it was amazing. Keep in mind he was very poor back in czech.
Although he was happy he had just slept on the plane and it was late. He laid in bed and thought about his girlfriend over thinking getting nervous. Butterflies in his stomach wondering how she was. Tears started to run down his cheeks and it was late so he had no one to talk to so instead of telling someone he wrote down his feelings on paper.
The Letter
*It's currently 2:37am, august 15, As i'm writing this i think about you. Your beauty, your smile, your laugh, your personality, the sparkle in your eyes. Everything that made me fall for you. The way you would keep my head up when times were rough. I wish I could have brought you with, I just needed to let you know you shouldn't give up, you will pull through. One day I'll return and we will be able to live our happy normal lives. But until then i won't forget you i will remember you.*
That night Jakub could not fall asleep. He was too nervous the next day and asked his parents if he could send the letter. They agreed, For weeks now he was nervous waiting for an update. He had finally started school. His life was alright, Then 3 weeks later He felt chills for the first time in a while. SItting on his bed was an envelope from russia. Addressed to him. He knew it, he knew who it was from and he immediately ripped it open.
*Hey, the surgery went well. The doctor said I can go home, it will be weird, going home again after so long, the doctor said stuff could still happen, don't worry i will keep fighting so you can keep your promise and return.*
Jakub could not be happier; he had just learned his girlfriend was okay. So many emotions were running through his head he was happy. Very happy, but also sad that something could happen at any moment.
That night felt different, everything felt weird. He was still happy but something felt off. He went to bed knowing he had school the next day.
All of a sudden he woke up. He didn't know where. He was just there, he couldn't move, he couldn't talk. He felt paralyzed. He looked around and he recognized this place, the walls... So pretty flower wallpaper. He could hear a faint voice. He immediately recognized it.. It was her.. It was Tereza. Her voice was like magic as soon as he heard it he could walk around. He followed the voice.. He turned the corner and there she was. It was her with his parents. Again he couldn't move and he was shocked. Tears running down his cheeks he couldn't see the tears made it hard. He ran to her and hugged her.
"It's you, your back" Jakub said.
