Forgotten

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

   Brandon got home late that night. He was content with a home cooked meal and a great night catching up with Ron, Stacy, and his grandparents. It brought back so many memories of when they would all get together for dinners on Sunday evenings and holidays.

   Ron was always telling him stories of being a rookie when he first got accepted as a detective in the police department. He had climbed the career ladder and has finally made it to Chief of police. The exciting stories he told over dinner always caught Brandon’s attention. There were some sad accounts, but there was always justice for whomever had done the horrible deed. Brandon liked the idea of putting people at rest and giving victims closure. He wanted to become a detective for the longest time because of Ron. As he grew older, he decided that his talent would probably be more useful in going into computer forensics. He was good with technology and could still solve problems.

   Ron was still just as honored to hear that he had inspired Brandon to go into law enforcement. His grandparents on the other hand, were more worried than anything. He assured them as he prepared to go off to college that he would be just fine, that God would watch over him. He sought comfort in the knowledge that God wouldn’t let something happen to him without a reason.

   Brandon slipped on some black and grey, plaid pajama pants and threw his shirt in the direction of the hamper. He missed but he was too focused on searching for Taylor’s letter that he left it wadded on the floor next to the hamper. He sifted through the top drawer of his dresser and found the yellowed envelope from seven years ago. He looked at it for a long while before he picked it up. Carefully he slipped a finger under the flap and opened it to reveal a folded lined piece of paper. He gently pulled the paper out and unfolded it. The creases were flimsy and close to ripping in half. The letter had been opened and closed and opened and closed, again and again in the past seven years as he continued to search for its lost story.

   He inspected the writing without reading it. Imagined the woman writing it the words, a delicate hand moving with each figure. He followed his eyes up her arm to try to reach her face, but it is covered but her hair. Her hair without a distinct color. He can’t see her. He doesn’t know her.

   I think I love you. He thought to the girl in his forgotten memory. He finally read the letter aloud to himself.

   “Dear Brandon, as much as it pains me to say, I have to go. I can’t stay and I don’t want to hold you back. I can’t do that to you. I love you too much and God has huge plans for you and they don’t include me. God Bless. Good bye Brandon. I love you. Taylor.”

   He leaned up against a wall and slid down it as he read the letter. “Who are you Taylor? What happened between us? Did I do something that made you give me this?” He huffed out a sigh and put his head back on the wall. He lightly banged his head back three times before slowly putting the yellowed letter back in the envelope.

   “I have really got to stop opening that.” He got up and smiled. “Whoever she is, I’m lucky enough not to remember how amazing she was. If she was, who knows?” He scoffed, “Not me apparently.” He stuffed the envelope in the back of his drawer and shut it saying, “Now you can stay there until you decide to give me a clue as to who you are, got it?” He laughed at himself and ungracefully flopped on his bed for the night.

   A harsh knocking came into the darkness of the insides of his eyelids. His eye brows furrowed and one eye peeked open. He was in the same position he was in when he fell on the bed only two hours ago. He slowly turned his head and glanced at the clock. It was a quarter after midnight and Brandon groaned at the noise disturbing his sleep. Getting up he shuffled down the hall to the door without turning on a light. Opening it, he looked at the distraught girl on his doorstep.