At Last

4. The Suitcase and the Cupcake

1 September 2014

It's one week left to the big day. I do lots of exercises in front of my mirror. My speech is already 80% good and I'm ready for the Graduation Day next week. I prepare my clothes and all of the stuffs I need to bring. When I take my body lotion near a vintage frame of our photo, I remember when we walked by the beach that summer day. We were holding hands and everything was perfect. I didn't know that the hand you would hold at the end of the altar would be someone else's. I know that sometimes, our plan doesn't work out but God's does. And sometimes, what we think is good is not always good from God's eyes. But this time, I don't know why our plan didn't work out.

I put my clothes into my suitcase. This suitcase also brings back the memories I try to bury. He's the one who chose the suitcase for me. It was my birthday and he asked me about the present I wanted. We went to a mall and he chose this blue suitcase as my birthday present. It was a cold night too and I forgot to bring my coat.

"Don't you bring any coat?"

"No I don't"

Then he put his arms around me and walked together to his car. I never forget the warmth of his arms that night. We talked through the way home and when he stopped his car near my house...

"Happy birthday Grace. Thanks for always being here everytime I need you"

"I do hope that I'll always be here for you"

"Someone says that life without a cupcake is like life without love. So.......voila!" he pulled out a cute tiny cupcake.

"Thank you! You're sweeter than the cupcake of course"

"Have a wonderful birthday dear Grace," he said.

It was my last birthday with him then several months later he decided to leave. He did know how to spoil me with only every little thing he did. So that's why he's an expert in doing meaningful little thing, including that simple goodbye. It was such a very meaningful goodbye, yet the most painful one.