Dear Stanley [Watty's 2019. Completed]

Showing Breeze

Sunday, April 14th

Dear Stanley,

I showed Breeze the waterfall today.

I don't know why. I haven't been there in a year but it just felt right.

I ran into her in the supermarket while I was buying fruits and food for the house. I was in line to check out when I heard a familiar sounding giggle. Unable to stop the curiosity, I peered ahead and saw Breeze chattering animatedly with the cashier.

We eventually met up and found out that we both had nothing to do for the rest of the day.

I thought about all the places I wanted to take her. She had shown me something personal to her -the secret room she painted - but I haven't shown anything to her yet.

I knew the waterfall was the only place that was very dear to my heart. I was hesitant at first, because did I really want to disclose our spot Stanley? The spot where we created so many silly memories together?

I haven't ever even been to the waterfall since you left Stanley. It'll be hard going to it again, seeing it without you.

But a part of me felt like I had to show it to Breeze. A part of me wanted to.

"Hey Breeze? You remember the first time you showed me the secret room, you told me I had to show you something too?"

Breeze nodded her head, her eyes widened as she waited for me to expand.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what I was about to do.

"Do you want to see it now? The place I have to show you?"

A grin illuminated her face."Of course!"

The sun beamed down on us as we walked to the waterfall. I relished the warmth it gave- an escape from the slightly chilly spring winds of Iowa.

"So why is this place you are going to show me important to you?" She inquired while eating a chocolate bar she bought from the grocery store.

How do I explain to her that it was you, because of you, that this place was so unbelievably sacred to my heart? How do I explain to her that it wasn't just a place with the memories- it was almost like a person?

Instead I shrugged. "It's nothing. Just looks nice." I said, ignoring the pain in my chest. I could tell Breeze didn't believe me from her lingering gaze but she didn't press the situation any further.

I was grateful.

As we approached closer to the waterfall, the pounding in my heart increased. I felt like I couldn't breathe. All I could see was you showing me this place all those years ago. You and me coming to this place almost everyday during that one summer. You and me spending endless hours here.

"Are you ok, Nic?" Breeze asked with care. I know I probably looked sickly, but I kept walking, not trusting myself to stop. I walked in the woods, saw the trail, followed it until the sound of the waterfall was almost deafening....

And there it was in all its glory a few feet away from me. I wanted to collapse on the ground, clutch my head, and try to soothe the horrible pain in my heart, in my brain.

But I remained stoic and robotic, not wanting to cry in front of her. She was in awe, her face mirroring mine that day when you showed me this place for the first time.

It was exactly like I remembered it. Ferocious and fierce, showing no mercy. But beautiful as well.

The smell of the wet earth was comforting.