Waiting For You

Rārangi upoko 2 'Famous' (EDITED)

Rārangi upoko 2: 'Famous'

"I promise to make it back," he said softly. "Here, take this."

She felt him press something small and metallic into her hand still warm from his grasp. Looking down, she saw that it was a memorial 50c coin that the NZ mint released in 2018 in remembrance of the end of WW1. She rubbed it with her thumb. Looking up to thank him she tried to smile before breaking down into further sobs.

"You don't need to worry, Anne. I'm a doctor, I won't be anywhere near the frontlines, you know that." He pulled her close and held her tight. She could feel his heart racing. He was afraid, she knew he must be. "I will try and send you two letters a month, depending on where I'm stationed."

She pulled away and looked up into his deep brown eyes. "Has fate brought us this far only to part ways and say goodbye?" She whispered.

He shook his head. "Only to be able to come back here and say 'Hi' all over again." He smiled and kissed her. She felt the cold rain on his warm lips and the sudden urge to pull him close and not let him go hit her. Instead, she clutched the small coin in her hand as the rain continued to fall on them.

"Write me songs." She whispered.

"I will." He replied.

"Write me Poems."

"I will." He pulled her back into a tight hug.

"Promise me you won't leave me to grow old on my own. "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old". That's not to be you, you hear me? Make sure you come back to me, just as you are.

"You know I don't make promises I can't keep." He murmured into her hair, "But, God willing, I will come home to you."

17th of January

The rain spattered the windows of her small office. The computer screen stared, Anne stared back, oblivious to the Word document on the display. Slowly she turned the coin in her fingers, her thoughts far away on a rainy hillside. She had dreamt of their farewell last night. She dreamt of it often, the day they said goodbye. The day Joshua left.

A knock sounded at the open doorway of her workspace, startling her back to the present.

"Did you want to get lunch?" Asked the woman who stood there, her long dark hair tucked into the hood of a teal rain coat.

A look of surprise crossed Anne's face as she glanced at her desktop. "Is it that time already? I haven't even started editing that article!" The screen had given up and now displayed a screen-saver.

"Is that a 'Yes, Amber. I would love to get lunch'?" The woman asked jokingly.

Anne laughed. "Yes, I would love to grab lunch, Amber." She stood slipping the coin into her pocket powered down the computer. The wind outside drummed the rain harder against the glass. "Are you sure we won't need a boat to cross the street?"

"I have a coat that you can borrow, but I forgot the boat." said Amber as they walked together towards the cloak room, "maybe we can turn the umbrella upside down and sit in it." Reaching her locker, she pulled out a black soft shell. She turned to face Anne her eyes filled with worry "Are you ok? You seem down today. You haven't had any bad news from Joshua, have you?"

Anne shook her head accepting the coat. "Last week's interview has been playing nonstop on the TVNZ channel. It reminds me time and again that he isn't here. I'm worried sure. But I haven't heard any news from him good or bad since last week." She sighed, "Not that I'm expecting to for another week." Zipping up the jacket and pulling the hood up she looked at Amber, "Right. Lunch?"