Handsome Deviant

GOODBYE

Angela's birthday party was the second last time Bodie would see her outside school before her father accepted a job as head engineer for a contruction firm in Queensland. This terrible news for Bodie and Angela was divulged at a Christmas party when their families got together upon completion of the 1st term of that school year. Their parents had no knowledge of how close their relationship was so they were surprised when Angela burst into tears and ran off to her bedroom upon the announcement. Bodie's mum suggested that he go to her bedroom and make sure she was ok which was exactly what he wanted to do. He remembered hugging her for a few minutes and also shedding some tears. Angela had mentioned that her dad might be working away next year but didn't realise that the whole family would be moving all the way to the other side of Australia as well. In between sobbing Angela told Bodie that she would miss him and that they must write often to each other. Bodie nodded in agreement and was already feeling a great sense of loss at the thought of her disappearing from his life in this fashion. As he stood at the doorway of her bedroom, Angela dismantled a large photo frame on top of her chest of drawers. It was a photograph of her in the pool taken by her dad. In it she is looking straight at the camera lens, a huge smile on her pretty face, droplets of water on her cheeks and forehead, her long dark hair tied up in a ponytail. She lifted the photo out of the frame and wrote on the back of it, "Love Angela X" and gave it to Bodie. Clutching the photo in one hand, holding her hand in the other, Bodie kissed her and tasted the saltiness of her fresh tears. She made him promise to send her a photo as soon as her mum let his mum know their new address in Queensland. They then walked out of her room hand in hand, just as her mum entered the hallway. Seeing them holding hands and the tears on her daughters face was a bit of a shock for Mrs. Toffoli as she had not realised their strong feelings for each other. But it was too late, the arrangements had been made.

They did write to each other but because their letters were included with their mums who also kept in touch, what they could write was not entirely what they wanted to write. Like their private feelings, wants, desires and talking about what happened at her birthday party. They managed to speak on the phone for a short time on a couple of occasions but again, due to lack of privacy and time it was extremely frustrating especially because it was a pleasure speaking to her and hearing her sweet voice again.

Within six months their communication had dwindled to an occasional letter and their written words contained their mutual disappointment of not being able to see each other. Without actually realising it, they both understood that how they felt about each other needed to be accepted and all the special times they had spent together would always remain in a special place in their memories and maybe, just maybe one day they would meet again.

By Christmas the following year Angela was occupied with new friends and an increase in homework and sporting activities but they never forgot their special connection. Seven more years would pass before they saw each other again.