Elizabeth Fern

CHAPTER 18

ALEX

They walked side by side through the woods. It was almost sunset and the wind is starting to get cold.

“What is there to see in the woods? Are we lost Alex?” there was a hint of worry in her voice.

Alex smiled and held her by the wrist. “Here we are”.

Smack dab in the middle of the woods, there is a small pond. The colours of the sunset illuminated it brilliantly. It was the perfect setting.

“Looks like Elizabeth Fern is lost for words” he teased. She didn’t answer.

They were silent for a while. Alex cracked his knuckles. “My dad and I discovered this place when I was young. There were no water lilies back then. My dad said ‘Things appear bare and vague because of unspoken words’. And he took my hand and said ‘Don’t do the same mistakes I did son. I love you too much to see you commit my failures’”.

He paused for a moment, allowing the moment to sink in. “When I looked at the lake once more, there was a water lily”. Lizzie started to sob quietly.

“What’s wrong Lizzie?” he cooed.

“I really envy you Alex” her voice was shaking.

She looked at him with tear streaked eyes and it hurt him to look at her that way.

“Your dad told you those things… Papa won’t even talk to me like that. He never told me he loved me…. Never”.

He enfolded his arms around his crying friend. He held her close, feeling her warmth against his skin. The scent of her hair reached his nostrils. Fresh melons. He could get used to this. And he hoped she would too. She pushed away gently and stared at the pond once more.

“I see two water lilies” she muttered.

“I wish I could” he replied softly.

“Is this all you want to share Alex?”.

It took a while for him to respond.

“No water lilies for me today. Let’s get some food Lizzie Pig”. She punched him playfully as they walked. And ever since that day, they visit the pond every afternoon to look for water lilies, laugh at random jokes and just sit together, sharing their worlds.