LLC04: Winter Of Love

“Snowflakes falling, the cold wind is blowing indicating that winter is finally here. It was a winter like this one when we first met. I still remember how you came near me, a lonely girl trying to enjoy the cold weather in solitude. I remember the smile written on your face as you handed me a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows on top. From the look on your face I instantly knew that I would love you for all my life. It was then that our love began, it was the beginning of our winter of love.”

Sherry has just finished packing her things; she’s moving away. “This place holds to many sad memories for me” she said. “I’m very sorry to leave you like this after everything that has happened, it’s just that I need to let go, I need to forget him.”

“I understand full well dear, I know what it’s like to lose somebody you love. The pain that it brings to your heart, I loved Michael too. We all need to let go, but are you sure you want to forget?” Michael’s mom said.

“Yes Nancy, I’m pretty sure” said Sherry.

“Well if I can’t change your mind, perhaps these will.” Nancy handed her two envelopes.

“Michael wrote these before he died, I think he was supposed to give one of them on your anniversary but I think he forgot.” Sherry took the envelopes. “Read the will you, it might change your mind.”

“I will, thanks for giving them to me.” Sherry said.

Sherry drove for two hours before stopping at an inn.

“Room for one ma’am?” the innkeeper asked.

“Yes” Sherry said.

“How long will you be staying?”

“Just for one night”

“That’s quite a car you got there.”

“Yeah, it’s perfect”

“Are you heading out far?” asked the innkeeper

“Yes, I need to get far away from here as possible.” Sherry said

“You’re not running away from the law now are you?”

“No, I just need to forget things, memories that this place keeps reminding me of.”

“Were the memories really that bad?”

“I’m not sure, I don’t even know how tell if a memory is either bad or good.”

“Well that’s simple, how do these memories make you feel?” asked the innkeeper

“Well the feeling that they make me feel is unexplainable.” said Sherry

“From what you just said, I’m pretty sure that it’s a good one.”

“You think so?”

“Definitely”

After a few more minutes of chatting with the innkeeper, Sherry decided that it was  time to sleep. So went to her room, changed clothes, laid down on the bed and dozed off.  Sherry drove out early that morning; she’s driving fast too fast to be exact. She was coming up to a curve, she hit the brakes but still she lost control of the car and the car went over the cliff. She screamed as she plummets to her death. The car dropped and hit a huge rock and exploded, then she woke up, it was just a dream. “Was that how he died, was that how Michael died?” Sherry thought to herself.

About a year ago, Michael, Sherry boyfriend died in a car crash, they just had an argument that day. Sherry called Michael’s cellphone to say that she was sorry, when he didn’t pickup she called his house. Michael’s mom was the one who picked up the phone and that’s when she learned about the terrible accident that took Michael’s life. They buried him three weeks after the accident. She grieved, even blamed herself for the accident. She thought that if they hadn’t fought that day maybe Michael would still be alive. She would’ve gone insane if Michael’s mom didn’t comfort her.

“Hey I’m gonna check out already.” Sherry said.

“Leaving so soon?” asked the innkeeper

“Yeah, I still have a long to go and I want to get there as early as possible.”

“Where are going exactly?”

“I’m going to the Carlson’s Forest Lake Resort”

“Wow, you know that place is quite cold this time of the year. That place is not very helpful if what you want to do is forget, it will always remind you of memories you wished the wind would’ve just blown away.” the innkeeper said

“Yeah, I know, but that place is also where I met my ex-boyfriend.” said Sherry.

“Ah! I see, what happened?” exclaimed the innkeeper.

“He died last year on a car crash.”

“Oh, I’m very sorry. I didn’t know, I just thought…..”

“No, It’s fine” Sherry exclaimed. “I just thought that it would be best to forget him and let him go at the same place where I met him.”

“Well I think that’s a marvelous idea.” said the innkeeper.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean what better way to forget and let go of someone than to end things at the very same place where it started. I think it’s best to leave memories at places where you’ll remember those most.”

“Well I guess you’re right, I just can’t help but think that I might be the reason he’s dead.”

“Why would you think that?”

“We had a fight that day, I was so mad; I said some things that I didn’t mean. I saw him kissing another girl at a restaurant so I walked and gave them both a piece of my mind I stormed out and he followed me. I sort of cursed him and next thing I knew he was dead. The authorities said he was driving drunk and that caused him his life.”

“I guessing he was upset when you guys fought and he went out drinking, most guys do that when they’re upset; but drinking is not really a scapegoat when you’re upset.”

“Well, I guess he’s like most guys then.” said Sherry.

“Okay, I don’t want to keep you away from you’re plans, so here’s your bill.” said the innkeeper.

Sherry paid off her bill and was soon out of the inn. She was already driving towards the resort. After three hours of constant driving she finally reached her destination.

“Carlson’s Forest Lake Resort, it sure brings back a lot of memories.” Sherry thought to herself. “Everything feels so nostalgic.”

Sherry went to the front desk and checked in. When she got to her room she unpacked her things and placed them all on the bed. She then arranged them and placed them at the closet, and then took her towel and headed for the lake and went for a swim. When she got back to her room she noticed the letters Michael meant to give her lying on the bed. She ignored them but she can’t shake the feeling of curiosity that urge to look into the letters that Michael wrote for her. So after arranging her clothes she sat down on the bed and opened one of the letters and read it. It was dated on week before their anniversary.

Dear Sherry,
                       

                        Happy Anniversary! Well not exactly because were still a week away from that date. I still remember the day I met you, you were all sulked up on a bench fronting the lake; your expression matching the coldness of the weather. I remember walking up to you with a big smile on my face and was offering you a cup of hot cocoa, I even placed marshmallows in it.

Sherry remembered that day; she just got out of a messy relationship and wanted to spend some time alone. She liked how cold the weather is, it helped numb the pain she’s feeling. It was then that Michael walked up to her carrying two cups of hot cocoa.

“I’m so sorry to bother you; it’s just that I noticed that you were feeling down so I thought I’d cheer you up with a cup hot cocoa.” Michael said.

Sherry took the cup. “Thanks” she said.

“I’m Michael by the way” he said.

“Sherry”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance”

“Same here”

I remembered the talked we had that day, about why you were there, feeling as if all the problems in the world are placed on your shoulders. You told me that day that you just got out of a messy relationship and you were there to spend some time away from everything that reminds you of him. We had a fun time and before I left I invited you to dinner.

 

Sherry smiled, Michael almost stuttered when he invited her to have dinner with her that night. 

“I…uh…I hope this doesn’t sound too sudden, but would you like to have dinner with me..um.. tonight?” Michael asked.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” asked Sherry.

“N…No, I just thought since I only came here by myself and that so did you; that it would be nice if we ate together, you know just so the both of us can at least have some company.”

“So you are asking me out on a date?”

“No, I wouldn’t want to date you.”

“Oh!, ok” Sherry said sarcastically

“I mean I do want to date you but not at the moment, since you’re still trying to get over a breakup.” replied Michael

Sherry smiled, “I was just messing with you, of course I’d like to join you for dinner tonight; it’ll be nice to have some company.”

I waited for you at the restaurant and was mesmerized by your beauty when I saw you as you were walking towards my table. You looked so amazing, it was as if you walked straight out of a magazine. I’ll be lying if I tell you that I liked that night because I didn’t, I hated the fact that you were there but at the same time you weren’t, I hated that that night may be the first and last we’ll be able to do it, but I was wrong because it wasn’t. It took me awhile before I mustered up the courage to ask you out on a real date and was so happy that you obliged. It was then that I knew for sure that the weather that was so cold was turning warm because it was becoming a winter of love. We went on from there where we planted our love and to places more that helped turn it into something that is seemingly unbreakable. I hope to see you there on our anniversary with a big smile on your face; I’ll be waiting for you at the bench fronting the lake with two cups of hot cocoa on my hand with marshmallows in it.

Your winter love,

Michael

P.S. Please don’t bring chestnuts, you know I hate them.

 
Sherry smiled it was so like Michael to write a letter and end it with a line that sounds poetic. She put down the letter and walked up to the porch; she looked down and saw the bench she was sitting on the first time she was here. It was at that very bench where they planted a friendship that quickly grew into love. Never has been happy to be loved by someone but never before has she been sad because he left.

“I should get to bed” Sherry thought to herself, “I’m pretty sure I’ll forget everything that’s ever happened after a good rest.”

Sherry headed to her bed, but before she lay down; she opened Michael’s last letter to her. It was dated three days before their anniversary.

Dear Sherry,

 

It said.

I don’t how to express how sorry I am; I never meant to hurt you in any way. What you saw last night was an accident, a mistake. I know I said some things that would probably make you hate me for eternity. I never meant any of them, so please forgive me.

Sherry felt a slight pain in her heart when she read that, she didn’t need to be reminded of that night, that night that caused Michael his life.

She was walking home from work when she saw Michael at a restaurant with another girl, she didn’t mind it at first thinking she’s just Michael’s colleague from work. She walked towards the restaurant but stopped in her tracks when she saw the girl kiss Michael but what hurt her most was that Michael was kissing the girl back. Furious she walked inside the restaurant and slapped the girl and Michael, she then stormed out of the establishment with Michael running after her.

“Sherry” he called “Sherry wait”

She didn’t want to hear anything from him, in fact after seeing that she didn’t want to do with him anymore. She’s been hurt a lot by men who came into her life and here calling out to her was the one man who she thought was different. Michael caught up to her and held her by her wrist.

“Let go of me” Sherry said

“Please let me explain” said Michael

“What is there to explain, it was clear as crystal that you were kissing her. What my lips aren’t good enough.”

“No…Sherry look, that was Michelle my ex-girlfriend. We were just catching up.”

“So kissing her is part of catching up huh?”

“No…we had a few drinks and when she got drunk, well you saw what happened.”

“You know what screw you”

“Sherry”

“I actually thought you were different from the men that have been in my life, now I know you’re all the same.” said Sherry

“Sherry, I am different.” said Michael

“No, you’re not; so please just get out of my life.”

“Just get out of my life”, those were the last words you said to me last night. It was short but painful like a dart piercing through an apple. Sherry, I don’t want to get out of your life, I want to get in it. I want to be a part of it until death. Please go to Carlson’s Resort three days from now, I’ll be waiting for you there. Please come, I don’t want to end things this way, I don’t want for it end at all. I want us to continue; for this is just a challenge we must overcome, but who am I to decide I’ve already hurt you after all. I’ll be most happy if you want us to continue but if you want us to end, then I’ll happily oblige. If something should happen to me before I deliver these letters, I just want you to know, it was fun though it was short. Our love it was beautiful and painful as a rose, it was strong yet cold as ice and radiant and scorching as the sun. If you decide to break up with me, I won’t cry because it was over, I’ll smile instead because it happened. I hope you find someone who could love you better than I could, but don’t let our memories fade away like dust in the wind. Keep them safe instead, so that they could remind you of the good times we had and all the wonderful things we had. I now bid you farewell my love but I hope you I won’t have to leave you for a long time. Til the next winter.     

Your winter love,

Michael

Sherry’s tears dropped after reading the last letter. She never really ended things with Michael, and she didn’t want to; she cried and cried. She then stopped crying, remembering what Michael wrote; and that is not to cry because it’s over but instead to smile because it happened. She wanted to forget everything about him but all she wants is to remember everything he is to her. The memories she has are worth keeping not burying; they’re worth to be treasured not burned. She slept well that night and woke up refreshed the next morning. She walked out to the porch and felt the sunray thinking that her winter of love is not really that far away.

 __END__