Looking for a Story

Kathy sat in her old rocker watching her grandchildren play with building blocks. She loved it when they came to visit for the afternoon. Soon her son came to pick up his kids. "Hey Mom, did you know you got a package out here?" "A package? I didn't order anything…." By the time she got up, her son had made his way to her dining room and set the package on the table. She glanced at it. "Maybe it's another gift from a friend. I'll look at it later." Kathy shuffled to the table, where she and her son enjoyed a cup of coffee and a list before he took his kids home. Sitting alone at the table now, Kathy slid the package in front of herself and looked at the address. It was from Jill Green - that was a blast from the past! Jill had been her best friend in high school. Kathy slowly opened the box. Inside she found a letter and a smaller box. She opened the letter. Dear Kathy, It's been years, eh? I know we haven't spoken since sometime in College. But the other day I was at a thrift store and found this tea cap. Do you remember in high school when you were trying to find all the missing pieces for your grandmother's china set? We would go visit thrift stores and take mini road trips. We found almost all of them - all but one cup. And would you believe that all these years later I still looked for it? I hope this finds you well and I hope it completes your set. Lots of love, Jill Kathy set the letter down. "No way... After all these years, she found it." She opened the box and found the teacup, then looked to her china cabinet, where a spot sat empty. Some time in college she had given up the search, thinking she'd never find it. Or maybe she’d given up because she'd lost touch with Jill and it wasn't as fun alone. She remembered the day she had gotten the china set… Jill came over a few days after Kathy’s grandma's funeral. "Hey, how are you doing?" Kathy gave her a soft smile. "I'm okay, I still feel sad…." Jill sat next to Kathy. "I think that is expected.” Jill looked around. “Hey, that box is new…." "Oh! Gramma left me her china set. It's not complete though," Kathy explained. "Well, can I see it?" Jill brought the box over to Kathy. "Yeah, that would be nice. I haven't looked at it." The girls slowly opened the box and unwrapped the four pieces of fine china. "Whoa, I haven't looked at this set closely before!" It was a lovely floral design. There was a teacup, saucer, sugar bowl, and cream dish. Jill picked up the cup and found the name of the company that made the dishes, then picked up her phone and looked up the set online. "Hey, look at this!" Jill handed Kathy the phone. "Wow, the set is really pretty. Oh, but they don't make it anymore." Kathy sighed. "So?" Jill asked. "We can look around at yard sales and thrift stores." "Really? You'd spend your summer doing that with me?" Kathy looked at her friend, amazed. "Sure! Thrifting is fun, and so is yard-saling. So let's see how many we can find over the summer!" Kathy smiled at the memory. They had gone to every yard sale in their town that summer and had checked every store at least twice. They had found a few pieces in their town. She remembered when they had found the teapot. It was close to Christmas time. The girls were seventeen, and they got permission from their parents to go on a short day trip to a small tours festival. It was only a forty-five-minute drive away. The girls were excited to do something that felt so big without their parents. "Girl! I can't believe we are doing this!" Jill sat in the passenger seat, chattering in excitement. "I know! It's so cool!" Kathy focused on the driving, smiling brightly. They made it to the festival without a problem, and they even found parking! With warm drinks in hand, they walked down the main street, enjoying the music and the sound of bells. "Jill, look! Thrift store!" Kathy pointed and smiled brightly. Jill laughed and pulled Kathy into the store. They looked through shelves of books, clothes, CDs and finally china. That's when she saw it. "Kathy, look!" Jill pulled Kathy towards a shelf. "Oh my!" Kathy picked up the teapot. "It's in perfect condition too…." Jill looked at the sticker. "And it's only five dollars; girl, you have to get it!" Feeling happy about the find, they bought it and engaged for the rest of the festival. After a while, they headed home. On the drive, Kathy hit a patch of ice and they hit a ditch. Both girls were fine, their fathers were called, and everything was alright. Well, almost everything. The lid of the teapot was broken. But with a little super glue, you could hardly tell…. Kathy looked at her teapot with a smile. All these years and the lid had stayed together. She slowly stood, her body aching, and walked to her china cabinet. She opened the doors and looked at all the pieces - each one a special moment, before college took them to different coasts, before husbands, before children, before loss. A time when love was meant for nothing more than best friends. Kathy took out each piece of china and set it on the table, and a faded photo fell from a teacup. She slowly picked it up. Two girls in grad dresses sat at a tea party; she remembered the joy and sorrow this day had held. "Kathy, we found almost every piece." Jill smiled as they set up their tea party for the photo shoot. Hair and make-up were done; all they had left was the dresses. "I know, just missing one single teacup." The girls laughed after four years of hunting, trying to find the cup. They got to be such regulars at the shops that the workers and owners knew their names and what they searched for. They all promised to set the teacup aside if it ever came in. But the girls went anyway. It had stopped being about the hunt years ago. It was just something to do with one's best friend. Their mother's laughed. "We'll take it from here." The girls took off to help each other get ready. Their moms could hear laughing, giggling, and fangirling as they put the finishing touches on the display. Kathy and Jill stepped outside and twirled, and their moms clapped. "You girls did a great job with this display," one of their moms commented. "Thank you! We wanted to use the tea set in our photos." The girls spent the afternoon posing and smiling, and they had the best time. As they cleaned up, their moms handed them letters. "Your letters from that college you both wanted to go to came in. And we figured you would want to open them together." Kathy and Jill took the letters and ripped into them. "Oh my gosh!" Kathy squealed. Meanwhile, Jill looked down, defeated. "Oh no…." Kathy pulled her best friend into a hug. "We'll make it work." And make it work, they did. Kathy prepared to go to her dream school on one coast, and Jill made plans to attend one of her second choices on the other. They knew this summer was the last time they'd spend this much time together for a while. They looked at all their favourite thrift stores and little shops. They never found the teacup, but they didn't mind. They found decor for dorm rooms and cute new clothes. They helped each other pack. They made memories and the summer came to a close. Placing the photo back in the teacup, Kathy remembered the sadness of the day she had left without her best friend…. Kathy was soon the first of her friends to leave for college. So, her parents threw a little going away BBQ for her. Kathy went to bed feeling ready to leave in the morning. Jill showed up at the end of her driveway at 5:30 in the morning. “What are you doing here!" Kathy ran to her friend. Jill laughed. "You think I'd settle for your big group goodbye last night? No way! I came to see you off with your parents." The girls shared more tears and held each other. After a moment they let go. Kathy got in the car with her mom, and Jill waved to them as they drove away. Kathy felt a tear roll down her cheek as she looked at the photo. When was the last time they had spoken or seen each other? Could she even remember? Slowly it came back to her. It had been Mother’s Day. They went out for ice cream. Jill sat across from Kathy. It had been over a year since they had last sat down together. They visited and laughed about memories, about travels, about timelines with their current boyfriends; and they parted ways promising to visit each other soon. But they didn't. They were at each other's weddings but not in them. They had friends from college now; life just moved on. But maybe things didn't have to stay that way…. Kathy looked at her now-completed tea set and then back at the letter. Looking at it more closely, she noted a phone number on the back. Smiling, she picked up her phone and called the past. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

"If one more person asks me about getting married or having children I am going to punch them." I look at my friend Lucy over a cup of black coffee. "Sure you will, dear." Lucy shakes her head. She knows I am too gentle for that. "Have you thought about going to the mixer at church? Just to get people off your back?" "You know that sounds like the worst night ever." I look at the ceiling. I don't want to even think about going. "Girl, I like my solo life. I don't need a man.” "So, go and then say you had the worst time and will stay out of the dating scene a bit longer." Lucy used to be my other single friend. But, in one year she had gotten a ring, which makes me the last one in my age group at church without a man. So all eyes are on me. "Or you know,” she continued, “make your mother's nightmare come true and get a cat, or a dog…whatever suits you fancy. Become one of those pet-moms and only show photos of your fur-baby." "Come on Lu, you know I never understand those people. And, “mom's nightmare” - isn't that extreme?" I can't help but laugh. "I don't know, it might be. But the mixer is tonight and you might as well go and get it over with." Lucy winks and hands me an invite for the night. "Fine, I'll go... but not happily." — Tonight is a theme night so I dress up, smile, chat with some of the other singles, and just feel uncomfortable. Once I finally get home I make up my mind - tomorrow I am getting a dog. With an early-morning spring in my step and a dark roast in my hand, I head off to the pet store, I saw online that the local humane society has a few puppies at the store for an adoption promotion. Maybe I can find my perfect match here. "Oh my gosh! They are so cute!" There is a group of puppies in the corner of the shop. I plop down on the floor and play with the small, cuddly puppy. "I see that you've taken a liking to Sunshine there.” A young girl in-store uniform starts a conversation with me. “He's not quite as crazy as his sisters or brothers. But he can be, in the right space." "Yeah, I think he’s a sweetheart. If I did try to adopt him from the shelter, what would I need to know?" "Oh! Well, first you need to understand that puppies need exercise and consistent discipline. The first few weeks could be draining but once they get settled it's great." She keeps talking but I stop listening. I start thinking about my eight-hour work day and all my evening events. I'm away from home four nights a week. I look down at the little guy nearly asleep in my lap. He is so cute and so sweet…. But it isn’t going to be a fair life for him. I look back at the employee - oh, she's still talking. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I don't think my lifestyle suits a puppy right now." "Ah! Well, that's fair. I'm sure we'll find him a home." She turns her attention to other customers. I carefully move the puppy off my lap and brush the dog hair off my pants. As I walk out the door I hear a little boy call out, "Mama! This sleepy puppy is perfect!" Yep, Sunshine won't be there too long. Walking to my car, I start thinking again. Maybe I could get a cat... Yeah, they could handle my busy schedule. Everyone else in my family has cats, so I could get help with any question I have. And, I have fond memories of Mom's old cat. I start to feel nostalgic over the memories. Yeah, I could handle a cat. I head down to the humane society that had brought the puppies to the pet store. As I drive, I think about my apartment and how I could set it up for a cat. Yeah, this could be really good! The humane society is a cute little building, and the place is quiet today. As I walk in, I am greeted by a young man working at the front desk. "Hello miss, how can I help you today?" "I met some of your puppies at the pet store, but I don't think my lifestyle works with a puppy. So I was thinking about having a look at your cats and seeing if any of them speak to me." The young man gestured for me to follow. "Now we have different rooms for kittens, cats, and elder cats; which would you like to start with?" Oh, I haven't thought about that. "Kittens have too much energy. Let's look at the elder cats first." Smiling, he unlocks that room and lets me in. "You visit and I'll check on you in a little bit." He leaves me alone in the room. I stand against the door for a moment, taking in the room. There are quite a few cats in this room. How do I pick one? Then something rubs against my leg. "Oh! I guess this is how." I look down and find a black cat rubbing my leg. I pick up the cat and he rubs against my chin. "Hi, buddy." I pet him and he starts to purr. "Oh wow, this is nice. I can see why people like cats so much." However, as I stand there holding the cat I notice something - the way the room smells. The cat litter smell is strong. Now to be, fair there are seven cats in this room. But that smell reminds me of my mom's old cat, and I hated having to change her litter. And the more I reflect on it, the more I remember I don't really enjoy cats - like not at all. So this isn't the choice for me. Just as I set down the cat, the door opens behind me. "So, any cats you want to adopt?” The young man looks at me. "Oh I know that face; that's a ‘hey I've realized I'm not ready for a cat's face." "Yeah, that's what happened.” We shuffle out of the room. “I'm sorry." "Don't be, it happens more often than you'd think." He walks me to the door. “If you're looking for a pet though, the toy store sells fish." "That's not a bad idea, thanks!" I get back in my car and drive across town to the toy store. As I drive, I look at the clock; it's nearly noon. How has this taken so much of my day? Alright, after the toy store I'm getting ice cream for lunch. My mother would be so proud. I laugh as I pull into the parking lot. I walk into the store and a young cashier walks up to me. "Welcome to Happy Land! Can I help you find a toy for that special kid in your life?" She’s bubbly - I'll give her that. "Actually, I'm here for a fish." I don't see any though. Maybe the kid at the shelter was wrong. “Oh, they’re at the back. Feel free to take a look. Once you choose, I'll help you get the one you want and find the supplies you need." She points to the back wall, where I can just see some movement behind all the toys. I nod and find my way there. The fish all move so gracefully. I'd love to have one at home to watch. I start to think about my apartment. Where would I put a fish tank? It needs to be somewhere I'll see and interact with it. Other­wise I will forget about it. Suddenly, I have images of a black fish at the bottom of a tank. That hardly seems fair. I walk back to the front. "So any luck?" The cashier comes around to the front of the till. "No, I don't think I'm ready for a pet, to be honest, but if I change my mind I'll be back." I wave and head out. What a waste of a day. I think ice cream for lunch is the best choice. Downtown is busy today, so I end up parking a few blocks away from the ice cream place. I don't mind the walk though. As I walk, I look at all the little shops lining the street. Some of the shops are cute and historical, while others are more modern. As I get close to the ice cream shop, another store catches my eye - Green Thumb Shop. A plant - I could handle that. And if I kill it, that's okay. I walk into the store. "Hello there my dear, what are you looking for today?" "My first houseplant. I live in a small apartment with a decent amount of natural light, but I'm forgetful." I look around at all the plants. Okay, this is a lot…. "Ah! Follow me." The older woman walks me to a shelf with all kinds of plants. "Here are some beginner-friendly plants. Which one makes you smile?" I look over the shelf, then notice a plant with pink flowers. I pick it up. "I like this one." "Ah, the Flaming Katy, good choice. Keep it on your windowsill and only water it when the soil is dry, and you should have a happy, healthy plant." "Alright, I'll give this plant-thing a try," I conclude as I place my cash on the counter. The woman gives me a smile and boxes up my new plant. I walk out the door, the spring back in my step as I head to the ice cream shop. After ordering a bowl of mint chocolate chip and finding a seat, I set my plant down across from me. Just then I get a call from Lucy. "Hey what's up?" I ask. "I want to know how the mixer went," she states. "You're as bad as my mother, you know." She says nothing and we both laugh. "It was nothing to write home about." "So, on to cats?" Lucy keeps laughing. "Nope, I tried that. I just went all over town looking at pets, and no luck. But, I did buy a plant..." Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you click the Login/Sign Up button at top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

A Friendship Formed Andrew and Penny couldn't remember life without each other. They had been friends since birth. Their parents met as young adults in the city of Arcadia, all four trying to find their way in life. Penny’s parents opened a small but successful restaurant and lived in a small apartment above it. Andrew's parents ran a handyman and interior design business. Andrew was born a month before Penny, and soon her parents had built-in babysitters; Penny spent many days at Andrew's house because his mom worked from home and the restaurant took a lot of her parents’ time. As the two grew up, it became clear that Andrew had no rhythm and Penny needed coordination, so their parents put them in an after-school dance class. Andrew did find rhythm and a passion for music, so on top of the dance lessons, he took piano lessons. It did not work out as well for Penny; the girl had no grace in flats but put her in heels or point shoes and she could fly. Her teacher couldn't understand it. However, Penny loved the way all the costumes moved in the light, so she started working on her photography skills to take amazing photos of the dancers. She joined a photo club, and her dance teacher let her practice and used the photos that turned out well on the studios' social media pages. As they grew, the two kids found that ballroom dancing was their favourite, and they started doing swing and waltz for the yearly showcase They had a trust and bond that made them great partners. They briefly thought about becoming a competitive team, but their music and photography took priority. So they worked out a deal with the studio: the two got a free dance class and a Saturday practice space in exchange for helping out. Whenever their teacher needed a duet for a showcase they were her go-to team. Everyone thought these two would end up in love; their families were close and even went on vacations together. It seemed that Andrew and Penny could read each other's minds; they moved as one and hardly needed to talk. There was a betting pool going for how old they would be when they started dating. That was until Trevor and Sophie showed up on the same day. That first day of school changed everything. *** Penny and Andrew walked to school together. “I can’t believe we are about to walk into the high school as students!” Penny grabbed his arm and pointed to the building. “This is going to be the best year, I just know it!” “I know, Pen! Just think - driver's licences, and maybe a date or two.” Andrew winked. Penny giggled and stole his hat that he was never seen without. After all, it was one of the best gifts Pen had gotten him. “Whatever.” As they walked, Penny noticed two new students at the base of the ramp leading to the school. “Hey, look! I bet they're in our class. Let’s go say hi!” She pulled Andrew over. “Hi! My name is Penny, and this is Andrew.” Andrew took this chance to steal his hat back and waved to the new kids. The boy smiled at her. “Hi Penny, Andrew. I’m Trevor, and I have just met Sophie this morning. Her father is my mother's newest business partner.” Andrew gave them a once-over and noticed they came with some money. Trevor was wearing a loose-fitting blazer - what teen wears a nice blazer by choice? “Girl, is that a camera bag I see on your hip?” Sophie grabbed Penny’s arm. “Yeah!” Penny proudly showed off the small camera that Andrew had bought her a few years back; it allowed her to take better photos than she could on her cell phone, without having to carry her big expensive camera everywhere. “I’ve been shooting for years now. I even have a small business on the side!” Andrew watched her with pride. Pen had gotten so bold over the years and he was glad to see her share her passion with others. “This is great!” Sophie exclaimed. “I’m a bit of a designer. Would you like to work together sometime?” Andrew had to admit - even if he knew nothing about fashion - if Sophie had made the outfit she was wearing, she had some skill. “That depends…” Penny tapped her chin. “On what?” Andrew watched as Sophie’s face fell. “Are we friends? I love Andrew; he’s the best friend a girl could ask for…but a new girl friend would be great!” Penny smiled brightly. Sophie’s face lit up. “Oh yes! I would love that!” The two girls hugged. “Dude, did your best friend just replace you?” Trevor laughed and rested his elbow on Andrew's shoulder. Andrew laughed. “You know what, my guy, I think she might have. You want to take her place?” “Oh yeah, I do!” The two boys high-fived. “Rude! I never said I was replacing you, just adding to our group!” Penny laughed. “What do you say, Sophie? Think we can all be friends?” Sophie tapped her chin and looked at the two boys, who now put on dazzling smiles. “Yeah, I think we can.” She wrapped her arms around Penny, “I think this is the start of something amazing.” Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

He swore to himself he wouldn't give in but his friends wouldn't let it go. "Fine! I'll go ask her, but you all owe me a drink when she says no deal?" His friends all gave half-hearted agreements, some cheering that he finally was making a move. He rolled his eyes and left the coffee shop, heading back to work. She was the secretary at the office next to the building that he was doing construction on. Apparently, her boss was moving the company next door, so she had come over a few times to hand him papers to sign and sometimes she would bring coffee for his crew. They would visit every time one of them stopped by. He only had a few days of work left unless something major came up…and he wanted to keep seeing her. He paused at the window; if she wasn’t at her desk he would leave and try again tomorrow. Of course, she was sitting there, headphones in, lost in her own little world. He didn't want to bother her, so he turned to leave, but he saw movement in his peripheral vision. She was waving. Well, no backing out now. He walked in, trying to keep his cool. "Hey, I saw you outside; did ya need something?" Her smile could stop traffic. "Um, not anything work-related," he teased. "You’re in luck, I'm not on the clock yet. What's up?" She took out her headphones and put her empty lunch container back in her work bag. "Well, this job is over in a few days. Barring any slip-ups, I'll be out of here, never to be seen again." He added some drama just to make her laugh. "Oh my, whatever shall I do?" She made a show of swooning. The two were laughing now, getting dirty looks from her coworkers. They quickly pulled it together. He took a breath. "Go out with me? Next Friday…you won't be a client by then." He put his hands in his pockets, hoping he wouldn't die from embarrassment. "Pick me up at six?" Her eyes were soft and her smile contagious. "Not a minute late.” He handed her his card with his personal cell number written on the back. “Friday?" "Friday." With a shared nod, they part ways. -3 Years Later - He swore to himself he wouldn't give in but her friends talked him into it. He had planned this whole quiet night at home, but here he was, standing in the entryway of the same office building. "Thanks again, miss, for letting me hang out here. Her friends seem to think she'll love this. I think it gives everything away but hey, if it makes her smile, then it's worth it." "I think it's sweet, deary; take a seat. If you timed it right, she should be here any second." The secretary was a sweet old lady. He had sent his girlfriend all over town on a little scavenger hunt of all their favourite places around the city, ending here at her old office where he had first asked her out. Granted, it was next to her current office and she would complain about being this close to her work on her day off. If she hasn't already figured out what’s happening, he thought. He was careful not to crush the flowers in his hand. The ring in his pocket was something he couldn't ignore. Not that he thought she would say no. Quite the opposite, really. They had been talking about a wedding for six months now. He wouldn't be shocked if she had bought her dress already. He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. She probably had a book already filled with notes for their wedding. He sighed and felt himself relax. Just in time, too. Right then, he saw her peering through the window, looking for him. He waved. Her face lit up and she walked in. She smiled at the secretary and grabbed his hand. "Oh! I love that, it was so much fun! I loved all the riddles and seeing all our places in a day. You should have come with me. But, why end here? So close to my job?" "Well, without ‘here,’ there is no ‘us.’ And I wanted to bring us to the place where it all began…." He handed her the flowers. She took up a deep breath. "Oh my! They smell amazing. Are they from Mom's shop?" "Of course, only the best for my girl." He paused and took a deep breath. "I love you." Before he could continue, she interrupted, "I love you too! You gave me such a great gift, how will I top this one?" She teased and turned to leave. He gripped her hand. "Wait." She stopped. "I love you. I never want a day to go by where I don't get to see you. Where I can't hear about your day. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He smiled and reached into his pocket. "Marry me?" "Of course, I'll marry you!" She dropped her flowers and leaped into his arms. Once she let go she looked around and blushed. "Sorry for the scene, we'll let you go back to work now." Picking up her flowers and taking his hand she pulled him to leave. "No worries, deary; most exciting thing to happen in this office since we moved here." She waved them off. As they stepped outside, she lifted her hand to look at the ring in the sunlight. "Oh, I love it! It's so perfect. I can't wait to show It off." "Come on, I have one place left on our tour that I wanted to show you." "But, I already went everywhere today." She couldn’t stop staring at her new ring. "Oh, you did; this place is special to me. See, the day I asked you out, I met my friends here for lunch. They pushed me to ask you out. So, I figured we could get a treat here." He opened the door for her. "My lady." She giggled. "Thank you, kind sir…. What is this?" She walked in first, to find all their family and friends. "They couldn't wait." He laughed. "Don't worry we won't stay long." With his hand in hers, they went to visit the people who mattered most to them. - 5 Years Later- He swore to himself he wouldn't give in but today was the dance at his daughter's daycare…and how could he tell his little girl no? His wife was busy at work and it couldn’t be helped. She was training her replacement since she was going on mat leave soon; their second baby was due in a month. So, he stood outside his daughter’s daycare in his best suit, flowers in hand. He paused before he went inside and looked in the window of the play center. There she was, his little girl, in her brand-new dress. She'd had her mom take her dress shopping over the weekend. She hadn't noticed him yet. She was helping her teacher with some tasks he couldn't quite make out. He saw a few other parents pull up - oh good, he wasn't too early. Then she saw him. Her face lit up and she waved like a madwoman. He pointed to the door and headed inside. As soon as he opened the door he heard, "Daddy!" and his little girl came barreling towards him as fast as her four-year-old legs would carry her. He barely had time to brace himself before she jumped into his arms. "Hey, little one! Ready to get your dance on?" "You know it!" She giggled, sounding just like her mom. "What are those for Daddy?" she pointed to the bouquet in his hand. "Well silly girl, those are for you! I always try to buy your mother flowers when we do something special, and it seemed like it was time I did the same for you." He crouched to set her down and stayed at her eye level to hand her the flowers. “Are they from grandma’s shop?” She jumped up and down. He laughed as he stood up again. “Of course! Only the best for my girl!” "We can put them in my cubby!" She smiled and pulled him by the arm to show him where to go. He hadn't been to the daycare since she moved rooms so this was all new to him. They had all kinds of fun, dancing, jumping, and singing along to every song. He got to meet some of her new friends and exchange contact info with a few parents. As the afternoon came to a close, they packed up her flowers and loaded the car. As they headed for home, they were held up by a train. "Hey, little one?" "Yes Daddy?" She was so engrossed with her flowers that she was hardly listening. "We had a fun afternoon, right?" "Uh-huh!” She nodded her agreement. "And it would be nice to do something for your mom to make her day special too, don't ya think?" He watched her in the mirror. "Yep." She looked out the window at the train. "So, what if we went and got her ice cream from her favourite shop as a surprise?" Her eyes snapped to his and she lit up. "Ice cream?! Ya, let's do it!" She clapped her hands and kicked her seat. He laughed, and as the train passed he took the familiar detour to pick up a pint of ice cream. When they pulled into the driveway, he reminded her for the third time that this was a surprise before leading the way inside with the ice cream behind his back. "And what took you two so long?" His wife teased, getting up from the couch. "Train," he called, as he tried to slip the ice cream into the freezer unnoticed. "And we stopped to get you ice cream to make your day special too! Look, Daddy brought me flowers for the dance!" His daughter smiled brightly, unaware that she had just spoiled the surprise. "He did? Let me see!" His daughter handed her mom the flowers. She took a deep breath. "Oh, don't they just smell wonderful! Here, I'll put them in a vase so we all can enjoy them. You go take off your new dress and change for supper, okay?" "Okay!" She replied, and off she ran. His wife giggled as she set the flowers down and went looking for all she would need to take care of the flowers. "You know that after supper she is going to yell ‘Surprise’ like she didn't just ruin the surprise?" He sighed. "Ya I know one day she'll play along." He shook his head. "We had fun today though. She might not remember today forever, but I think I just might." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the ice cream, Love." "Just wanted to get you a treat, my lady." He caught her hand and kissed it. He may have sworn to himself that he wouldn't give in, but not a day went by that he wasn't grateful that he did. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

I was built in 1946 near the end of the year, as many soldiers returned from the war. My bright, new, red bricks, the freshly-painted walls and the cookie-cutter rooms made me a home for many. At first, only soldiers filled my numerous rooms. Some stayed only for a few months; others stayed for life. I have watched many couples come and go, some families start, and others families fall apart. One young man came just after the war ended. He always had a lady or groups of friends over. Yet as his friends got married, he stayed single. He never seemed to be sad though. He became an uncle to his friends’ kids and a grandpa to many more as he aged. But as the kids got older and his friends moved away, he became more and more alone. He and I have grown old together. I remember the day he died. He was watching his favourite show on the TV and he fell asleep there. That wasn't uncommon; he did that every night those days. Eventually, the sun filled his living room, but he didn't move. His coffeemaker dinged and the apartment filled with the smell of coffee, and still he didn't move. That's when I knew my oldest friend was gone. And I could do nothing for him. I watched over him for three days before his landlord came to check on him. It was a sad day. Not all my stories are sad, but that seems to be the only sort I can recall today. A family of three moved in…I can't even remember how long ago now. Their daughter was thirteen or so at the time. I heard so many fights, as well as nights of laughter, from that ground-floor apartment. I remember the first night a cherry-red pickup parked in my back alley, close to the daughter's bedroom, and a boy snuck in through the window. The girl must have been seventeen by then. I don’t recall how many times he came in through that window, but I do remember the first time the boy entered the apartment through the front door. I saw the hugs and the welcome to the family dinner. However, a few days later there was a fight, a blue test was thrown across the room, and the boy was told never to come back. Three days after that, two suitcases got placed outside the bedroom window, and later that night his cherry red pick-up pulled into the back alley. He tapped on her window and took the bags to the truck. She slid the glass pane up and slipped out. When her mother went to her room the following morning, she found only a note. I never saw the daughter come back. Her parents left a few months after she did. She has never came back with a baby, looking for her parents, and the parents have never returned to the apartment. I like to think they went after her, fixed things, and became a happy family again. But I'll never really know. Oh! I remember this one happy story. A group of boys moved into the building within weeks of each other. Soon, the three were inseparable. Almost everyone in the building knew about their friendship. As they grew up, the three boys decided they were going to start a pop band. After several complaints about the noise, the landlord made them a deal - if they mowed the lawn and shovelled the snow for him, the boys could use the basement as a practice space, since it was already soundproof. So they practised and wrote songs and even got a few on the local radio stations. The band never made it big, but they were happy. They have grown up, gotten married, and left my halls, but I know they still play together. I hear them on the radio in my halls. I'm proud of them. Within my walls, lives have been built, lost, destroyed, and made. But no memory scares me more than this one. The day started like every other. Kids went to school and came home, adults drove to work and returned to make dinner. As families gathered in their apartments for the evening, it appeared it was going to be a peaceful night like always. On my top floor was a boy of thirteen, watching his three-year-old brother alone for the first time. He had done such a good job; he'd made supper and gotten the toddler down for the night with no problems. However, the little brother had spilled some cereal and it had been ground into the carpet, so the older brother was going to save his mom some work by cleaning up the mess. It wasn't his fault and I don't blame him. He plugged in the vacuum like he'd done a hundred times before, but tonight was different. He plugged it in and turned it on, and suddenly the out­let started sparking. He turned off the vacuum but the sparking continued. The older brother didn't know what to do when suddenly the wall caught on fire! He ran to get his baby brother and ran down the hall screaming “Fire!” until he reached the fire alarm. He pulled it, then grabbed his brother and headed down the stairs. Once he got his brother out of the building, he handed him to a neighbour he trusted. Then he went back inside to help many of my older friends get downstairs, while waiting for the firetrucks to arrive. Once he saw the firemen, the boy made a point of telling them of all the apartments that he knew might need help. Then he found his brother and called his mom. I continued to watch as my friends rushed out of my building. I didn’t know if they were all okay. The smoke was too high. After what felt like an eternity, the smoke faded and I could see the orange light of dawn. I watched my friends leave, going to stay at hotels or with family friends as they waited to be allowed to come back home. This brings us to today. My bright red bricks are now faded and left with black marks. The walls of my rooms have not looked fresh in years, but now they are black or coated in water damage. A man with a yellow hat walks through my halls, making notes. The landlord looks sad as the man hands him the paper. After a few days, my friends are back! But nobody looks happy... In fact, some look angry. They pack up what they can find, leaving with boxes in their arms and tears in their eyes. A few more days and orange fences get placed around me. I know what that means; I've seen it happen to other buildings on my street. The repairs would cost too much, so the landlord took an offer from the city. Now, a work crew is at my door with big yellow machines. As the machines draw close, I only hope that they build a new apartment building and that they name it after the boy who saved my friends. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

They came back every year to this same spot. This little coffee shop on a corner of Main Street, in the small coastal town where their families vacationed for the summer. Ally had gotten there two days ago and she couldn't wait for Betty to arrive. Their holidays didn't line up perfectly this year, but they had still rented a cabin together. Betty was supposed to get here in time for lunch, so they had agreed to meet at the coffee shop. While she waited, Ally sat with the sun warming her back, as she looked around the little shop. She remembered the day they had met…. They were little girls. Ally had begged her mom to take her to the coffee shop because they had the best donuts. The family had been in town for 3 days already and they hadn't stopped in yet. Finally, Ally had gotten her mother to agree, and they went, just the two of them! They walked into the shop and the smell was amazing. The place was full, but they got donuts and tried to find a seat. Ally saw a spot there next to another mom and daughter. "Mommy, can we sit with them? We can make friends!" Ally pulled on her mom's hand. "Well, I suppose we can ask." They walked over. "Hi, would you mind if my daughter and I sat with you? It's rather full and my daughter wanted to make friends with your daughter." "Oh, of course! We just got here for our vacation and I would love for Betty to make some new friends." So the moms visited while the two girls got to know each other. “I'm Ally!" She waved. "I'm Betty! I like your shirt." She took a bite of her donut. "Thanks, it's Bambi. It's one of my favourite Disney movies." She pointed to Bambi and smiled. "What's your favourite Disney movie?" "Oh, Mama doesn't like those movies so I haven't seen many.” Betty sighed. "Well, stay my friend and we'll change that." Alley laughed at that memory now. She looked around the coffee shop filled with so many memories. They had grown up in this place. They had gone from exchanging letters to emails, to calling and texting over the years. No matter the distance, their friendship only grew. Ally remembered the summer both girls got dumped on vacation, Ally at the start and Betty near the end…. "Men are officially stupid," Ally sighed as they grabbed their chocolate peanut butter milkshakes and headed out of the coffee shop. "On that one, I agree." Betty signed just as heavily. "But, you know what helps?" "What?" Ally looked out at the beach. "Chocolate and amazing friends." Betty lifted up her shake, and Ally tapped her drink against her friend’s. "I'll drink to that." They laughed together. Ally once again realized she’d been lost in a memory. She took a sip of her shake. Coffee was overrated and it was summer; milkshakes were way better. Before another memory flooded her mind, Betty walked into the shop. Ally waved and Betty's smile was so contagious that some of the other people, who had been vacationing here just as long as the girls had, smiled too. They knew this was the first time the two friends had seen each other in a year. Ally got up from her seat and smothered Betty with a hug. "Go order your lunch, Gus is waiting to make mine." Alley sat back down. "Still starting with dessert, I see?" Betty teased. "Please, this is my drink; a donut will be dessert. Plus, I'm on vacation." Ally stuck out her tongue. "Now go order." Betty laughed and headed off. A few minutes later, Betty returned with her own milkshake. "And you judged me." Ally objected. "I never said it was a bad idea," Betty defended herself. "Sure…. Hey, you know what's crazy?" Ally tossed her straw wrapper at her friend. "Hey." Betty giggled. "What's crazy?" “This is year six that we've been coming here alone." Ally pointed out. "No way! Are we really that old? It feels like only yesterday that we were calling our parents every day with another question about these trips." Betty sat in shock. "We are 26 and 27 this year. So yep, it's been that long." Alley smiled and took a nice long sip. Gus brought out their lunch."Have a good visit girls; I know it will be too short. Don't forget, my wife and I are just a few doors down if ya need anything." He smiled and walked away. "So, what should we do in our few short days together?" Betty asked starting into her salad. "We could go for a walk?" They always went for walks, sometimes on the beach, some days in the big garden, other times to the little garden. "And it might not be a bad idea to get that in today; it might rain tomorrow or the next day. "Oh, then we can curl up and read.” Betty clapped her hands. "Ya like we didn’t see that coming!” Ally teased. With lunch done, the two girls headed out, stopping by the cabin to drop off Betty's bags. They decided to walk through the garden and then go to the beach for a bit. Ally had brought her newest jean picnic blanket, which they sat on to enjoy the sounds of the beach. They caught up on life, soaking in every moment they could. The next day it did in fact rain, so the two girls curled up on opposite ends of the couch, enjoying their books. After a while, they switched to their different stitching projects; Ally quilted and Betty embroidered. Finally, they each made a warm drink of choice, and just existed together. Soon evening rolled in and the rain stopped, so the girls went for a stroll to watch the sunset. They both liked sunrises more, but sunsets were easier to see when they were going to spend the night chatting anyway. "Hey Betty, let's walk this way." Ally led her friend down a familiar path. "Hey! Isn't this where our parents rented cabins when we were kids?" Betty started trying to find the old cabins. "Ya, before somebody bought too many of them. But that's not why I brought you here." Ally stopped in front of one cabin. "Remember this one?" Betty stared hard at the cabin. "This is that sweet storybook-lady cabin isn’t it?" When the girls were young, there had been an older lady who lived at the campground most of the year and made her home seem like a fairytale. Looking at it now, the place had faded, but the right people could bring it back to the girls’ childhood memory. "Yep, this is the one. The lady passed away last year and her son had to sell it." Ally explained. "Oh, how sad. She was such a sweetheart. And who knows if the new owners would keep her legacy alive." Betty sighed. "Well, maybe..." Ally pulled a set of keys out of her pocket. "You didn't?!" Betty couldn't believe it. "I did. I could afford it. He wanted the place gone so he gave me a good price. So, we have a vacation home to share if you wanna sign some papers. We won't have it till next year. He wanted one more summer with the cabin. So we have time to make arrangements. Come on, he gave me the keys so we could look it over while we’re together." Ally smiled so brightly she thought her face might break. "Ally, this is amazing! Of course, I'll own this with you. Then, we can always come back to this place every year, no matter what happens." Ally opened the door for her best friend and the new journey they were about to start. “That was my thought. No matter what, we can always come back to this same spot." Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you do, click the Login/Sign Up button at the top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!

Nancy is a normal six-year-old with friends and parents who love her. She doesn’t have any siblings but she doesn’t mind that…or at least, she didn’t mind until she was six. Then... "Mommy? When do I get a baby sister like Susie?" Her mom has to catch the glass she nearly drops. "Oh baby, we aren't going to have any more kids. Just you." She pokes Nancy’s nose. That night Nancy hears a thump under her bed. "Who's there?" No answer. "I'm not scared, you know! I'm the bravest girl in the High Queen’s Court! She made me a knight at recess today! So you can't scare me." "Oh, a knight, eh?" A voice comes from under Nancy’s bed. "I didn't realize I was in the presence of such greatness." Suddenly a little monster, with wings, three eyes, a long tail, orange fur with purple spots, and hands that seemed to float, flies out from under her bed. "Eep!" Nancy pulls her blanket up to her nose. "What's this? I thought you weren't scared." The monster flies close to her face. "I'm not! You startled me! And Mommy says there is a difference!" Nancy folds her arms, trying to prove a point. "And to prove it, I'm going to call you Bubbles. Because no one is scared of bubbles!" She smirks and waits for him to answer. "A name? I've never had one of those before." He plops down on the foot of her bed. "Well, if you promise to be nice to me, you can stay and maybe you can be my friend. But Susie is my best friend. So don't try to take her place!" With a sharp nod, Nancy curls up under her blanket and falls asleep. The next morning, Nancy tries to tell her mother all about Bubbles, the monster under her bed. But her mother responds with a simple “That's nice, dear” and comments on her active imagination. When Nancy tells her friends at school about him, some laugh and others tell her it sounds cool. So, she decides to keep Bubbles a secret. A few years go by and Nancy is nine, getting ready to go to summer camp for the first time. "Bubbles, are you sure you can't come with me?" "Nope, I belong in your room. Besides, you'll have fun with your new friends. And isn't Susie in your cabin?" Bubbles sits on her bed, waiting for her to be done packing so he can move to his favourite spot on her shoulder. "Yep! Or at least, that's the plan! Our moms marked us down as cabin buddies!" Nancy closes her bag. "Okay! I'm ready!" She flops down on her bed, and Bubbles curls up on her shoulder. "I'm going to have fun this week, right?" "Of course you are! Camp is so much fun! There is candy and swimming, staying up late and meeting new friends. You'll be sad to leave, trust me." Bubbles smiles and does a flip in the air, causing Nancy to giggle. "Okay, okay, I'll have fun and I'll come back and tell you all about it!" Nancy catches Bubbles as he flies back toward her. More years go by and now Nancy is twelve years old - somewhere between a kid and a teen. One day after school, her mom sits her down to talk. "Nancy, your father and I have news." "Okay, what's up?” She notices her parents aren't smiling. This has to be bad news, she thought. "I got a new job,” her father starts. “It's in a different city.” "Wait, a different city? Do I have to leave my friends? This isn't fair!” Nancy starts shouting. "Wait, Nancy! You and I won't leave till school is out, and you'll still get to go to your summer camp. Then you'll start at a new school in the fall." Her mother smiles at her. Nancy doesn’t care. She doesn’t want to move. She gets up and runs to her room, burying herself in blankets and hiding her face in the pillows. She can’t stop herself from crying. Suddenly, something lands on her shoulder. "Hey kid, what happened?" As Nancy slowly sits up, Bubbles plops down beside her and lets her pet him. "I'm moving, Bubbles. Away from my friends, my school, everything." She can't look at him. She stops petting him and picks at her blanket. "Not right away, right?" Bubbles sits his hand on hers. "No, I have till the end of the school year." Nancy still looks away. "Well, alright then. You and Susie can create a school bucket list and see how many things you can get done before the end of the year." Nancy smiles a bit, but Bubbles knows Nancy too well, "Come on kid, what else is it?" "Will you come with me? You never come to camp; can you leave this house?" She finally looks at him. "Oh kid… of course, I'll come with you. I'm your monster. I belong in your room, wherever that is." Bubbles floats up and flips, and Nancy holds out her hands. He lands perfectly, she brings him close to her face, and they share a little hug. "And this time when I pop out from under your bed, I won't scare you." He winks. "Hey, I wasn't scared, I was startled!" Nancy strikes that same sassy pose that she did all those years ago, then sighs. "Alright, I should go and apologize to Mom and Dad." The school year goes by too fast for Nancy. Soon she and Bubbles are packing up her room and saying goodbye to the space. Nancy cries more than she thought she would. But they move. Her new room is bigger. Bubbles likes having more space to fly around. Nancy dares to hope that maybe things in the new city will be okay. However, Nancy decides that starting a new school at thirteen is the worst. The kids are mean, and she has no friends. She misses Susie. "Come on kid, it can't be that bad," Bubbles says after a few months of listening to her complain. "Bubbles, it's been months and no one likes me! I hate it here." Nancy paces around her room. "Maybe you should join the school play or one of the sports teams and make friends that way,” Bubbles suggests. “If nothing else, it would give you something to do." Bubbles sits on her shoulder, getting her to stop pacing. "I mean… I guess I could give it a try. Thanks, Bubbles." Nancy does join the school play and the choir. While she doesn’t find a new best friend, she does get out of her shell. She finds a group of kids to spend time with at school, and that makes the days a bit easier. Once Nancy gets to high school, she finds her friend group growing, thanks to the much bigger choir and drama club. Even though she feels like she belongs more in her high school, she’s still a teen…. "Bubbles, is something wrong with me?" Nancy asks. Bubbles sits on her shoulder as she tries to read for her assignment. "What do you mean kid?" He’s been looking over her shoulder reading the book too. "Well, I'm seventeen and none of the boys in the club or choir seem to like me." She sighs and closes the book. "What do you mean? Didn't a bunch of those kids come over last week for a bonfire?" He flies down and sits on the book. "Not like that, Bubbles…” She sighs and stares at the ceiling. "Oh! You mean in the lovey-dovey kinda way!" He laughs. "It sounds weird when you say it that way." She sighs again. "Okay kid, come on, stand up." He flies over to her mirror. Nancy reluctantly follows. "What do you see?" She looks at herself for a moment and speaks quietly. "Someone I don't like. I'm ugly and awkward; no wonder no one likes me." She looks down, feeling defeated. "You know what I see?" Bubbles gently lifts her chin to look back in the mirror. "I see a girl with big dreams, who has a heart of gold. She has a smile that brightens everyone's day. She has a beauty that goes past the skin…and I wish she saw it too." Her smile returns. So what if she doesn’t get a boyfriend in high school? She has Bubbles, her closest friend. Nancy catches him in her hand and hugs him. "Thanks, Bubbles." More years fly by. Nancy is packing the last few odds and ends in her room for college - the box her parents called “the last-minute box.” "I can't believe I leave for college tomorrow, Bubbles! We're going to have so much fun!" "Hey, kid." Bubbles tries to get her attention. "It's the next big adventure!" She puts one last item in the box and tapes it shut. "Kid..." "I know it could be hard with a roommate and all, but we will make it work - I know it!" She's ignoring him and he can tell. "Nancy, come on, stop." He lands on the box, not letting her ignore him anymore. "No..." She fights back tears. "Nancy, you know I'm not coming with you." Bubbles takes her hand and leads her to the foot of her bed. "I...I know, but you'll be here when I come home for breaks, right?" She can't look at him. "I think you already know the answer to that one, kid." He rests in her hand, looking tired now. "You know…I think when we moved, I knew you weren't real. Then things were so hard, I didn't want to give you up." Nancy gives him a tear-filled smile. "I know." Bubbles speaks softly. "And now, it feels like giving you up is letting my childhood die." She didn't even try stop her tears. "Oh kid, even grown-ups are kids at heart; you just have to learn how to let your child out every once in a while." He gives her a small flip, Nancy giggles, and he plops down in her hand again. She blinks her tears away. "Alright, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. How do we do this?" She brings him toward her face, sharing one last, long hug. After a moment Bubbles breaks the silence, moving to ride on her shoulder. "Let's go to the window." Together they walk quietly to the window. Nancy slowly opens the window, wishing more than anything that she could stop time. "How will I do this without you?" Her voice is tight. "Aw kid, all my ideas were yours anyway. You're gonna be just fine. I know, just know it." He gives her one last flip off her shoulder. "So long, Bravest Knight of the High Queen. May your bravery serve you well." He flies off into the night sky. "Goodbye, my friend." Nancy lets herself fall to the floor and cry for a while. She knows she is going to miss him. Did you like what you read? Do you want to get notified when I post a new story before my Facebook or Instagram followers do? If you click the Login/Sign Up button at top of the blog post and you will become a site member and get notified when I post a new story every Friday! Or you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram and get updates later on in the day!