Healing Memories

Amber tossed her dark brown hair over shoulder, letting a laugh bubble over her lips. Slipping off her shoes she ran down the hill, slipping on the slick grass and tumbling the remainder of the distance. The day was warm, encompassing her in a comforting summer blanket. A familiar scent drifted on the breeze, toying with her senses as it reminded her of him. A tantalizing combination of earth and home that aroused painful memories; the key to the box she had tucked carefully at the front of her mind, hesitant to place it too far back. Void of the dust that covered many of the other boxes neatly stacked in her mind, this was because, unlike the other boxes, she couldn’t bring herself to discard it so easily; it was strung too close to her heart.

She closed her eyes, letting the fragrance that saturated her surroundings lure the memories from their hiding place. When she opened her eyes, the light blurring her vision slightly, she smiled.

“Roy?” The question came as a whisper when she spotted his figure at the top of the hill. “Roy!” She repeated, much louder this time. Amber laughed as he headed down the hill. Turning, she yelled over her shoulder. “Bet you can’t catch me slow poke!”

Laughing, she ran, the folds of her skirt flying behind her like a flag in the wind. Glancing behind her, she spotted Roy coming playfully after her. She giggled and then gasped suddenly when his arms wrapped around her waste, pulling her close and spinning her to face him. Amber smiled openly now, staring into honest hazel eyes she rested her forehead against his. It had been so long since she’d seen him, since he’d really looked at her.

Every detail burned itself into Ambers mind, the bold freckles scattered across his round face, the wild strands of golden brown hair that teased his eyebrows and oh, those eyes! She wanted so badly to believe it was real and when she was left standing there, victim to the playful breeze, she understood truly that he was gone. Only the ghost of his touch on her skin was left, a mere memory that she fed for fear of one day losing it entirely. His voice echoed in her mind, his laugh rung in her ears, his promises hung themselves like framed pictures in her heart, his steps pointed away from her and though he was gone, she held him oh, so very close to her heart.