7. Carl - Comforting Closure
Chapter seven
Carl - Comforting Closure
E die got a part-time waitress job at a local restaurant in our hometown. Sean was still on assignment, so one afternoon following her lunch shift, she drove to the city where Carl, her beautiful boy had worked five years earlier. She never said what was swirling inside her head but as she drove past the factory, memories of Carl’s loving care flooded her heart and a tsunami of tears gushed from deep inside. She remembered his gentle touch, his kiss and she could still almost smell the lilacs he filled her room with. She couldn’t stop the longing that roared like fire; she had to see him just one more time. Driving to the factory she didn’t stop to reason what she might learn. She went into the office; he was a line supervisor and he would have his dinner break in a half hour. She wrote a note for him and waited in her car. Would he want to see her or would he ignore her request?
Dear Carl,
This is Edie. I know it’s been so long.
I need to see you. I’m outside waiting. Please come out. Edie
She watched the door, her head pounding, her breath ragged, and her hands shook like a leaf in the wind. As the factory door opened, she stepped outside of her car. When he saw her, beautiful Carl ran towards her with outstretched arms. She couldn’t describe the feelings that encapsulated her entire body and soul. Beautiful Carl was still beautiful to her and she fell into those arms- those strong arms of comfort that she had depended on nearly for her life. They caressed each other, held hands, and wiped tears that couldn’t be controlled. When they were able to speak, he told her how much he missed her and hoped he could find her but that never happened.
He explained that he had married a sweet girl and they had a baby girl named Bella who was his whole world. She made her marriage to Sean sound as lovely as those lilacs in Spring but somehow, he looked at her with doubtful eyes. Through her sobs, she was able to let him know how his loving care had given her the strength to endure the pain that she went through when she was just a budding teenager. His touch was so lovely, so gentle, so familiar, so heart-wrenching. They both belonged to someone else.
“Edie, can I give you one final kiss to remember you by?” he pleaded.
“I’d never forgive myself if you didn’t,” she sighed. That kiss sealed their futures but they had closure and their memories would last a lifetime inside Edie’s Hope Chest. And just like that…Carl was gone forever.