Noah
“Thanks so much for everything, Clay. You as well, Iris,” I said, holding my hand out. “You really did help me feel back at home.”
I’d been staying at the bed-and-breakfast since I’d returned to town, but today I’d finally gotten the keys to my new place.
“Well, it’s nice to know I have a place should I need it.” I smiled as I placed my bag in my truck.
“Of course, anytime, and if you need any help to get things from the storage area, just let me know. Iris can always take care of things here with my mother for a couple of days,” Clay said, placing his arm around her and pulling her into him.
I’d forgotten what a close-knit community Willow Valley was, and it was almost surreal being back here after all these years.
The last time I’d been here was to bury my mother; the next was to put my father in the old-age home where he was now living.
Dementia had set in only nine months ago, and when I went out to visit him last week, he no longer knew who I was.
“Thanks, I might just take you up on that,” I said, holding my hand out toward Clay.
We shook hands, then I hugged Iris before climbing into my truck. Starting the engine, I backed out of the driveway, waved goodbye, and headed toward the small grocery store.
Twenty minutes later, I wandered through the aisles that hadn’t really changed since before I’d left. I loaded some things into my cart and then made my way to the cashier.
Placing the items I’d picked up on the belt, I waited my turn while the cashier dealt with a woman ahead of me. As I waited, I noticed a flyer from the community center; they were looking for help for the holidays.
“Can you tell me what the Holiday Elves are about?” I asked the cashier, pointing at the card.
“Oh, sure can. I volunteer there on my days off. It’s a charity that helps aid young children in the community.
They are mostly children of military families whose parent or parents are on active duty.
It gives them a place to go, to be with other kids in the same situation, so they don’t feel so alone.
From now until after Christmas, we have game days, and we do special lunches on the weekends for the kids, as well as Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner.
It’s a fantastic program, and it’s rewarding. ”
“Sounds like it would be something that I might be interested in helping with,” I said, taking a picture of the flyer with the information.
“You’re new to the area? I’ve not seen you around here before.”
I chuckled. “Yes, sort of. I grew up here, so not really new to the area. I’ve been staying over at the bed-and-breakfast but finally got the keys to my new place today.”
“Oh, well, in that case, welcome back. What do you do for work?” the young girl asked.
“Thanks. I spent most of my younger years serving in the military, but now I’m a counselor who specializes in working with vets and children.”
I looked back down at the paper and read it over again. This was how small towns worked, everyone was always curious about the new person.
“Well, if you are seriously looking for something to do, the holiday elves are a wonderful way to give back. They also add to the program at Christmas. The entire community does a fundraiser for the less fortunate in the community, and I’ve heard through the grapevine, which is rather small in this town, that this year we are focusing on the young girl who lost her parents in an ambush during a peacekeeping mission last year.
She was only eleven at the time, and an only child.
She has been staying with the woman who runs the community center but will be sent to foster care soon. ”
I nodded, realizing that I was one of the lucky ones who made it out when I knew many people didn’t. Hell, one of my best friends was one of the unfortunate ones and had gotten killed right in front of me.
“You think it might be something you are interested in? I know the organizer personally and would be happy to introduce you. They have also announced they were looking for a counselor just recently. I’m sure they’d be happy to speak with you.”
I thought for a moment. I didn’t really have permanent employment at the moment and had no clue what sort of opportunities there might be out here. The only postings I’d seen had been in surrounding areas, nothing right in Willow Valley.
“I could even give you Ethan’s number. He is another retired military man who helps at the center.”
“Thank you, but there is no need. I think I’ll call them once I get settled, or perhaps I’ll just drop in,” I said and smiled.
She gave me a small smile and continued packing up the few things I’d gotten.
“Have a good night,” I said once I paid for my order and grabbed my bags of groceries.
“You too, and welcome back to Willow Valley. I hope to see you around!” she yelled as I made my way toward the exit.
I loaded my things into the back of my car and then climbed into the driver’s seat and fired up the engine, only to see a flyer on my windshield.
I quickly reached for it, removing it and bringing it into the car.
Memories flooded me the moment I looked down at the flyer for Potts Tree Farm.
I’d often wondered over the years what had happened to the farm.
Did Mindi’s parents still own it? Was she still in town somewhere?
My parents had become tight-lipped about her and her family after they found out I never got an answer to my proposal.
A few months later, my parents left Willow Valley, returning a few years later after my father retired.
I never heard of Mindi or the Potts family again.
The last information I’d gotten was from the letter I’d gotten from Mindi, the year her father had finally turned the tree farm into a business.
I never got a response to the letter I’d sent answering that letter of hers, and I’d never heard from her about the proposal.
I often wondered if she’d gotten involved with someone else while I’d been gone and just hadn’t had the heart to tell me.
It wasn’t uncommon for that to happen; hell, I’d watched it happen to at least three of the guys in my platoon the year after I’d sent the card.
Seeing their pain sort of made me happy that I had heard nothing; however, as time passed, the not knowing seemed to be worse in ways.
I felt broken for a long time, but then I focused my sights on my career and decided the military was where I was staying.
It became easier. Soon, the only family I had was my military family, but three tours later, being away from home and having a normal life began calling to me.
When it came time to re-enlist, I decided I’d had enough.
I wanted a life that didn’t involve hurting others, plus I had been dealing with some major PTSD symptoms that were making my job harder and some days my life impossible.
So, I took a leave before I resigned and got the help I needed, then started taking some classes and, while still employed by the military, I studied and became a counselor to help others with PTSD.
I still worked for the military on a very part-time basis, but was craving something a little different, and this might be the thing I was looking for.
The steady beeping of the microwave caught my attention, and I opened the door, removing the microwave dinner I’d grabbed for tonight. I placed it on a plate and carried it and the bottle of beer I’d just opened into the living room.
I’d barely unpacked anything, and I had more space than I knew what to do with after all those years of sharing a bunk with my brothers. I’d, however, hooked up the TV. I sat down in my new chair and flipped through the channels, finding a hockey game to watch for the night, and dug into my dinner.
Once finished, I grabbed the napkin that sat beside my plate and wiped my mouth, then looked down to see the card I’d removed from my windshield.
On it was the same stand Mindi had sent me a picture of all those years ago.
The paint was faded now, but I could still read the words, and as I read over the flyer, my mind instantly went to thoughts of her.
I grabbed my phone and opened a new browser.
I was probably asking for trouble as I began typing her name into it.
I was about to hit send, but stopped. What was I doing?
Had I forgotten what it was like trying to get over her?
Obviously, I had. Nothing good could come from looking her up, so I put my phone down and went back to watching the hockey game.
The moment the game was over, I found myself back online. Friends from the military who’d left at the same time I had were bugging me to get set up on social media, so I went to Facebook and created a profile, then looked them up, sending a friend request to each of them.
They’d also been on me to get into the dating scene.
I’d given that some thought and quickly decided that the online dating scene really wasn’t for me.
I’d prefer to meet someone in person and get to know them slowly, but I was carrying a lot of baggage from being in the military.
While I’d worked through a lot of them, I still had wounds.
I was also dealing with the wounds of being back here in Willow Valley, dealing with my father, and all the thoughts and memories of Mindi I’d pushed to the side and not really dealt with.
I had to know what she’d been up to. I’d planned on driving out to her parents’ place when I left the inn tonight but decided against it.
I wasn’t sure I was ready to find out the truth just yet, even though it was killing me inside, but now that I knew the tree farm was still here, I had to know if she was too.
As I sat there, I typed her name into the search bar on Facebook and hit enter, hoping her name was still the same. Seconds later, her picture appeared before me.
I took my time, slowly scrolling through her profile, looking at the pictures she’d posted.
It appeared from this anyway that she was still single, perhaps never married, and from the looks of it, she didn’t have children.
My vision blurred as I continued scrolling, and I wiped at my eyes, blinking a few times.
What had she been doing all this time if she wasn’t married?
What would have happened to us had she accepted my proposal?
Would we have a house full of kids? Would we still be together?
All the questions I knew I needed answers to floated through my mind. It was the only way I’d be able to move on with my life and start a relationship with someone new. I also knew there would only be one way to find out. I just needed to find the courage to actually take the steps to ask them.