Past & Present Collide (4 page)

Chapter 6

Dearest David,

Please know that these next words won’t be easy for me at all. I have indeed had enough time to sort through the mess and I now know that I can’t do this. I love you I truly do and if one day we find our way back to each other it would be the most amazing reunion I could ever imagine. For now though I need to spread my wings and grow.

I won’t tell you where I am going because I know you will try to find me. Know this is not easy for me because I do love you so, but I have to live my life and I know I can’t marry you right now. Please forgive me for any heartache I may have caused you in this process.

I love you always.

Goodbye,

Kaylie

Kylie found herself lost in a sea of
tears now as she examined the pictures she had scattered on the bed. She couldn’t imagine what had gone wrong for this couple that looked so perfect and so much in love in these photos.

She sighed again, perfection who could’ve guessed it
would be the ultimate problem. As she pondered that thought. A newspaper article in David’s box caught her eye.

The article was dated May 1942. As s
he read over the headline she realized what it was. It was a story reporting a suicide, not just any suicide though, David’s suicide. She skimmed over the article and understood the meaning real quickly and clearly. He had killed himself over a broken heart. After waiting a few months hoping Kaylie would return he realized she was never coming back, and he couldn’t handle it.

The article said his dying wish was to
be buried under the oak tree on the property in case she ever came back. It was a wish that had been honored.

She winced a little at those words not s
ure how she felt about a dead body on the property, but also admitted to herself it was romantic, hopelessly romantic.

She returned the photos and letter to
their corresponding boxes and placed the lid back on David’s box setting it aside. Kaylie’s box was still calling to Kylie and she knew she had to explore the contents more. Under where the photos and letters had been was a small decorative notebook, a journal, Kaylie’s journal.

She took the journal from the box
laying it on the bed next her closing up Kaylie’s box and setting it next to David’s box. She stared at the two boxes for while with a deep sadness washing over her. It was a sadness washing over her a hundred times more than when she had read the letters. She felt a connection somehow with this couple, but even more so with Kaylie.

She finally let her eyes wander back
to the journal on the bed and settled in preparing to read Kaylie’s innermost thoughts. She still hung to some hope that Kaylie’s words would be able to give her some clarity with her thoughts. Plus, she was had become intrigued with the young couple she had never known and had to know more.

Chapter 7

After she felt ready she reached for Kay
lie’s journal flipping to the first page. Something continued drawing her to Kaylie’s words.

December 1941,

Today David showed me the house he
bought for us. It is a lovely home and I can’t imagine a more perfect place to build our lives together in. Sitting on front porch swing together he carved our initials into the back of it. The moment was a special one for both of us.

But here I sit in bed watching him sleep so lost and confused about the future we are supposed to be building. He will be leaving tomorrow for Germany.
It was a mission now causing a postponement in our Christmas wedding. I can’t seem to find the words to tell him that I am relieved we get a little more time before we get married. I know it would crush him because he would think I was giving up on him and us.

Well goodnight I guess maybe some sleep will begin to clear my head a bit, but I know in my heart that won’t be the case and won’t be the case for a while most likely. I do love David of this I will always be sure

Kaylie

Kylie couldn’t believe what she was reading this young woman whose name was so close to her own name, whose fiancé’s name began with the same letter as her own fiancé lived in this house with the man she loved so very much just as lost, confused, and tortured as she was at this very moment. She wasn’t sure now if her own confusion could be answered in

Kaylie’s words, but she wanted to keep the journal close by. She knew Kaylie had chosen goodbye, but what had been the real reason behind that choice. She set the journal on the nightstand turned off the lamp and dozed off.

As she unlocked the door and pushed it open she froze for a moment before walking into the apartment.
She stood just inside her apartment staring at numerous bouquets of carnations and roses that filled the small space.

Her eyes filled with tears as she turned back to where Derek was. He was still in the entry way, but no longer standing he was down on one knee and an open ring box in his hand. She slowly made her way to him.

Once she reached him she dropped to her knees never taking her eyes off of from. She watched him as his beautiful brown eyes stared back as he grabbed up her left hand. He started to speak hi voce lined with both nerves and excitement. “My sweet Kylie, I love you more than anything else in this world. Please do me the honor of marrying me?”

She smiled letting her tears flow freely.
She simply nodded at first as she took his face in her hands. Kylie looked him directly in the eyes as she spoke through tears and unbridled joy. “Nothing in this world would make me happier. Yes, I will marry you.”

She leaned in and kissed him. They shared the most romantic kiss of their lives thus far and then he pulled back. Grabbing her left hand again, removing the ring from its box and placing it to rest on her ring finger. He kissed her
again and they both surrendered themselves completely to each other losing their selves in the kiss.

She awoke from the dream, flipping on the light. She felt the tears falling down her cheek. But she left them there as she stared at her engagement ring. Shaking her head trying to rid the dream from it she switched off the light and tried to go back to sleep. A sleep where she didn’t see all the perfect moments her and Derek had shared together, because it was only clouding things more for her.

Chapter 8

Sleep didn’t come though so she surrendered herself to the early morning and went to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. She searched the kitchen for a bite to eat although since it was so early she really wasn’t hungry. Her thoughts still lingering from her dream of Derek’s proposal. Suddenly a male voice broke through her thoughts.

“Kaylie, Kaylie are you here love? Have you finally come back to me?” The male voice spoke very desperate.

As he rounded the corner Kylie backed up against the kitchen counter. She tried to remember if she had left the door unlocked, but knew she hadn’t. When she swallowed enough of her fear back before looking up at him she processed his words and knew who he was.

“David?” she questioned finally looking up at the man before her.

She couldn’t believe her own eyes, David was dead. She started to wonder if her confusion about Derek was now causing her hallucinations.

“You’re not Kaylie.” His voice broke.

She nodded her answer before speaking, “No I’m not Kaylie. My name is Kylie.”

“I knew she was never coming back. I don’t know why I thought after all this time she would come back now.” He was still breaking after so many years of losing Kaylie.

Kylie knew David must have had some love for Kaylie. She knew it was the same type of love Derek had for her. That all-consuming love that one word from her could tear him apart, break him. Even after dying David still hadn’t given up hope, and that reminded Kylie of something she had recently found.

“Kaylie was here once. She sold the house to my fiancé Derek.” She explained slowly remembering the papers for the house she had found. She was hoping this would help David move on or whatever was supposed to happen.

He looked up at Kylie looking straight into her eyes, “You’re confused. You think about leaving and staying.” His emotions were still worn so clearly in his eyes. He was sad still crushed from a broken heart.

She assumed he was remembering the goodbye letter Kaylie for him.

She thought about the letter as well and her own confusion about Derek. Not knowing what to say Kylie just nodded her response back to David.

“Kylie, don’t break is heart.” With that David turned away from the kitchen took a few steps and disappeared.

Kylie slid down the counter she had been up against. When she hit the floor the tears she had been holding back came like a flood gate had been opened. She saw how David still wore the pain he felt on the outside.

He was still waiting for Kaylie. She didn’t know what had happened to Kaylie after Derek bought the house, but she knew he did indeed buy it from her remembering the papers she had found for the house again.

She grabbed her coffee and headed for the stairs. Kaylie’s journal was calling out to her and something about the encounter whether real or imagined made her want to hear more of Kaylie’s thoughts before she had left David, the girl he loved, the girl the broke him, the girl still breaking him. She took the steps two at time finally reaching the master bedroom.

Resting her coffee cup on the nightstand she settled back into the bed. She reached for the journal and placed it in her lap. For one minute, five minutes, thirty minutes she didn’t know she just stared at the journal before succumbing to it and opening it.