The Decision | The Freewrite House (9/11/21) Prompt : A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Today, I'm participating in the @freewritehouse's prompt: A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words - 9/11/2021. The photo prompt is interesting as it reminds me of how I'd love to spend my elderly years just relaxing and enjoying life. My story revolves around this scenario.

THE DECISION

The fight was intense. The words I couldn't take back. It shouldn't have gotten out of hand, but I was hurt. I was hurt that Lionel wouldn't commit to moving forward after three years. That meant moving away from the daily grind of working in a small town; moving to another state; and moving forward with other ventures we'd planned. I needed him to show he was serious about our relationship. Not having heard from him in ten days, that meant moving on alone if I had to make the decision today.

Not even the crisp morning and delightful sounds of people beginning to stir outside my second-story window could jump start my heart to joy of just being alive this day. The breeze from enticed me to move closer. I took a quick look to see if weather was approaching.

I concluded a hazy day; no rain, but overcast. Perfect for a morning walk. Perfect to lift my spirits. Perfect to think about the decision I needed to make about my future. So, I grabbed my light jacket and headed down the stairs onto the sidewalk.

Feeling the need for something strong to drink, I surveyed the block for a coffee shop.

I dug my hands deep within my jacket. It wasn't cold; however, I felt a slight chill. I wanted to explore a new route having moved ten days ago. Just like my career, I felt I need to pursue a different path.

My eyes fixed on a peculiar site at the end of the block. The sculptures intrigued me. However, the aroma of hot coffee stirred my senses as I turned away and headed into the shop. I quickly secured my cup of caffeine. Outside, I looked around again for the figures and decided to investigate.

Always curious, this would give me time to think about my decision. I desperately wanted to work things out with Lionel. But I needed him to make the first move.

As I rounded the block, I saw an opening at the edge of the park that was surrounded by a fence. Flowers covered the landscaped yard. The sky was clear enough for me to see the figures. Birds stirred in the trees nearby. Several families strolled through the park.

Once I was close enough to see the figures, I noticed they were actually people. I settled down on a long bench facing them. I couldn't believe it because they were perfectly still for several minutes. I had to move closer.

I glanced again at the people sitting in wrought iron chairs. They sat in front of the stone wall facing the entrance to the public park. Behind them stood the brick facade of the assisted living facility.

I felt as though I was in a time lapse. The elderly people looked so serene. Sitting close to each other, I instantly felt as though they were a couple. The woman was reading intently toward the end of a particular section of the newspaper. Her feet were comforted by a small, round table, upon which she placed them, displaying her beautiful sandals. She looked at peace.

The elderly gentleman, wearing with his large glasses, sat erect with feet placed squarely on the pavement. I looked over his shoulder and noticed another smaller pair of glasses next to a mobile phone. I bit my lip as I thought the glasses definitely belonged to the woman. For some reason, she seemed to want to prove she could read without them. How quaint, I thought.

They were so absorbed in their reading that they didn't initially look up when arrived.

"Hello, how are you?" I asked politely. They didn't seem unfriendly, just seriously absorbed in their reading.

"Hello. I'm Sachetan. This is my wife, Ananya. Isn't she beautiful with that flaming red hair. That's why I married her you know? I just laughed and replied that indeed his wife was beautiful. The couple seemed intriguing, so I ventured further and asked, "How long have you been married?"

"60 years and 6 months." Sachetan smiled widely.

Ananya kept reading, then suddently responded without looking up. "No, Sachetan, 60 years. You forgot about the 6 months we were separated."

"That doesn't count." Now her husband placed the newspaper down and looked directly at me, laughing and shaking his head.

"Why not? I moved away from you and went to live with my parents," his wife countered in a hearty tone. I could feel there was still some playfulness in her voice.

Sachetan was laughing outright now. He looked at her, then looked at me and said in a low soothing voice, "because your parents lived next door."

"Doesn't matter. We were still separated," his wife bluntly, but in a softer tone. I could tell she wanted to laugh, but held back.

"I saw you everyday. You even cooked and invited me over. Besides, the neighbor you're referring to that lived two doors down had five children. You already gave me ten, so I didn't need the extra responsibility." They were thoroughly enjoying themselves. I thought to myself that this wasn't the first time they'd told this story to those they encountered.

"You're splitting hairs as you so often do." His wife was determined not to lose this line of argument and get her point across.

I looked from one to the other, smiling broadly now. I'd totally forgot about my argument with Lionel. The banter floated like a lullaby as both took in, then returned the sweet words with playful smiles.

Sachetan then placed the newspaper down and reached for his wife's hand. She looked into his eyes as he spoke directly to me. "You know young lady, it doesn't matter what goes on afterward. If you have a good foundation in a relationship, you can work through any issues.

The stoic looks and vibes I felt when I first approached them had disappeared into a cloud of loving humor. I asked to take their photo as a reminder of my eventful day.

"As long as our faces don't end up in some modeling or dating website I read about." I threw my head back and laughed heartily.

As I looked up, I could feel moisture in the air. The weather had turned chilly. Good thing I'd brought my cap and gloves. I placed both on, finished my coffee, and bid them farewell.

I couldn't get home quick enough. My heart was beating fast as I rounded the corner to the brownstone and up the stairs. I kept thinking about Sachetan's comment. A good foundation.

Once inside, I sat on the couch and pondered what type of foundation did Lionel and I have. I tossed aside my conviction that he needed to be the one to call first.

"Hello. How have you been these past ten days? No word from you at all. I stepped out as we'd planned. I feel like I'm out here by myself. I need to know where we stand and if we're on solid ground?" My words rushed forth, not giving him a chance to speak.

It was so good to hear Lionel's voice. I then paused, waiting for his response.

"Chloe, I love you. I'll tell you all in five days. I've been in the field. I needed two extra weeks to secure my transfer. It's all set. I don't know what the position will be or if it'll be enough to secure our new venture, but we'll be together." Lionel's husky voice was soothing as I listened to his plans.

I almost dropped the phone with delight. Sometimes you don't need words to answer your question, I thought. However, my tone quickened. "You're going to love this city. I had an amazing morning."

"I have a few minutes, tell me about it," Lionel said patiently.

"No, you don't have time. I'll send you something. I hope one day it'll be our story. Just text me if you agree."