Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Christmas Cards (11/06/08)
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TITLE: Amanda | Previous Challenge Entry
By Llewelyn Stevenson
11/09/08 -
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It was not supposed to have happened. Their newborn was barely a month old when Freddy had gone for a walk through the shopping center, proudly carrying baby Freddy in the crook of his left arm, head resting in his hand, and feet barely reaching the bend of his elbow, snuggly wrapped against the weather. That drunk driver had clipped the inside of the round a bout, mounted the sidewalk at the intersection, and run right over them from behind. Amanda shuddered at the shock she felt when she heard of the accident, and tears welled in her eyes as she pictured the conversation at her unit door. It was so unexpected: so… so horrible. She choked a stifled sob.
Now she sat alone, tearfully toying with the brush in her hands. How she missed Freddy. If only she could hear him say he loved her once more. He was so tender at times she could feel his passion for her in the tone of his voice. Her frame shook as she remembered how she missed him so.
Oh, Freddy,” she said wistfully, looking through blurred eyes at the bedroom ceiling, “If only you could say you love me once more.” Was it never to be?
Rising from the dressing stool she walked from the bedroom, still remembering Freddy. She remembered how he often studied her fingers. “What’s wrong?” she would ask.
Breaking from his thoughts he answered, “O, nothing. Don’t worry about it. Let’s go.” He always mentioned something or some place, smiled, and said, “I love you beautiful,” as he dragged her along to his bidding. She smiled sadly, and went to look for post.
It was close to Christmas, and she found a card rerouted from her family home. It had come via the dead letter office. Looking at the post date she wondered how it had managed to survive all these years, and reach her now. Almost five years had past since it was originally sent.
As Amanda entered the unit she thought she recognized the writing, and her hands began to tremble. Reaching for a butter knife she prized the envelope open and extracted the Christmas card. As she did something fell from within to the floor. She bent, and picked up the eternity ring that lay at her feet. Opening the card she read, “My dear Amanda, merry Christmas. I will always love you, forever. Freddy.”
Amanda gasped, and began to sob. She clutched the card and ring to her breast, as she staggered across the living area. Too emotional to sit, she wandered around the room, crying, laughing, and crying some more. Looking, through tear filled eyes at the Christmas scene pictured, she pressed the card to her lips and held it there, then began to dance.
Finally, exhausted from wildly swinging emotions she found a needle and thread, and sewed the ring to the card. Sweeping all the other cards from the sideboard into a drawer she stood Freddy’s card alone as a centerpiece. She would not wear the ring till Christmas day.
When Christmas Day finally arrived Caroline, her closest friend visited to bring some cheer to Amanda’s Christmas. They ate, drank, and chatted a while till Caroline, who could not keep from glancing at the lonely card on the sideboard, went over to it and said, “It’s a little sad to see only one card standing here.”
A smiling Amanda crossed the room, picked up the card, and pulled the ring from it. Sliding the ring onto her finger, she replied, “It’s the only one that matters.”
Looking at her fingers spread in front of her she said to the room, “Look, Freddy, it fits perfectly, and it really does matter. I will love you always and forever, too. Thank you, darling, for a most perfect Christmas.”
She turned and wept into Caroline’s shoulder.
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