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She hated the fall.
She hated everything about it.
She hated the golden crisp leaves and the way they fell to their own demise. She hated the memories the turn of the season brought.
She hated the fall.
Five Years Ago
She loved the fall.
She loved everything about it.
She loved the golden crisp leaves and the way they fell peacefully. She loved the way it brought people together. She loved the way how created new memories.
Mia Callens could get lost looking at the leaves. She always did. It didn’t matter if she was walking home from school or simply sitting in the car. Autumn was her favorite season.
“That’s your child,” her mother laughed at her husband and she turned her attention towards Mia.
“This is the only reason I know she’s my daughter,” he laughed at his wife’s comment.
Mia’s parents were faithful, but Mia carried none of her father’s physical characteristics. She had everything of her mother’s from her soft nose to her long beautiful fingers, but like her father enjoyed the Fall.
They were on their way home from Mia’s grandparents’ home. Thanksgiving was yet another reason to love Fall and this year was no exception. They always did it big. They decorated, cooked like their were an army and even prepared little gifts. Thanksgiving with her father's parent was something she waited for like an egar puppy getting a treat? Laughter always filled the air, even with the occasional bickering from cousin. But being with family meant the most to Mia. Without it, she had no idea where she’d be, or so she thought.
Five Years Later
She knew exactly where she was in life; gaduated with her Masters in Psychology and in front of her home, her childhood home. It was the one thing she couldn’t leave behind. She wanted to preserve their memories as best as she could, but couldn’t bring herself to look at their photos.
Hanging her coat up on the rack, she headed for the kitchen to prepare herself dinner. She had been living off of take-out for the past two weeks and was sick of it. She didn’t know what she wanted but knew it didn't involved shrimp fried rice.
Standing in front of thr pantry, she stared at all the unused ingredients hearing laughter ring through her ear. She shooke her head and tried to ground herself in the moment. She needed something quick, like pasta. Yeah, that's what she would have, pasta. Maybe shed efen throw on a little pesto and toss in spinach. That was it, that was the plan.
Cooking wasn't all that time consuming. What was, was the fact that sitting at the table in front of her would never be the same. She always sat in the same spot, with the same people. But now all of that was changed. It had been changed for a long time. Five years ago on the dot would be exact. She use to sit at the table, ready to hear about everyone's day and the cracked dad jokes. Now, it was just another reminder of what she’s lost.
“Cheers to me,” she poured herself a glass of wine, and sat in her usual spot. There she ate as she aimlessly stared out the window. Although she hated the Fall, the leave falling outside the kitchen window put her into a trance. A trance so deep memories fooded her mind and tears rolled down her face in waves.
She could hear the laughter of her parents as thry watched her jump into a pile of leaves. She could smell the pie her mother once cooked every year. She could hear her father humming a son he had made up about fall. So many memories and just like that, they were gone with a whip of her tears. Gone just like the people she loved.
How could time possibly go on even when she wasn’t ready? She wasn't ready to move on, yet it seemed that everyone else was. They continued traditionsas if no one were missing. But there were people missing. So how could they possibly move on?
