Memories of the past

It had been twenty-four years since she'd last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. Ruby's eyes crinkled as she smiled fondly at the run down cabin that had been in hiding for over a decade in the middle of the woods. Ruby leaned on her cane as she slowly walked towards the cabin that had once provided her escape. She marveled over at the moss covered building, it looked as though it could collapse at any moment and yet, it looked so strong at the same time. Ruby continued to make her way over to the cabin that held so many memories from so long ago.

She placed her hand on the wooden door, and with some encouragement, pushed the door open; a lonely creak welcomed her. Her eyes roamed over the objects lit up by streams of sunlight; a table and two chairs still sat in the middle of the one room building, tattered curtains hung from the dirt smudged windows. Ruby stepped inside and despite the heavy smell of mold and decay, she didn't recoil from the overwhelming scents. Her smile grew as she saw the rest of the cabin was exactly how she had left it, as she remembered the reason she'd left, her smile faltered. A sigh escaped her lips as she gingerly tested the strength of one of the chairs.

“So many memories,” whispered Ruby as her mind wandered to Jonathon, “so blissfully happy...it was such a shame we had to part and go our separate ways.”

Closing her eyes, Ruby softly began to hum Beautiful Dreamer; her heart swelled with joy as she remembered the days she had spent with Jonathon twenty-four years earlier. She felt light, as though she had entered a dream. Ruby stood and walked towards a small cabinet, her fingers quickly found the false back and with a sigh of relief, pulled out the two items that had always been very precious to her. A diary and a photo album.

Ruby, still humming, sat down back down at the table; she ran her fingers over the soft leather of the books. These were the only two items that she wanted by her side, the only items she wished to take with her to her grave. As she thought of her family, Ruby simple stared at the treasured items; she almost felt afraid to reopen them.

'Have courage and jump...' Ruby thought taking a deep breath and opened the photo album. The first photo was of her smiling into into the camera and Jonathon kissing her cheek; behind them was the cabin in which she now sat. Every photo lifted her spirits, Ruby felt happier now than she had in a very long time. The day Ruby and Jonathon parted ways, was the day she felt a part of her had died; it had been painful for both of them.

Ruby closed her eyes once again and allowed her mind to wander to the past, to the day she had met Jonathon:

' “Ahh!” squealed Ruby as she felt her feet slide on the ice

“Hold on!” a deep voice assured from behind her

Ruby felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her just as she was about to collide with with the ground. Her heart pounded against her chest, 'At least I didn't drop the groceries!' she thought turning around to thank the man who had saved her from humiliation.

“Thank you so much!” gushed Ruby her eyes widened slightly as she gazed into a pair of bright green eyes

“It's always a pleasure to save a lady in distress.” winked Jonathon blushing slightly

They spent the next few minutes talking and laughing; Ruby felt more like herself talking to this gentleman. As the conversation started to die down, Ruby felt desperate to keep a connection with Jonathon, without fully thinking about what to say, she blurted, “Would you like to grab lunch tomorrow?”

Jonathon's smile widened as he eagerly accepted, “I would love to, Ruby!”

Ruby's heart picked up it's pace, she ignored the guilt wiggling its way into her mind and worked out a time and place with Jonathon.

“I see from your left hand that you're married,” said Jonathon gently, “may I ask...is...”

“The truth is,” interrupted Ruby quickly, “my marriage is an unhappy one...it's crumbling and on the verge of divorce...and I find myself in need of a friend.”

Jonathon took her hand in his and smiled, “I think I am more than capable of being a friend.”'

Ruby's eyes opened and gazed at a photo of Jonathon, he was standing in the river, holding a large fish. “He knew how to make me laugh until my sides hurt,” sighed Ruby gazing at his smiling face, “my Jonathon was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

They had kept their love a secret from her family; Ruby didn't want to hurt anyone but she also knew that she needed to find some happiness in her life. Her husband Frank, never seemed to miss an opportunity to make fun of her or point out any mistake he found with her. After more than a decade of marriage, Ruby had had enough of Frank's cruelty and filed for divorce. Each day had felt like a whirlwind of arguments and trying to keep a semblance of normalcy in the lives of her four children. The day Jonathon entered her life was like someone had thrown her buoy; Ruby found herself smiling more and not dreading the start of each day.

' “Jonathon, I have amazing news,” smiled Ruby throwing her arms around his neck, “the divorce is final and I have custody of my children...I wouldn't have been able to get through this without you by my side.”

“Ruby, you are the strongest woman I have ever met,” stated Jonathon holding her close, “you would have been able to get through this, however, I am grateful to have met you. You have saved me from spending my life alone.”

Jonathon held her tightly, he smiled as he thought of the day they met; he had gotten the mail and had read a letter from his brother who relayed difficult news. When he saw a beautiful woman slipping on the ice, Jonathon had rushed over to help her; his breathe was taken when he gazed into her beautiful hazel eyes. Jonathon knew that she was married but there was something about her that made him feel found.

They secretly escaped to his cabin almost every weekend and simply enjoyed each other's company. It didn't take long for them to fall completely in love with each other and the moment her divorce was final, they began to make plans to get married.'

A tear slid down Ruby's weathered cheek, the happiest moments of her adult life were in this cabin. She had thought that her family would have been happy for her, for finding a man who loved her more than anything in the world. Her parents, her brothers and sister and even her teenage children had vehemently opposed her union with Jonathon.

' “You don't know anything about him Ruby!” snapped her oldest brother Bill angrily pacing the living room, “He's a fortune hunter!”

“You don't know him Bill,” cried Ruby tears streaming down her face, “Jonathon has been more of a husband to me than Frank had ever been...I'm happy with him and I love him.”

“Mom, he isn't right for you!” argued Alice glaring at her mother, “You really should have consulted us before jumping into a relationship with this weirdo.”

“Jonathon is a good man, who treats me well,” declared Ruby begging her family to understand

Later that evening at the cabin, Ruby and Jonathon sat side by side in front of a warm fire; Jonathon waited patiently for Ruby to tell him what was bothering her. He did guess that her family had something to do with her silence. Once she did confide in him, his heart broke into a million pieces; the last thing he had wanted was to cause friction between Ruby and her family.

“Ruby, I love you and I want only the best for you,” sighed Jonathon kissing her forehead as he pulled her closer, “I don't want to cause friction between you and your family...”

“I don't know what to do Jon,” sobbed Ruby leaning into his arms, “I love my family and I love you! I shouldn't have to choose just to make one side happy...I want you in my life, you have made me so happy in the nine months we've been together.”

“These nine months have been the happiest of my life as well,” whispered Jonathon a tear slid down his tanned cheek, “I don't want to lose you but if I don't let you go, you will lose your family...perhaps in a few months we can try again.”

Reluctantly, Ruby agreed and they used their last night together to treasure the time they've been together. Their love would last a lifetime and both hoped that they would be able to reunite as soon as possible.'

Ruby had refused to talk to her family when she'd returned to her house late that night, she locked her bedroom door and cried as the shattered pieces of her heart turned to dust. Every day after that she'd hoped that her family would realize just how much she missed Jonathon; it didn't take her long to recognize that they would never accept the man she had fallen in love with. They tried in vain to set her up on dates with men they approved of, Ruby refused every single attempt her family tried. The only man she wanted was living in the cabin that they spent many a happy hour; she tried to go back to the cabin but her family kept a close eye on her and she was unable to see him.

Time passed slowly, and eventually her family gave up trying to control her love life; Ruby knew that she would never date again unless it was with Jonathon. However, fate had a different plan for Jonathon. A full year had passed since the night, the couple had parted; Ruby had received a letter from the hospital. Once in the privacy of her bedroom, Ruby had sat down on her bed and with trembling hands opened the letter; however, the envelope contained two letters.

She had read the one from the hospital:

“ To whom it may concern,

We regret to inform you that Mr. Jonathon Grund had been involved in a car accident. His injuries were too great and he has passed away soon after he arrived at the hospital...”

Ruby's eyes had filled with tears and she had been unable to read the rest of the letter; she had been unable to bring herself to read Jonathon's letter and hid it in her journal unopened. The letter had remained in her journal for the next twenty-four years. Now as she sat in the cabin, her cane leaning against the cob webbed table, Ruby pulled the letter out of her purse.

Gently, Ruby broke the seal and slid the letter out of the yellowed envelope; tears spilled onto her cheeks as she gazed at the block letters that filled the page, she read:

“My dearest Ruby,

I think of you every day! I long for the day when we can reunite and spend time at the cabin just like we used to. I remember that time when I fell into the river trying to pull that trout out and you had rushed in to save me and we both ended up completely drenched. I had never laughed so hard, though I was grateful because we had spent the better part of the evening cuddled in front of the fire.

Ruby, that day I saved you from slipping on the ice, I knew my life had been changed forever and for the better. I had felt so lost that I had no idea what I was going to do with my life, but when I saw your sweet hazel eyes, I felt like I had been found. You had saved me and I like to think that I had saved you as well.

I will always love you my sweet Ruby and not just until the day I die...I will love you for much longer than that. I will always be you.

Love,

Jonathon”

Ruby lovingly folded the letter and slid into the journal that she and Jonathon had kept together; once both photo album and journal were in her purse, Ruby stood and walked to the door. She took one last look around the cabin. Ruby closed the door securely and took a few shuffled steps before turning back and lovingly whispered, “I will always love you too Jonathon!”

Slowly, Ruby made her way back through the woods, back to where her daughter was waiting on the side of the road. She stopped when she had reached the bend in the path that would block her view of the cabin. Ruby turned and smiled, she had found the closure she needed but more than that...Ruby had found the comfort she needed and that was all that mattered.