A call from the woods

Sam had been driving for two hours. Another hour and he would be standing in his hometown; where he grew up.

After his parents joined better firms and relocated to a better place; returning to this place became even more difficult.

Ashley was the reason for this unplanned journey after three years.

He was twenty-two when he had to leave his childhood home behind, but leaving Ashley was the most painful decision.

'I'm not in a healthy state of mind. I can't handle myself, forget about a relationship. I might hurt you, Ashley. I think it would be better if we forget about whatever we had. Just forget everything. You'll find someone better. Someone who isn't mentally unstable.'

These were Sam's last words to Ashley when she had visited him a day before he left. He remembers shouting at her. He could never forget how her face had turned pale, then red, and then colorless. She had tears, her nose had turned red, her lips were struggling to not quiver and her hands were anxiously rubbing against each other.

But she did not say a word in response. She kept staring at his face; although her teary eyes would have made it difficult to see clearly. She remained quiet.

'You should go home now. Do you want me to drive you back?'

Sam had offered hesitantly. He must have been sorry. Maybe he was trying to have an easy farewell.

'Ashley...'

Tears fell from his eyes the moment he realized that he had pushed her away and before he could speak further, Ashley turned to leave.

He never stopped thinking about her; she remained his true love, yet he never had the courage to contact her over the years. He kept wishing a good life for her even though it meant seeing her marry someone else.

Sam had tried hard to stay out of her life until the day he found out that Ashley was dying.

'Ashley may have a year. Maybe. I can't say.'

A mutual friend had informed him over the phone.

Sam almost went into shock. It was unimaginable that his love was fighting for her life. He decided to leave for his hometown the same day.

He couldn't let her go without another word. The thought of never seeing her again terrified him. He still loved her and losing her to death would be the last thing he would want.

'Am I speaking to Mrs. Turner?'

He said over the phone.

'Yes. Who is it?'

Sam hesitated a little. 'Mrs. Turner, it's Sam. I'm standing outside your house.'

There was silence.

Sam noticed the curtain of one of the windows on the ground floor moved. He held his breath and stared right at the window.

Mrs. Turner cleared her throat. 'How can we forget you, son? Come inside.'

There was awkwardness between the two. Ashley's mother and sister were the only ones who knew about their relationship and supported them. But, Sam never had a chance to meet her mother in private. He did not know where to start and how to ask about Ashley.

'You must have heard about her condition if I'm not wrong. That's why you're here?'

Sam felt like sobbing and begging to let him see her. He wanted to apologize to her for whatever he said and did. He looked around the house to find something he could recognize from his younger days. The air had a familiar scent that made him nostalgic. He was eager to find her and take her into his arms before destiny takes her away.

'Yes. I want to meet her. If you allow me.'

Mrs. Turner turned her face to hide her tears. 'I let her be with you, Sam. I allowed you to have her and then...'

'I left.'

He stopped her mid-sentence.

They looked at each other with gloomy faces.

'I shouldn't have left like that, I know. I shouldn't have hurt her.'

'But you did, son. I know you were not in a good state yourself. You were suffering from depression and...'

There was silence again.

'I was angry at you for a few months but when Ashley told me everything I thought I should let go and move one.'

'You have the right to be furious at me. I am really sorry for what I did.'

Something fell upstairs.

'Is she upstairs?'

Sam couldn't resist. He stood up from the couch.

'No. Might be the cat. Ashley is usually at the treehouse during the afternoon. It's summer.'

Baffled, Sam stared blankly at Mrs. Turner. He realized, he had forgotten about the treehouse in the private garden of the Turner family.

When was the last time he had been there?

A month before he left.

'It's still there?'

Mrs.Turner nodded with tears in her eyes.

'Sam, I tried everything to make her forget you and whatever you two had back then. But I guess, she never wanted to leave it all behind.'

She pointed at a small photograph of Ashley with a young man, buried under a bundle of old books, and said, 'She was engaged for a brief period. But when they found out about her illness, they broke the engagement. Since then, I promised myself to let her live peacefully before she...'

Sam lowered his head and took a deep breath.

'It's time you should throw that photograph away. Don't you think?'

Mrs. Turner tried to gulp her tears back.

'Yes. Come on, son. This way.'

Mrs. Turner guided him outside the house and showed a newly constructed path towards their private garden.

He stared at the entrance that still had the wooden signboard; 'Way to Ashley & Sam's Treehouse'.

But he also noticed the high boundary walls in place of green hedges.

He smiled and scratched his head.

'It isn't the same. Did you renovate the garden?'

'Her father did after her diagnosis. He wanted to burn down everything but Ashley stopped him.'

Sam couldn't imagine what she might have been through without him. He started to walk towards the iron gate and could clearly see his Ashley run into the garden, laughing her heart out. 'Come on, Sam. Run! Run with me.'

While walking into the newly designed garden, Sam observed the changes. There was a pavement instead of the unpaved green passage. The wildflowers were missing. This place was now a well-maintained garden instead of a little private forest that welcomed colorful butterflies during the day and fireflies at night. He missed the wilderness and he was sure Ashley missed it too. But he smiled faintly when he pinched his eyes to look up; the sky was still the same, so was the hot sun and the treehouse that sat between two giant maple trees.

Sam halted to take in the view; his teenage and adolescent years wrapped up in a treehouse. He noticed that nothing about the treehouse had changed. Memories came back in flashes. He could again hear voices in his head.

'Did you bring my milkshake, Sam?'

Young Ashley would shout from the treehouse.

'How could I forget it, babe?'

Sam would raise his hand to show the big bottle of her favorite milkshake.

'It should be cold enough to rock my teeth!'

Sam remembered laughing at her demands.

He kept walking in the same direction with his eyes fixed on the treehouse. His heart was aching to see Ashley. Where is she? How would she react?

A silent breeze blew away the white curtain on the only window in the treehouse and he imagined little Ashley leaning over to call his name. 'Sam! My boy!'

In a matter of seconds, he traveled back in time and recollected how they were introduced at the tender age of eleven and how easily they came closer.

Sam stepped on to the ladder and smiled recalling how at the age of fourteen, their fathers helped them built this treehouse and Ashley's sister helped to decorate it. But, back then it had many visitors; their close friends on weekends and vacations.

Sam also went back to the day, he and Ashley declared this place as their private den and redecorated it as their summer home.

'It's been so long, Ashley. I'm back!'

He murmured while climbing up the ladder.

He remembered calling Ashley one morning and confessing his feelings to her, right here in this treehouse. She had blushed like a shy girl and hugged him to hide her tears.

Sam tried to push the door open but soon realized it must have been locked. He looked around nervously and then knocked hard.

There was movement inside and he could hear it.

'Who is there?'

A soft familiar voice echoed.

Sam felt his heartbeat fall. Her face from their last meeting was all he could think about. The warm breeze was now hotter to his skin and he realized he was sweating.

'It's me.'

He managed to utter.

Sam stood closer to the door to hear her move. 'I'm here.' He said.

Tears gathered to form a blob and rolled down his sweaty face. He couldn't express how bad he wanted to see her and make things right. He knocked again and again.

'Ashley...'

Suddenly, the door creaked and Sam realized she had unlocked it. He pushed harder and when it opened, he found her standing in front of him just the way he remembers her from the last day.

The only difference was her withered body, quivering lips, and tears all over her pale face.

'Babe?'

The sight was so painful. He tried to remember the Ashley he has always known.

'How? I'm... so sorry...'

Sam took three steps, knelt before her, and began to weep. Ashley let out a loud cry, 'Sam!'

He threw his arms around her legs and pulled her close. 'I made a huge mistake, babe. I want you to forgive me. But, please don't...'

He almost choked.

Ashley touched his arms and slowly knelt.

'I always had a feeling you'd come. Late than never.'

She said softly.

Sam took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. 'You always had faith in us. You never gave up, did you?'

She gently shook her head. 'I loved you, Sam.'

'And I still do babe...I can't tell you how much...'

He pressed her against his heart and sobbed. 'It wasn't easy for me to push you away when I needed you the most. But, back then it felt right. I was a fool. I don't want to lose you again...Please don't go!'

Ashley tightened her grip around him.

'I don't want to...Sam'.

'I won't let you, babe. I won't...I love you.'

Their embrace was warmer than the summer. A light wind from the trees enveloped the treehouse as if to soothe their agony. At last, the birds were back home.