Roots

On august the 25th 1999, for the first time in my life I have witnessed the last leaf fall down from a tree, as I looked up above me, I noticed big, white and wide branches springing over my head, completely naked, suggesting an arrival of colder days ahead of us.

Some of the happiest memories I have are attached to that mighty oak, it beared witness to an undying love I pledged to my late wife, it saw many beautiful moments between two souls, that were looking for an escape from this troubled world. Back than I never thought that I would spend my last days without her, she gave me new life, and strength only love can. It is almost our anniversary, and I have come to you my friend, to make sure at least you remember us, I hope the carvings of our initials don't hurt you much, she deserves to be remembered.

A voice behind him asked: " Where is she?".

It was a man in his late twenties, Albert assumed. "She's gone", he answered. "I'm sorry to hear that sir".

"It's alright, it was a long time ago", Albert said to him. " Did you carve your initials anywhere?", Albert asked. "No, still waiting for the one, and, please, call me Jamie sir". Albert saw something in the boy he couldn't put his finger on, he believed him to be a good, but a lost soul.

" That's good, you should wait for her, I'm sure she will come around", he said.

" Did you have kids, sir? I always wondered what that would be like", he asked.

Albert looked down to his feet it was obvious he shouldn't have asked that question.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to pry".

"It's alright, like I said it was a long time ago", he said to him. " Twenty something years ago I was away fighting in the war, and my wife was pregnant waiting for me to come home, when her letters stopped coming, I got concerned so I found a way to get back to her... They told me she died giving birth, and my daughter, well I never really found out what happened to her. They said they thought I was dead and they couldn't find the next of kin. In other words they gave her up to someone. Next day I came back to the hospital with my rifle, threatening the doctor until he finally gave up the names, Gordon and Beth Cole. But by the time I got out of prison they moved again, I never gave up looking for her, and I never will. I'm sorry, this isn't what you have wanted to hear, I hope I didn't burned you too much".

"I'm sorry you had to go through that sir, I wish I had anything else to say to you, but I was never one with words", he said to him with as much sympathy he could gather.

" Well it was nice talking to you, I hope you find the one you're looking for Jamie", Albert said to him as he patted him on the back, and continued his daily walk trough the park.

Jamie was left with a feeling of hopelessness, he felt sorry for him, a man he barely knew, yet he poured out his soul to him. Sun was slowly setting behind the buildings, it was time to go home. Maybe he'll stop by the park again tomorrow and offer the man his companionship.

Days went by, but Jamie never saw the man again, but he did notice someone else that cought his attention, a girl, sitting on a bench below the tree where he met Albert, she looked interesting and peaceful. After a few days went by he managed to approach her. " "Hi", he said. She looked up away from her book and said: "Hi".

Jamie froze for a second, in his eyes she was the epitome of beauty. " I'm Jamie, would you like to have a cup of coffee with me?". He bearly got the words out right, but that seemed to entertain the young lady, as she said: " I would like that, my name is Annabelle". She reached out her arm towards him for a handshake. Jamie thought the handshake was firm, wich was a good sign of character in his opinion. Although, Jamie was so distracted by her beauty, that he heard every other word she was saying, her parents names did start a ringing alarm in his head. " I'm sorry what did you say your parents names are?". Annabelle said: " Gordon and Beth, Cole. Do you know them?". "No, I just didn't hear you good enough", he said. " Well, anyway, she continued, I don't have any brothers or sisters, so it's just the three of us". Jamie's mind raced, calculating her age with the information Albert told him, it all matched too good, but he hasn't seen Albert in days, who knows what could have happened. So he decided to say nothing instead.

As days went by Annabelle and Jamie grew closer together, enjoying the love between them, Jamie wanted to carve their initials into the tree he first aproched her by. "Go, ahead", she said.

" I see you found who you were looking for, young man", a voice appeared from behind them. It was Albert. Jamie was happy to see him, and afraid at the same time.

" Albert, I was worried, I didn't see you for a month!".

Annabelle observed Albert closely, wondering who is this man. "Honey, this is Albert, the man I met here by this very same tree".

What Albert didn't know is that Jamie had already told Annabelle about him, and his story. She reached out her hand towards him and shed a year.

" I'm so sorry did I upset you?". Albert asked almost panicked.

" Would you like to grab a cup of coffee with us sir, we have something to tell you".

If you have never seen a grown man cry, be sure, your heart would cry with him, just like Jamies did for Albert's. All these years it turns out they were both looking for the same person, Jamie looked for love and Albert for his daughter, who'd knew they would find her by that same tree, just like Albert and Jamie found each other.

Written by: Antonija Zelic