An old Promise

Today started like so many before, quickly falling into the routine of getting ready for work. Putting the brain on autopilot, heading out the door. Though today would be different. She just didn’t know it.

Her desk was as usual a complete mess, yesterday’s remains from lunch still sitting there. Blowing her hair back from her face she resolved to clean it up. At least a little. Ten minutes later desk top in order she glanced as she always did to the one picture that she kept on the back shelf. A picture taken from behind of her college friend and her the summer after they had graduated. It never failed to bring a smile to her lips and eyes remembering that hiking trip.

It had been a last minute decision, Em had pushed her into it. It wasn’t a hard thing to do. Jamie had always followed her lead. That was the way Em was. Luckily Jamie’s new job didn’t start for another month so off they went. A grand adventure in the making. Of course they knew next to nothing about back country hiking, how hard could it be right?

Three days of driving put them at the entrance to Yosemite National Park. It was now real, Jamie’s pack weighted a ton, they had obviously packed way to much. In their favor was the fact that it was the peak of the hiking season. So there were plenty of willing people to help them learn the more important points.

A week later they returned to their car, exhausted, sore beyond belief, sunburnt and they couldn’t have enjoyed themselves more. They had made plenty of friends and their already great friendship had only gotten deeper.

The brief respite over she dived back into the days building pile of reports.

Later that day having worked late. Again. She headed home to face the silence that was waiting, just inside the door. But there on the front porch was a brown paper package. Odd it must be a mistake but glancing at the name she shrugged and took it inside. Setting it on the floor just inside the front door.

Later that evening passing through the hall she glanced again at the package. That suspicious brown paper package.

She set it down on the kitchen table. It’s heaviness causing her to struggle slightly. She pulled out a chair and sat in front of the box.

It was taped tightly, but the kitchen knife made short work of opening it. Pulling back the flaps she looked into it’s interior. Another box lay within. A name on the top read “Emily”.

Jamie reeled back from the table wailing, sobbing, shaking uncontrollably. She pulled her feet up hugging her knees. The grief came in waves, bigger and bigger. Pounding her relentlessly. “No no no” Jamie mumbled through her tears.

Stumbling, running she fell on her bed. Curling into a ball, sleep would not come for hours.

Morning came grey and wet. Jamie just starred at the ceiling numb. Her best friend was dead, her remains were on her kitchen table. Jamie rose, showered and went to work. Never once looking at the kitchen.

Somehow through no fault to either of them they had eventually lost touch. Different cities, different lives, different priorities pulling them apart.

“Dam her” Jamie muttered sitting at her desk. Her work sitting untouched. She immediately and would forever regret even thinking that thought. She knew it wasn’t fair, her one true friend wanted something from her. An old promise reaching out to her from beyond.

Taking the picture with her Jamie rose and left. She would never return.

She drove slowly almost randomly home. The Box still waited. Open, waiting. Patient.

Jamie had decided, the decision had already been made years ago. Now the only thing left to do was to carry out the promise. Resolution had settled on her like a warm blanket.

That night was spent packing. Jamie knew what she needed, they had learned all that together years before. In the morning, car loaded, she left. Heading west, the box on the seat beside her.

Three days later she stood where they had stood all those years ago, though now the excitement wasn’t there. In the morning she shouldered her pack and left, taking her friend for her last hike, the weight of her an odd comfort. Glacier Point would wait, Jamie had decided on the drive out that she would follow the route that they had done on much younger legs.

By the time Jamie ended up at Glacier Point ready to say her last goodbyes she had made many decisions and discoveries. Mostly about how she had really lost herself somewhere along the way. She hadn’t been happy in years. “What was she really doing with her life?” She had asked herself everyday since starting this trek.For now though she had to say goodbye and thank you to a friend. Throwing the ashes Jamie watched the wind catch them swirling and disappearing into the valley below.

Returning to her car Jamie had already made up her mind.

One month later, with everything sold she boarded a flight and started a new chapter. In her pocket a small tin of ashes.