John's Moment

"Excuse me! Sir!!"

John started awake. A train conductor was standing over him, a look of annoyance on his face "sir, the train is about to disembark. It's time for you to leave"

John had been enjoying the train ride, the gentle swaying back and forth, with the sun coming through his window warming the compartment, it had soothed him to sleep.

Offering an apology to the conductor, and grabbing his luggage from the overhead rack, he hurried off the train. Pausing on the platform to pull his hat firmly on his head, and adjusting his glasses, he joined the bustling crowd, pushing his way towards the exit. Finally making it outside to the cool breeze and warm sunlight. This was Oakdale. His home, home to the rolling hills, and trickling creeks. Home to the hundred acres of orchards carrying various fruit trees. This particular day in Oakdale was very much alive. Tomorrow was the Fourth Of July, and every year Oakdale hosted a massive carnival and always ended the night with a spectacular fireworks show provided by the Addington's, one of the wealthiest families in Oakdale.

John had spent the last two years studying abroad in Europe. Studying architecture through history's most famous buildings and structures. That's what he was, an architect looking to start his practice.

But all of this was pushed to the very back of John's mind, as he was quite preoccupied with the thought of the person whom he would be meeting later that day.

Her name was Sarah. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Addington, owners' of the largest pear orchard here in Oakdale, and the hosts of tomorrow night's fireworks show. Ms. Sarah Addington. But he had always known her as Sarah. Sarah with the long loose curls bouncing on her shoulders. The large round blue eyes, always so penetrating. John sighed, he had known Sarah since they were children, running in the fields and climbing trees in the orchard. His father had worked with Mr. Addington as a farmhand, helping out with the hundreds of acres of trees. He had missed her, but did she miss him? He thought.

That was a thought that made John feel sick as he climbed into the car that would take him to his father's house.

Did she miss him?

They had always been close friends ever since he could remember. But that did not stop John from pulling the occasional prank or teasing her mercilessly in front of their other friends.

Surely she would have forgiven me of that by now, he thought to himself. After all, I have been away for two years. Still, he felt a little queasy at the thought of seeing her again.

The car pulled up to a small brick home standing proudly amid a beautiful garden that wrapped around the entire house. The door opened and there stood a man who looked quite similar to John. He was tall, had thick white hair that used to be brown. He had a large prominent nose with soft, deep-set brown eyes. The man smiled and extended his arms towards John, who fell in them without hesitation.

"Hello father!" John said, pulling away. The old man smiled, grinning ear to ear. "Hello, my boy!" Boomed John's father, in a surprisingly loud voice. "How are you? Come in, I want to hear all about Italy and all the places you've seen." Gladly, John followed his father into the house and sat down at the dining room table and started to tell of his travels.

John sat talking to his father for hours, telling him all about his adventures, and all he had learned, till finally, he stopped for air "Well, what do you say we go out to town for dinner, I'll buy" he said "Sorry son" His father replied "We have been invited to the Addington's for dinner tonight. As soon as Sarah found out the date you'd be coming home, she planned this beautiful dinner in your honor. In fact," He said, glancing out the window "We best be off now" So John called for a cab, and the two of them drove out of town passing thousands of fruit trees along the way.

Soon they turned into a long driveway, lined with even more fruit trees. As they approached the house John's stomach began to turn, he felt queasy again. Leaning to the side and pressing his forehead against the cold glass.

As they pulled up to the house John didn't move, it took a kick from his father to get him to open the door and step out. There he was, standing in the courtyard looking up at the house he knew so well. The Gigantic four-story house. The front door opened and Mr. Addington came walking out with his wife hurrying behind him. She came running over to John and wrapped him in a tight hug. "My goodness John, I thought it wasn't possible but I swear you've gotten taller!" "Hello Mrs. Addington!" John replied, returning the hug. "You haven't changed one bit!" He said, pulling away and beaming at the older woman. "Hello John, good to see you again," Mr. Addington said, extending his hand. "I trust your travels bode you well?" "Very well sir, thank you" replied John, grasping Mr. Addington's hand in his own. Just then voices coming from the orchard to the right turned everybody's attention towards them. There she was. There was Sarah, with the long golden curls, bouncing as she walked. Her blue dress swaying with her movement, dainty hands carrying a basket of pears, her mouth talking happily too. . . Wait a minute. Who was she talking to? John squinted, trying to make out the figure walking next to her, whom she was talking to. There was no other way to describe him, he was the epidemy of tall, dark, and handsome. He was at least four inches taller the John, his chocolate brown hair shined in the sun, smiling at Sarah in a way that made sure to show off his very prominent jaw. "John!" Sarah exclaimed as they drew near. "So good to see you, we've missed you so much" She said, beaming at him. "Sarah, good to see you too," He said, reaching out towards her. Just then the tall, dark stranger extended his own hand towards John, "Nice to meet you John, I'm Edward. I've heard so much about you" John looked into the face of the prominent jawed man who was flashing him quite a dashing smile. John shook the dashing man's hand with a "Pleasure to meet you " as they were all ushered inside by Mrs. Addington.

The house was bustling. Everyone was rushing around preparing for the big Fourth Of July party the next night. They were led through the house, and out to the garden where there was a circular table lit with candlelight, and decorated quite elegantly for dinner. Sarah sat at the table with John and Edward on either side of her. She caught John's eye and winked. The evening went by smoothly, John even got along rather well with Edward. Dinner was soon over and they were all served coffee, John kept watching Edward and couldn't help but wonder who this guy was.

He was thinking this until Sarah's voice interrupted his thoughts asking him to talk about his recent travels. John spent the next hour telling them about his journey through Italy, and how he got lost in London. He couldn't help but notice and feel rather pleased that Sarah stared intently at him all through his speech. After his story was done Mr. Addington exclaimed "My my, it's been far too long since I've traveled overseas" Then leaning towards his wife who was sitting next to him, he said "What do you say you and I travel abroad next year, see Europe for ourselves" he said with a wink. Mrs. Addington gave out a giggle and slapped his hand. John, laughing with the others, noticed she had turned to face her husband and returned the wink, with the smallest trace of a sly grin on her face.

The rest of the evening went smoothly, they all talked and laughed while sipping their coffee. Until John's father stood yawning "Well best be off before we steal your whole night away" he said to Mrs. Addington. Mr. Addington led John's father and Edward towards the door talking about the Fourth Of July party that was to come the next night. "Thank you so much for coming tonight John, it was so nice to see you." Mrs. Addington said as she stood from the couch. "Thank you so much for having me," John said, accepting Mrs. Addington's hug. She then sent a wink to Sarah and walked out to join her husband at the door. John looked into Sarah's face, she was blushing. A very cute dark shade of violet took up her entire face. He smiled, he missed that. Sarah who seemed to be reading his mind came closer to him, John stared at her. "I've missed you, John," she said "And- " At that moment Mr. Addington and John's father came back into the room "Are you coming or not??" John's father said impatiently, shoving his hat onto his head. Sarah laughed at the look of impatience on her's and John's fathers' faces. John smiled and kissed Sarah's hand with a bow, then departed with his father.

John couldn't sleep that night though, "What was she going to say?? She missed me and-??"

The next day went by excruciatingly slow for John. He couldn't wait for that night and see Sarah again. Soon enough, night came, as he and his father made their way towards the carnival. There were booths full of homemade goods, carnival games with prizes, and hayrides for the children. Sweet aromas filled the air with smells of Candied apples and cotton candy. John walked around with his father, his eyes searching for Sarah. He spotted Edward over at a carnival game with a slender redhead, seeing him with her made John feel slightly better. He finally found a park bench and sat down, having walked around for an hour he didn't see Sarah. He sighed, looking down at his hands, until he felt a tap on his shoulder "Don't tell me you're tired already" He looked up, and there she was, standing over him laughing. "I've been looking for you!" He said, standing up. Sarah just smiled, "Come on, let's go" she took his hand and led him through the crowd. He followed her out of the carnival and into an orchard. He knew where they were going, the same place they used to play as kids. She led him up a small hill with a singular, old Pear tree at the top. She stopped, looking around at the carnival lights below. "I thought this would be the best place to watch the fireworks," she said. "This is a view I'd never get tired of seeing," John said, who was looking up at the stars.

Together they sat under the pear tree, laughing and reminiscing about the childhood memories they made there under that tree and talking about their more recent memories from the past couple of years. Soon the fireworks started, and Sarah laid her head on John's shoulder, gazing up at the sky. He no longer wondered what she was going to tell him the night before. He already knew. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close.

The night couldn't have ended better. After the fireworks ceased, they started down the hill, Sarah stopped him in the orchard of pear trees. John gazed into her eyes, she leaned forward and kissed him.

"I've missed you John" she whispered in his ear.

It was all worth it, everything that had happened to lead up to this point was worth it. Because he loved her.

And she loved him.