The Last Five Years

“Yellow marigolds are meant to be symbols of happiness and positive energy”, is what Harry had told Phillip on one of their first dates. They had gone for lunch in a café that made up the half-way point between their two homes.

It was an unusually warm summers day, and they had been enjoying copious amounts of coffee and tea as they got to know one another. However, the warm weather had become far too much inside that fairly small shop, so the two had decided to continue their date with a stroll through a nearby park.

Harry had led the majority of the conversations in their dates, chatting away, reeling off details of various stories, multiple characters entering and exiting as he excitedly spoke. Phillip hadn’t minded, smiling politely while listening intently to this hyperactive, yet incredibly handsome man.

Mid-story Harry had stopped talking, looking to his left at an assortment of flowers in various colours. He smiled at Phillip, “don’t you think that looks amazing!”.

“I’ve never been one for flowers really,” Phillips replied.

“Oh neither have I,” Harry said, “but look at the colours, it’s moments like this when I remember that England isn’t all that bad a country to look at”. He beamed at Phillip and moved closer to the flowers, “the only one I know is this one”, he said, pointing to some bright yellow flowers, “a friend of mine, Clarissa, right hippy weirdo, she says yellow marigolds are meant to be symbols of positivity and happiness”. He looked at Phillip excitedly.

Phillip wasn’t entirely sure how to respond, smiling at Harry for a long time in silence. Then he moved closer and took Harry’s hand, leaning in and kissing him. Their first kiss.

When they finally pulled away from one another, Harry was finally lost for words, the two smiling happily at each other.

“Here” Harry finally said, he bent down and picked one of the marigolds, offering it to Phillip, “for positivity”.

...

Five years later and Phillip was holding that same flower, only it was rather wilted and flattened, having been pressed between the pages of a heavy book ever since. He was in the centre of his living room, surrounded by packed boxes of all his belongings.

The feeling of happiness from that date was lost to the past, Phillip was now left alone, still absorbed in the sadness of his recent split from Harry. He knew it was for the best, they had been drifting apart for the past year, but just seeing this flower only reminded him of the times when he was happy.

He put the book down and turned to look at the final box to be packed up. Only he hadn’t realised how close it was, knocking the box over, sending the contents sprawling across the floor.

“Oh for Christ's sake!” Phillip exclaimed, bending down and shoveling the contents back into the box. It was only when something shiny caught his eye that he realised he recognised some of the objects. In his hand was a postcard from Cornwall. He smiled, turning over the card to see a message: Morning lovely, I’ve just gone for a morning run, I’ll be back shortly. Hope you had a lovely sleep… love you.

Phillip smiled, remembering that morning…

...

Three years ago. Harry and Phillip had driven down to Cornwall for the week, a yearly tradition they had established only a few months after they had met. It had been a glorious week, with the weather on their side since they’d arrived.

On the fourth day, Phillip had woken up in the hotel room, spreading out in the otherwise empty bed. He stirred from his slumber, realising that he was alone in the bed. When he had first spent the night with Harry, it had surprised him to wake up alone, however, after three years, he already knew that Harry was out for his morning run. Phillip didn’t mind, he’d never been a morning person, so he was glad for the extra hours alone.

Wanting to make the most of the time he had to himself, he decided to make himself up an early morning bath. Leaving the bath to fill up, he set about getting a tea ready. It was then that he noticed a postcard on the side, a note from Harry letting him know he was on a run. Phillip smiled, it was another longstanding tradition of theirs to leave little notes to one another from time to time.

It was as he was settled into the bath, sipping on his tea, and reading a book, that he heard the door to the hotel room opening. “Morning,” Harry called out, “you in the bath?”.

“Of course,” Phillip replied, relaxed.

Harry chuckled, “don’t be too long, I’ll need a shower shortly”.

“You could always join me”.

“I don’t think that hotel bath is big enough for the two of us” Harry replied.

Phillip leaned over and unplugged the bath, turning the shower on as the water drained away. He unlocked the door and looked at Harry, “now the shower is on, care to join?”. He winked and stepped back into the shower, giggling as Harry very quickly joined him.

...

Back in the present, Phillip wiped away a rogue tear, placing the postcard back in the box. He turned it round and realised the box was labelled Harry’s stuff. He quickly threw the rest of the stuff back in the box, not wanting to see what other memories could be surfaced from the various items. That was until he got to the final item, a small silver medallion. It was too late to stop the memory rushing back…

...

Almost a year ago. Phillip had joined his family on a holiday in Spain. Harry had wanted to join, but couldn’t get the time off work, something that had started to annoy Phillip. They’d argued before he flew out, leaving Phillip feeling guilty for how they had left things.

To make amends, he’d kept an eye out for something nice to take back for Harry. That’s when he’d come across a small silver medallion. Phillip wasn’t sure if it was even proper silver, but it looked like the sort of thing Harry would love, even down the inscription of his star sign.

When he finally got back to England, the two had quickly made amends, the two weeks apart proving rather painful for them. Phillip produced the silver medallion in a fancy blue box, “I’m sorry for getting angry before I left”.

“I’m sorry I didn’t join you,” Harry replied, “but look at that tan, god I’m jealous”. He looked at the medallion, “I love it. We good?”.

“we’re good” Phillip said. They soon kissed and made up.

...

Phillip looked at the medallion, shinning in his hand. He placed it carefully back in the box, the box it had come in lost to the past. He looked at the now full box, taking in the objects that had once made up their relationship. It was only when there was a knock on the door that he could pull himself away. It was Harry.

“Hi” he said as Phillip opened the door, “urm I think I left a box here”.

“Oh yeah” Phillip said, going back inside and grabbing the box. He handed it over to Harry, the two standing in the hallway in silence.

“So,” Harry started, not really sure what to say, “you been ok?”.

“Not great” Phillip replied sharply.

“Same”, Harry responded. He looked at the door, “maybe I should just go”. He opened the front door and made to leave.

“Oh wait” Phillip said, rushing back inside the house.

Harry stood awkwardly in the doorway, wishing more than anything, that this moment would end. It was hard enough seeing Phillip after their joint decision to end things, but now to be left looking at the empty hallway of their old home was becoming too much for him.

Phillip returned, holding the book he had found earlier, “I found this when I was packing”.

“That’s the first present you ever got me” Harry said, more to himself than Phillip.

“And also this,” Phillip continued, lifting the marigold up, “it was acting as a bookmark”. He handed the flower over, “thought you’d want this, you know, for positivity”.

Harry smiled, taking the flower and placed it back inside the book, “thanks… well, I guess I should get going then. Oh urm good luck with the new job”. He turned and walked down the driveway, quickly looking back as he climbed into his car. He gave a small wave to Phillip before driving away.

With tears in his eyes, Phillip closed the door and started to sob, realising the relationship was now officially over. He composed himself for a moment, opening his phone to read through the email he had received weeks ago, confirming his job in London, where he was set to start his new life next week.