What is Most Important

Of all the worthless things you could be interested in, you chose an owl. Not just any owl, but one who dwells in barns like some flying rat. Are you even interested in marriage? Children? Does your mind dwell solely on a creature you cannot have a future with?

One week ago, I met Vera, the most amazing creature. Never have I felt such a wonderful connection with another human being. Isn’t this what you want from life? Can you only take interest in things that disappoint me? It’s already been two years since your return from the Great War, and in one week I have accomplished more for my future than you ever could dream of in two years.

Perhaps in another lifetime, another trial at writing this, I would write of barn owls and other frivolous things like nighttime hunting; but these are not foremost in my brain, and I hope they never will be. I hold a future in my hands that your barn owls cannot compare to. Should you find some way to make a stable and impressive future of barn owls, of all things, write back to me so I can finally be proud of you. Until then, leave me to deal with what is most important.

In the yellowed light of late afternoon, Lyle looks to the side of his writing desk where a letter from his brother Archie rests. Lines cross his rounded face, some from smiling and some from scowling. He reads the letter from his brother a second time, then he reads the letter he wrote two more times. Lyle leans back in his wooden chair, rubbing his hand through his slicked dark hair. For some time, his blue eyes search the ceiling for answers his mind cannot give him. With a sigh, he wraps up the letter to Archie. He is about to set it outside for the post to take when a vase on the table catches his eye.

The vase is full of beautiful flowers from Vera’s garden, composed of all different shapes and colors. Lyle stares at this vase for a while before unwrapping the letter to Archie. He clips some of the thinner flowers and wraps them with the letter. After setting it out for the post, Lyle reads by the fire until the light is well gone, then retires to bed.

Like a dream stolen from his conscious, the letter exchange quickly slips his mind. He thinks of Vera and visits her father’s property often. She stays in a separate building, a little shed that’s been repurposed as a living quarters. Precisely one week after sending out the letter to his brother, Lyle knocks on Vera’s door… only to find her sobbing within.

“Lyle, dear…” Vera sweetly rubs her tears gone. She has curly blonde hair with a little bonnet tied around her chin, lovely brown eyes and a face angels could chorus to. Her dress is patterned and beautiful, a good indicator of someone born into an upper-middle class family.

“Vera, my love!” Lyle rubs her cheeks softly. “Tell me what troubles you.”

Her breath comes out jagged and uneven as she says: “My father is holding my allowance from me… I don’t know how I’m going to pay for food… and I was so close to saving up enough money for this beautiful dress in town.”

His face tight with pain, Lyle tightly hugs the lovely girl. “Have you been saving for this dress a long time?”

“For a year now, yes… whatever small amounts of money I could afford from my allowance… but that’s not as important as how I’m going to eat this week…” She whimpers and cries into Lyle’s chest.

“Vera… Vera, don’t cry.” Lyle takes her hand and into it presses $10.

She perks up like a groundhog on watch for a predator, and a smile crosses her face. “Lyle, no! This is so much! Who are you to have this much money on your person?!”

“Vera! It’s okay, Vera!” He tips her chin up and looks her deeply in the eyes. “My brother thinks it smart to keep emergency money on my person, and this I’d say, qualifies as an emergency. I can’t stand the thought of you going hungry. Spoil yourself, get that dress.” He kisses her hand. “I’ll take you out dancing after you purchase it.”

She throws her arms around Lyle’s neck, rubbing her cheek into his shoulder. “Oh Lyle! Thank you so much! I’ll repay you!”

“No Vera, this is a gift for the one I love most.” Lyle smiles brightly. “Stop by my cabin later, I’d love to see you in that new dress.”

“Okay, I will.” Vera takes Lyle’s hand and guides him out of the shed. “I’ll go into town now! Wait for me at your home, okay? I’ll be by soon!”

Obediently, Lyle does as he’s told. In a state of pure excitement, he paces the floor of his cabin.

After a few hours, a knock comes at his door. With a smile across his cheeks, Lyle crosses the room and throws open the door.

“Vera!”

Outside, a post truck pulls away from his cabin; Vera is not there, a letter has arrived instead. Curiously, Lyle collects the letter, and scowls as he sees the return address. He stares at the ceiling, searching for answers. Lyle closes the door, sits in front of the fireplace, and opens the letter from his brother.

Lyle,

I am disappointed in the lack of respect you show your older brother, and a veteran who fought for the very freedom you so frivolously enjoy. How long has it been since we spoke? Five years? Perhaps more? After all this time, I sincerely hoped we could finally reconnect as bothers, but I see you haven’t changed one bit, still as spoiled and self-centered as I remember, incapable of finding joy in other people’s happiness.

There are several futures that can be had from observing barn owls, the main one includes avoiding suicidal thoughts after all that I experienced in the war. Though if a monetary future is your concern, I will happily work hard to show you my passion can turn into a well and fine career path. As much as I dislike your self-centered rudeness, I still want to be a shining role model for you. When we speak next, I hope to have news of my successes.

Next time, please address and sign your letter, it becomes difficult to tell who the letter is for or from otherwise.

-Archie

At the bottom of the letter are the flowers Lyle sent to Archie previously; they are browned, wilted and crumpled.

In anger, Lyle strikes a flame in his fireplace, and throws the letter and flowers into the blaze. All night, Lyle waits for Vera; she never stops by.

Unlike the first letter Lyle received, this one haunts his mind every moment of every day, that line repeating itself: a shining role model for you… role model for you…

Days drag agonizingly into weeks, until today arrives… this woeful day. The darling couple walks through Vera’s garden together, collecting more flowers to replace the dead vase in Lyle’s cabin.

“Darling…” Vera lightly tugs on Lyle’s sleeve.

He looks at her with a little “hm?”

She sighs. “Would it be alright if I borrowed $20 from you?”

Lyle’s feet bring him to a halt. “That’s a lot of money, Vera…”

With a smile like a warm summer’s day, Vera asks: “Didn’t you tell me last week you’ve been corresponding with your brother?”

Lyle sighs. “Yes, unfortunately.” He steps up to Vera’s side and holds out his arm. She sweetly loops her arm through his.

Vera tightens her grip around her flower basket. “Have you heard back from him recently?”

For a moment, Lyle is silent. “No… It’s been quite a while… though I assume it’s because he hasn’t found a way to make a future from observing barn owls.”

With the daintiness of a cat picking its way across the garden, Vera collects a few more flowers for her basket. She smiles at Lyle. “The light is fading… we should take these flowers back and place them in water.”

Arm in arm, they walk to Lyle’s quiet little cottage down the road. Around his house, they arrange several beautiful bouquets of flowers, intoxicating scents waft through every room. They make some tea and sit by the fireplace as the last of the sunlight drips away.

“I’m very sorry, Lyle…” Vera rests her teacup in her lap. “You’re right, of course… $20 is a lot of money… I shouldn’t ask. How ashamed I am…” A tear rolls down her sweet cheek.

His heart seizes seeing her tears. “Vera… don’t be ashamed! What do you need the money for?”

She taps her toes against the floor. “If I told you, it’d ruin the surprise I have planned…”

And his heart sings like a morning sparrow. “Vera, you don’t need to spend so much on a surprise for me! How about I give you a little less than that?” Lyle digs his neatly folded hanker chief from his pocket and hands it to her. “Let me see what I have stashed away.”

The darling couple is interrupted by a knock on the door. Lyle freezes with a sense of foreboding overcoming him.

Quieting the screams in his mind, Lyle opens the door. Outside stands an officer, his uniform illuminated by the light in Lyle’s small abode.

“Hello, sir… How may I help you?” Lyle rests his arm against the doorframe as sweat trickles down his neck.

“You are Lyle Barnham, correct?” The officer’s voice is emotionless.

Lyle nods.

“My name is Officer Smith. I’m sorry to tell you, your brother Archie was found dead yesterday.”

Every hair on Lyle’s body rises; he barely hears Mr. Smith as the officer continues:

“He was out late at night documenting the flight patterns and activities of barn owls for a scientist. It seems he was mauled by some wild animal.” The officer pulls from his back pocket a red-stained piece of paper. “He carried a series of documented letters addressed to you, which allowed us to identify the body.”

Lyle takes the bloodied letters into his trembling fingers. He reads the first line of the topmost letter:

Lyle,

I think you can finally be proud of your elder brother. I may have made a future after all

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Officer Smith says as he leaves.

“Oh, darling…” Vera whispers; she stands behind him, breath on his neck. “I’m so sorry.”

He steps into the cabin, forgetting to close the door. Outside, an owl hoots hauntingly below the pale moonlight. Lyle’s heart races as he wonders if it’s a barn owl dwelling outside his home. Is it haunting him for his cruelty? Did it see what happened to Archie?

“It can’t be all bad though…” She sweetly rubs his shoulder. “You didn’t like your brother anyways, right?”

Anger rises within him; he clenches the bloodied letters in his fist.

“Let’s focus on something happier… like that surprise I’ve prepared for you! All I need is to borrow a little bit of…?”

Lyle has taken her arm harshly in his free hand.

“…Lyle?” She sweetly asks.

He pulls her out of the cabin, and roughly pushes her away. “Leave.”

“Did I do something wrong?” She tries to step back inside Lyle’s cabin, but he blocks the door. “Lyle, answer me!” Vera begs. “Why are you doing this to me?!”

With a dark look crossing his features, Lyle says: “Because… I need to focus on what’s most important right now.”

He shuts the door with a loud click; Vera shouts and pounds her fists outside. The scent of Vera’s flowers is sickeningly overwhelming. With the bloodied notes crumpled in his hand, Lyle walks to his bedroom to read his brother’s final words.