Leap

“This is going to take forever!” Eloise said as she stood with her hands on her hips. “We’ve got this! Let’s dig in!” Emelia asserted as she headed towards a stack of trinkets that looked like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. She and Ellie were starting to make some headway on the mess in the attic of their childhood home. A few months ago, their parents told them that they were going to sell the home and move closer to the beach. It had always been a dream of their mothers to have a home on the beach. As much as they loved their childhood home, they understood why their parents were moving. The house sold very quickly. And just like that, their parents found their dream beach home. They were going to miss the one place that they could always call “home”.

When they were growing up, their mother Adeline had given up her dreams of moving to the coast and living the beach life, to raise two girls that came along much sooner than expected. Just 3 months into their marriage, Addie was pregnant. They had planned on having children, but not for a few years. They were young; Adeline only 21 and Jack 25. Jack was an architect who could work from home and travel with Addie. Adeline had been working as a photographer, who had made some great connections. Her dream to travel the world and photograph ‘Life on the Sand’ as she referred to it, was close to becoming a reality. Jack was happy to go wherever Addie needed. Then 3 months into their marriage, two pink lines changed everything.

Emelia and Eloise were a surprise, but they were loved dearly, spoiled to no end, and given every opportunity in life. Adeline decided that raising her twin girls would be her priority. Happily, she stepped back from her photography to focus on them. The girls knew just how much their mother gave up for them over the years. She didn’t just give them her love, her time, her whole heart, but she gave them a life that was full of fun, excitement, and adventure. She always encouraged her girls to just ‘go for it’ and ‘just leap’.

Emelia took that advice to heart more than Eloise. She was the more adventurous of the two. Emelia met a great man when she was 19. Luke was a bit older than her, at 26, some thought it was too much of an age difference. Emelia was at college and happened to meet Luke one night after she grew tired of the bar scene and she ended up walking to the beach. She was sitting on the sand, watching the waves crash, lost in her mind when a man sat down close to her. Emelia’s guard was up immediately, but the man started talking to her about the ocean and for some reason, she responded. They spent the rest of the night on the beach talking and sharing. They connected on a level that Emelia never knew existed. A relationship bloomed quickly. When she brought Luke home for Christmas break that year, her father was none too pleased with it all, but her mother reacted just as she had hoped.

“I can see it, Emmy,” Adeline told her as the two sat before a roaring fire in their living room. “Really? I know Dad doesn’t like how old he is, but it’s just…it’s…” she couldn’t find the words, but her mother could, “It’s just right with him.”

“Yes! I never thought I could feel like this with someone. I didn’t know it existed.” Emmy told her mom. “I know, baby. It’s strong and pulling you towards him.” She paused.

“Mom, I know it’s crazy. I didn’t want a serious relationship so fast. I’m young. I wanted to do so much, like you wanted.” Emmy said, dropping her voice towards the end. She knew what her mother gave up for her girls.

“It’s OK sweetie. Yes, I had different dreams when I was younger, but you girls coming along was the best thing to ever happen and I regret nothing. I am happy with how my life turned out. I love my life. That’s what I want for you.” Addie paused, thinking of how to say what she needed to. “I want you to be happy. I don’t want you to regret anything. If you feel that this is the real thing, if you feel true love with Luke, then go for it. Never let love getaway. It is far too rare in this world.” Addie said.

Emmy lowered her head, a smile parting her lips, “I do love him, Mom. And I want to be with him. I see a future together with him.”

“Then take the leap!” Addie said as they both smiled. And Emelia leaped.

Luke and Emelia built a great life together. They spent nights watching movies on the couch, days exploring new towns. They laughed, danced, smiled and, fell deeply in love with one another. Their happiness was evident to anyone who saw them. Some called them soulmates. And to Emelia, that’s exactly what they were.

Six months into their whirlwind relationship, their lives came to a shuddering halt. Luke collapsed at work. Emelia rushed to his side in the ER. They couldn’t say what was wrong with him, but by the next afternoon, they heard the words that broke their world. Luke had leukemia, a very advanced form.

“How long?” Luke asked as Emelia choked on her tears, holding his hand tightly.

“Maybe 3 months.” The doctor said coldly.

They spent those three months living as much as they could. They rented a home on the beach. They spent their time talking on the sand, just as they had done the night they met. Emelia cared for Luke through it all. She wouldn’t let someone else care for her soulmate.

One evening, Emelia came out to their little sitting area with another blanket for Luke and she found him writing in a small black notebook. “Whatcha doing?” she asked as she wrapped the blanket around him. She leaned in over his shoulder, the light from the raging firepit providing some illumination of his writings.

“Making a bucket list,” Luke responded. It hit Emmy deep in the heart to hear that, even though it was something they used to do for fun. They said them out loud but never wrote them down.

Emmy wandered over to her seat in silence as she remembered those nights. “I figured we could do some of these things, but maybe not all of them.” Luke said.

“We will do whatever you want to, together. Always.” Emmy said reaching out for Luke’s hand. He took it, squeezing just a bit, as he smiled at her. A smile that she imprinted into her mind, praying she never forgot it.

Just 9 weeks after his diagnosis, Luke was gone. Emmy was in pieces. She went back home to her mom and dad for a few months to find a way to live in a world without Luke. Slowly, with her mother’s help, she started to enjoy life and the world again. She went back to school, got a great job and, a new apartment. She was living the life that she had promised Luke she would.

Now, 5 years later she and her sister stood in that same home that had provided such comfort to her in her darkest time, packing it up. “Look at this,” Ellie said as she held up a silly fish picture their Dad kept in his office 15 years ago. They laughed.

The girls spent hours going through boxes, laughing and reminiscing more than packing. As night fell, the girls quieted and focused on their task. “Hey, Em, I think this one is yours.” Ellie said as she carried over a small cardboard box. Emelia looked at the top, the letters ‘E&L’ before her. After Luke died, Adeline helped pack up their beach house, labeling the boxes this way.

Eloise walked away to leave her sister with the box. As her heart pounded, Emelia opened the box. Inside, she found pictures of her and Luke on their many adventures. As she looked at them and the treasures in the box, she didn’t feel as much pain as she used to, but instead she felt happy. Happy she had the memories of Luke. Memories that hadn’t faded.

Near the bottom of the box, she saw the little black notebook. The one with the bucket list that they tried to complete but hadn’t. Emmy opened it up and found something folded near the back. She unfolded it and to her amazement, it was a check for $20,000 written to her from Luke. She couldn’t believe it. She looked at the page behind where the check had lied and found a note.

“My dearest Emelia, I know I’m gone, but maybe you can take me with you on a few more adventures. I knew when we made that list that we would never do it all, but I thought maybe you could work on it for us. Take this money and do whatever you want on the list or maybe something new. Do it for you and no matter where it is, I will be with you. Always and forever, my love. –Luke.”

Emelia’s eyes flooded with tears. She couldn’t believe it. Luke was telling her to go on more adventures. She cried for a few minutes before looking back at the crazy list that took up nearly 7 pages. So many things. So many adventures to be had. For weeks, Emelia left the check-in the little black notebook, sitting on her nightstand. She had no idea what to do with it. So, it sat there.

Six months later, Addie was sitting on her deck watching the ocean when her phone rang. “Hey, Mom!” Emelia said. “Hi sweetie, how are you?” She asked. Emelia paused, “I’m great. I finally figured out what to do with the money.”

“Really, what?” Addie asked. “Well, actually, I left a few days ago. I’m in Thailand. I’m at the elephant sanctuary. Mom, it’s amazing. Luke would’ve loved it.” She paused. “I’m going to stay here for a bit. Help out. Volunteer.” Emmy said.

Her mom didn’t hesitate, “That’s great Emelia! I’m so happy and proud of you! I knew you would figure it out eventually. Enjoy yourself. See it all. Do it all. Live. That’s what Luke would want more than anything.”

Emelia could hear her mother’s smile through the phone. She knew she was genuinely happy for her. “Thanks, Mom. I love you.” Emmy said.

“I love you, too darling. Don’t be afraid to leap.” She said with a smile. “I will, Mom. I’ll call soon.” Emmy told her.

“Love you, baby.” And as she hung up, Addie smiled more than she had in a long time. “Was that Emmy? She coming over soon?” Jack asked over his wife’s shoulder. “It was, but she’ll be gone for a while. She took a big leap.” Adeline left it there, smiling. Jack knew well enough not to ask more and headed back inside.

As the sun was setting in California, Adeline looked out over the vast Pacific, knowing her daughter was finally living her life the way she always wanted. Adeline knew she would find her way and she did. She was proud. Emelia was living her dream, just like Adeline had years before.

Across the ocean, Emelia was feeding bananas to a sweet Asian elephant named Juliette. And just like her mother, a huge smile was on her face. Emelia looked around at the elephants, the people, the smiles on all their faces and she knew that Luke was right there beside her, that beautiful smile she could never forget, on his face.