Artist: John Sargent
The Child Within
The sounds were faintly familiar, Natalie thought. She felt them softly brush upon her ears with the breeze – almost a caress. Languidly seated on her favorite chair in the backyard, she looked up from the first pages of her book towards the woods. She tried to place the source – but, they seem to float all around her.
She sat still for several moments – anticipating … what? She wasn’t quite sure – and now, she only heard the occasional rustle of the leaves – ‘squirrels, perhaps?’ she wondered. Not quite satisfied, she slowly returned her mind to Dylan sitting in the café – Jenny had just walked by. Natalie could hear Jenny’s footsteps on the cobblestones.
‘Well, what does she look like?’ came a whispered voice. “He hasn’t really described her yet … wait … who said that?” Natalie suddenly caught herself asking aloud. The fading muffled laughter was undeniable – she heard it. Laying her book in her lap, she called out “Ethan – is that you?” – knowing it couldn’t be. She was alone now – her choice she knew.
Natalie’s thoughts returned to a familiar place – Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken”. After all these years, she still wondered if she’d chosen the right path. And just like that, a movement of buried thoughts stirred up the sentiments of doubt. Her finger idly traced the binding of the book as she pulled up long faded memories of Ethan and her.
“I wonder where he is at this particular moment – and is he thinking of me?” She cursed herself for having these thoughts on her mind. She sat motionless for several moments – hoping the growing cold feeling within her would fade away. As if a blanket folded around her, she heard the soft child-like voice within command her, “It’ll be alright – now, please read me the rest of the story.” This time Natalie just smiled and opened her book – “The moon cast Jenny’s silhouette across his table as she walked past the cafe – drawing his eyes to her..”
Michael
