The old family home still stood tall. It had not been the same since Jameson left and never returned from war. Generations down, the family home welcomed new life and said goodbye to old life. Amelia still lived there, lonely and frail. She changed after Jameson left. The sparkle in her eyes left along with the meaning of hope that he would ever return after years had passed. Amelia and Jameson were newlyweds when they moved into her grandmother’s home. It was a childhood dream of Amelia’s to one day live and grow old there. Hoping to start a family, Amelia and Jameson prayed the draft would not call for Jameson’s departure to war. Only months into their marriage, Jameson received his draft papers and was ordered to report by summer’s end. Although he could not stand the thought of leaving his new bride, Jameson knew he had to serve his country and was honored to do so. The train platform was packed with army men and their trunks, along with their weepy wives prolonging their farewells. Nothing could prepare anyone for feelings and emotions that the families of these army men going off to war were facing. Amelia tried her best to hold her composure, but as the final whistle blew, her strength to hold back tears weakened. Jameson wiped away her tears, pecked her on the cheek, and told her he loved her before turning away to board the train. Soon, Amelia would lose Jameson into the crowd and her memory of that moment would be her last of him. The war ended sometime later. Amelia eagerly waited for the homecoming of her beloved Jameson. Days after the war ended turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Eventually, months faded into years. Amelia grew weary when Jameson never returned, but she held onto to her hope by a frayed piece of thread. Amelia’s sister and her family remained hopeful for Jameson’s return. They moved in with her to keep her company and to distract her from the reality of Jameson’s absence. Once a young newlywed, Amelia grew old and grey. Her broken heart grieved for the husband who was taken from her and the children she never had. She did her best to carry on with her life, but a piece of her heart was stuck in the past. Giving up on ever seeing Jameson again made her feel like she was betraying the promise she made Jameson, but she knew he would not want her to hold the burden of missing him either. Amelia enjoyed the company of her niece especially. She treated Felicity as her own daughter, and they grew to have a special bond. Even years after Felicity’s family moved out of Amelia’s home, Felicity still made an effort to visit regularly. This gave Amelia something to look forward to, and she always enjoyed Felicity’s visit. Nothing could fill the void of Jameson in her heart, but Felicity brought joy back into Amelia’s life. Amelia had fallen ill one winter night. As soon as Felicity received word of her aunt’s ailing condition, she made an extended visit to look after Amelia. Amelia’s heart never mended itself from the loneliness and brokenness of Jameson. There was nothing that could be done to make Amelia well again. She was ready to leave her heartache of her life behind as she hoped to meet her Jameson again. Felicity held Amelia’s hand as she took her final breath of life. Weeks passed after Amelia’s funeral arrangements had concluded. Felicity was left with the responsibility to clean out the belongings of Amelia’s and make the house her own. Without having anyone else to leave the house for, Felicity inherited her Aunt Amelia’s home. While going through drawers and cabinets, Felicity came across an envelope with her name on it. She opened it and found a handwritten letter from Amelia. In shaky, cursive writing it read: “To my Felicity, whom I loved like my own. I leave you this old home to raise your family in and to make memories of your own. My happily ever after was stolen from me the day Jameson never returned, but it is my hope that you will fulfill the wish of my heart for your life in place of mine in this house. Forever with love, Aunt Amelia.” Felicity did just as her aunt wished for her. She married and raised her family in the house she loved just as Amelia did. Her children grew up and made many childhood memories within the walls of that home. Although Amelia lost love, the house overflowed with it now. Felicity kept a photo of Amelia and Jameson in the center of the home over the fire place to forever cherish and remember the bond they had with each other. An unexpected knock was at the door. Felicity, now in her mature years, answered the door. The person on the other side of the door came in uniform bearing a tattered trunk. Felicity’s heart sank when the man announced he was representing the military and returning something to the address marked on the tag. She took the trunk from the man, closed the door, and brought it to the main room where the picture hung of Amelia and Jameson. Felicity knelt by the trunk and could only bring herself to unlatch the closures. All she could think about was Amelia. If only this had come thirty years earlier. Amelia could have had closure. She could have died having a piece of Jameson with her. Felicity finally brought herself to opening the lid and going through the possessions of her late uncle, who she only met once. On top, was a journal of his days chronicling war. With each turn of the page, a tear was shed. Next to the journal, was a bundle of letters that never made it to Amelia. Felicity left those unread, for she could not read something so intimate that was meant for Amelia to read. As she took each article of clothing out, Felicity’s heart grieved for Amelia not being able to do this herself. The trunk finally reached its home. Its contents were returned to the placement that Jameson had left them, and the trunk would forever stay near the heart of the home. Amelia would have wanted the trunk to remain in the memory of Jameson, so it would never leave the presence of the picture above the fire place. Amelia and Jameson were at last together again. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2017
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