「Thursday」
Talia swung her feet back and forth as she sat on her patio swing, her box in her lap with the lid shut on it quite snugly. She was waiting for Rick's letter with much enthusiasm and just knew that it would get here soon like it had every day for the past four days. She wondered what Rick had done yesterday, what he had seen, what he wished for her, and what he longed for. She was expecting the identical, smooth, crisp folds of the letter in the exact same spot that they always were and the familiar handwriting that always conveyed a feeling of thoughtfulness and caring in them. She knew it took time out of Rick's day (and vacation), so she had decided to try and devote as much time as possible reading and cherishing them for an equal amount of time.
As the sun started to move from the center of the clear blue sky and into the middle of it, Talia felt a lump form in her throat and she swallowed it, telling herself to remain calm.
As the day dragged on, she started to get worried....the post man was not here. He was not here at all. She balled her fist and chewed her lip. That package was really really important to her! And she knew that Rick would never leave her hanging like that. The post man was clearly out of his mind. Or he lost it. The last thought made her infinitely angry and she shut her mind clear of thoughts, a storm brewing in the back of her mind, immaturely pointing daggers at a man whose only job was to deliver mail.
By evening, the sun had started to set, the yellow yolk of the bright ball starting to hide behind the horizon line as the trees acted as small shields to aid in its burial. Talia sighed and decided that maybe Rick forgot today....or he had gotten busy.
She stood up from the porch swing, still hugging the box tightly to her chest, turned and headed for the front door.
"Excuse me, miss!"
Talia slowly turned to see the familiar looking mail man running up the steps.
"Sorry, miss!" the post man said with a grief-stricken look on his face. "I got into a car accident today...so I couldn't make my shifts..." Talia looked down at the man's arm and noticed that it was in a sling. She covered her mouth with her free hand and felt immensely guilty.
"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" Talia asked, finally removing her hand to only gape at the poor worker who gave her a bright smile.
"Yes, I'm fine. It was minor...it was nothing."
Talia felt obliged to offer the poor man something, especially after all the internal accusations she had against the guy about an hour ago."Would you like something to drink? Tea, perhaps? I'll go get some - "
"Ah, no! That's quite alright," the post man said. "Were you waiting for me to show up?"
Talia paused. "Yes...yes, I was." But she hurried on. "But I feel really bad now, seeing as that it's not your fault that what I was waiting for never got here! Please don't worry about it. If anything, I should be sorry for thinking selfishly like that..."
"Oh, yes, that's right..." the post man reached into the bag he had slung over his shoulder and he presented her with an identical looking package to the four she had received earlier this week. "I did get into an accident, but I knew you were waiting for this. I know how important it is to you so even though I'm off shift, I came to bring this to you."
Talia took the package from the post man gratefully and then said, "Please wait here!" She ran straight back into the house with her box and package to drop them onto the kitchen table, and then opened the fridge for some Italian soda that she had purchased the other day. When she got back outside, she closed the front door after herself, and then handed the post man the beverage. "Please take this, for all your troubles. And get some rest. I wish you a speedy and fast recovery!"
"Ah, Strawberry Italian soda. One of the best flavors and....you're giving it to me?" The post man seemed surprised at her kindness and said a bit quietly, "I see that our Rick chose a really nice girl this time, Maria..."
Talia blinked twice. "Sir, you know Rick?"
The post man seemed caught off guard. "Huh? Oh, no! Not at all...I'm quite tired so I'm just mumbling nonsense now, you see," he smiled at Talia quite serenely this time, and it was a smile that was similar to Rick's. "Thank you for this, Talia." And then he left.
Talia shut the door behind her after bidding the mail carrier good bye one last time. As she made her way into the living room, she couldn't help but feel a bit confused about something. Nonetheless, she brought her letter box and the new package into the living room and opened it, expecting nothing more and nothing less.
「Every
Minute spent here is so bittersweet for me. I can't even begin to explain how I feel every time I stumble upon something strawberry related! The smell and essence of the berries here remind me of you. But the sweetness of them can't be matched to you. The Strawberry Italian Soda here, even though this is Rome and not Italy, is a lot better than the soda that we usually drink in Little Italy, New York. I really want to send some to you, but then I wouldn't be able to see your face as you tasted it. One day, if you don't mind, Talia....I would like to invite you to meet my Aunt and Uncle. They have similar tastes to us and....well, I suppose I'll tell you about it later. Wait a few more days and we'll finally be able to meet again! As usual, take good care of yourself for me and eat and sleep until your heart and mind are full.
Please wait for my return.
「Very Homesick,
Rick
Talia, struggling to fight back the tears, squeezed her eyes shut, folded up the letter, and kissed the letter. As her lips met it, an aroma of ripe strawberries wafted up into her senses. "Rick, I miss you," she whispered to herself. She then smiled and gently placed the letter inside of the box.
°°°°°「P5 END」•••••
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