Cherry blossoms brushed against his hand as he did what any adult, observing no audience, would. He shook the branch until the petals fell, gently carpeting the grass below.
He grinned shaking nature’s confetti from his hair, it was simple things that were the greatest pleasure. Sitting on the grass his legs outstretched before him, he leaned back on his hands. He shut his eyes drawing his face upwards into the gentle embrace of the spring sun. This was it. No worries, complete surrender to a single moment in time. Listening to the rustling sounds of the freely swaying trees, he could just be.
After what seemed like a peaceful age he jolted as he realised that he did have an audience, in a green eyed woman wearing a smile and a blue summer dress perched on a high branch of a nearby tree. It was something familiar to him.
“Are you done? I didn’t want to destroy that face of serenity.” He nodded, confused by her tone. “It’s much nicer up here. there’s a better view.” Patting the bough with charming simplicity she said. “Come and join me Harry.”
He started: “How do you know my name?”
She laughed tapping the side of her nose enigmatically. “Well if you don’t recognise me, I’m not going to tell you White Knight.”
Those two words resonated so strongly in his memory it took him all of two seconds to place the green-eyed woman.
“Emily!”
“That’s Lady Emily to you.”
Instantly he commenced his precarious clamber up the tree, his leather Brogues slipping causing mirth from Emily perched above. Finally, he sat by her side.
“How did you manage that in a dress?”
She embraced him tightly.
“Practice. I missed you when we moved away. No one wanted to play dragons, apparently it was childish.”
Harry’s mind bored bright with memories, it was good to see she hadn’t changed much. “Well whatever brought you back, I’m hoping life’s treated you well. Look!” he pointed, guiding her sight. “You can see the church tower from here.”
Emily plucked the last cherry blossoms from his hair, blowing them almost unconsciously into the breeze.
“I know. I’m glad to know some things stay the same.”
“Welcome back Lady Emily.
Clara Lucea
Missed the last part of We Six? Find it here. https://theiristribune.co.uk/we-six-sherbet-lemons/
