A short story I wrote a while back…thought I’d share it
It’s a quiet day in Port Credit but tempers are high in Kelly Madison’s car as she and her boyfriend Dave McDonald have been arguing for a couple of hours on a sunny Monday afternoon in April. But as the clock ticks to three o’clock in the afternoon, Dave is seen slamming the passenger side door and jumping into his old Honda Civic. As he drives away Kelly pulls out her Blackberry and sends a ‘BBM’ to her best friend Andrea Stevens who reads the message but does not reply. This angers Kelly and she resorts to starting her car and speeding off into the unknown. As she drives down the sunny roads of Port Credit, she notices a local pub that looks quite appealing. Outside the pub reads “Mondays $12 Domestic Pitchers” and Kelly thinks to herself that if Andrea won’t help her cope with the breakup of her relationship with Dave, that she could recuperate by having a couple of beers. She approaches the pub, which has an English design and feel to it, and is greeted by a middle-aged woman who asks her whether she’d like a seat at the bar or a table. After giving it a quick thought, Kelly decides to take a seat at the bar and not too long after her pitcher arrives alongside a freshly-washed chalice. In comes Michael Robinson, a fellow student at the University of Toronto where Kelly is enrolled. Kelly is in the same sociology elective as Michael and has been eyeing him for quite some time now. She knew that since she was in a relationship with Dave it wouldn’t be right to have feelings for another guy but now that they had broken up it only seemed right for her to go and talk to Michael. To her surprise, Michael notices her and asks if he could sit next to her. Without hesitation she told Michael he could sit next to her and that she would love for him to do so. The two exchange flirtatious smiles and giggles before Michael asks Kelly what type of beer she is drinking. “Stella Artois,” she answers before asking Michael how his car was running. Michael says “It’s good actually I just put on a bolt-on turbo with 19psi. Now I can finally beat your boyfriend’s car at the line.” Kelly looking overly ecstatic responds “I’m sure you can beat Dave’s car but we broke up and just like your car, I’m looking to ‘upgrade’ my life for the better.” This surprises Michael who asks the server to bring them an order of onion rings and another pitcher. “Onion rings are my favourite Michael,” says Kelly. Michael cleans Kelly’s lips of froth from the beer and states, “Kelly, I’m hoping I can be one of your favourites too.” Kelly asks herself if it’s right moving on so quickly but cannot see any reasons that could stop her from continuing to talk to Michael in such a manner, knowing that Dave was the one who broke up with her and she shouldn’t have to suffer because of his mistakes. “You know, Dave and I dated for over five years and built so many good memories yet to this day he hasn’t once made me feel like I was on top of the world.” Michael begins to talk about his feelings for Kelly and how life would be if he were given the chance to be with her. After they finish their pitcher, Michael asks Kelly if she’d like to go with him on a drive in his Acura TSX. Kelly confesses her love for his car saying that Dave’s car is as worthless as he is and that she admires a guy with a sweet ride.
As Michael and Kelly zoom past the streets of Mississauga, they notice the local Tim Horton’s that most of the ‘street tuners’ from their school go to and decide to pull in to grab a coffee. Michael parks his car in the parking lot and the two go inside to grab their double-doubles and swiftly arrive back into the car. “You know Michael, I’ve had a crush on you for quite some time now but I think we need to slow it down. I’m just not ready to be in a relationship,” says Kelly. At the same time, Dave’s best friend Arthur Deeds sees Kelly in Michael’s car. They exchange hated looks at one another but no verbal communication is exchanged. Arthur drives off to the end of the parking lot and is seen on his cell phone with someone. Kelly and Michael pay no attention to Arthur and carry on their conversation. Not too long after, Dave’s Civic is spotted entering the parking lot. Kelly sees Dave but does not tell Michael of his entrance. Kelly continues to tell Michael about her summer vacation in Spain with Dave and how she always envisioned her honeymoon in Spain. As she talks to Michael about the view from the villa her and Dave stayed at, she remembers the long, blissful nights Dave spent holding and caressing her as they stared into the sunset. She begins to remember all the wonderful memories she had with Dave and how she genuinely loved him with every bit of her heart and soul. Michael notices her distraught mood and wraps his arms around her neck and places her head onto his chest. Kelly begins to wonder if she could create such memories with Michael and tries to envision herself with him. In the distance, Dave notices Kelly’s head lying on Michael’s chest and becomes furious but at the same time so broken hearted. Dave begins to shed tears and Arthur comforts him by hugging him. Arthur cannot bear to see his friend in such a dreadful state and decides to drive up towards Michael’s car to confront Kelly. He soon reaches his destination and calls Kelly out of Michael’s vehicle. “You’re the absolutely biggest hoe I’ve ever known!” yells Arthur. Kelly’s face begins to turn red with anger, “I’m a hoe?! You’re best friend let me go like I was nothing to him.” She storms into Michael’s car and tells him to leave that very instant. Michael drives out of the plaza towards the pub, back to Kelly’s car.
Kelly hugs Michael, thanks him for a wonderful afternoon, and tells him that she would be calling him later on that night so that they could continue talking. They exchange phone numbers and soon after Michael drives off. Kelly takes a second before entering her car as she starts to cry. She decides that a drive to her and Dave’s favourite spot, the Oakville Art Museum near the lake, would probably calm her down. When she arrives there, she sits on the bench by the lake where she and Dave had their first kiss. She sits and ponders over the break up and the reasoning behind it. Kelly begins to think about what could have encouraged Dave to break up with her as they had been in what she thought was one of the best stages in their relationship. Suddenly it hits her, Dave had been ‘missing in action’ a couple of times in the past month or so and he could never justify his disappearances. She remembered that he would always tell her that he and his family were visiting a family friend who wasn’t in a healthy state. This made her believe that he was lying since she remembered one time spotting his family’s Caravan outside their home when he told her that they went to visit the family friend. Kelly realizes that if Dave could hurt her so badly and demonstrate how much their love actually meant to him, she must forget him and move on because he doesn’t deserve her tears. Kelly picks herself off the bench and heads towards her car. She sits inside but does not start the car instead she takes Dave’s jacket and hat that was left in her back seat and tosses it out the window. She then proceeds to drive off to her house. Kelly arrives to her house only to find her favourite, a dozen blue roses at her doorstep. A card accompanies the flowers and says “To the love of my life, Kelly”.
“Dear Kelly, words cannot describe how much you mean to me. You are the love of my life but a life that will be short-lived. I know you may have been wondering if I was really at our family friend’s house all those times. Sadly, I was not but I was not out there cheating on you and ruining the bond we have created over the past five years. Instead, I was at the hospital getting tests and diagnoses done. I have leukemia. It’s been rough on my parents and that’s why my relationship with them has become closer if you haven’t noticed. But that’s also why I’ve been so edgy and moody with you. I’ve been trying to push you away from me but the more I tried, the more I couldn’t go through with it. I love you with everything inside of me. I thought to myself, that it would be easier to prepare you with a life away from me so that when I do pass away you won’t take it as hard. You’re probably upset that I didn’t tell you of my illness. But I remember how hard you took it when your mother passed away and I couldn’t let you knowingly spend your last days with me depressed. I let us ride out as much happiness our relationship could produce. But I’ve become too ill and too depressed myself that I’ve come to realize that it’s best for me to go now rather than have my parents and sister watch me die. I’m truly sorry for what I’m about to do after I write this letter. I just want you to know that Michael is a good guy and that the moment he saw you in the pub I knew it was your destiny. Just know that when you look up to the sky at night, that shining star will be me looking down at you. Love forever and always, Dave.”
Kelly jumped into her car and drove off to Dave’s house. It was too late. The ambulance and police had already beaten her to it. Dave’s parents yelled and screamed for their son on their driveway as they were restrained by a couple of police officers. Kelly in disbelief tried to get past the police officers in order to see Dave’s body. They wouldn’t allow her to enter the home. Kelly spotted Dave’s sister, Angelica who was sitting on the lawn crying and hyperventilating. Kelly asked Angelica, “What happened?!” Angelica could barely get the words out of her mouth. “He hung himself,” said Angelica. Kelly couldn’t believe it. The one person she had loved so dearly was gone. She sat next to Angelica and held her in her arms as family and friends arrived to the scene. Michael and Arthur came dashing towards Angelica and Kelly. Arthur asked Kelly, “Now do you understand?” Kelly couldn’t say a word. Michael pulled her aside and hugged her for a second. “Michael, I can’t do this right now. Dave is dead. I loved him so dearly and now he’s gone,” said Kelly. Michael put his index finger on her lips to quiet her and said “Kelly, I have to tell you something. A couple of days ago Dave approached me and told me of his illness. He told me that he wanted you to be happy and for you and me to end up together when he died. I told him that I could never do such a thing because you guys belonged together. He made me promise him that I do this one thing and that it was his only wish before he died. That day you guys broke up, he didn’t drive away. Instead he drove to an area where you couldn’t see him and he followed you to the pub. He called me and told me to come there and meet you. He also gave me this note to give you and he said to give it to you when the time was right. I didn’t think he was going to commit suicide but anyways I know you’re hurting and I’m here if you need me. Just take this note.” Michael handed the note to Kelly and hugged her. He not too long after left and she decided to open the note only for a set of keys to fall out of the note.
“Remember the time we went to Spain and I held you around your waist while we watched the sunset? You told me you wished you could have had that moment forever. Well now you can because I bought you a villa in Spain so you’ll always have that moment forever; just not with me. I want you to be happy and live your life to its fullest. Michael may or may not be the one for you but I want you to always visit that villa when life gives you a hard time. Remember, you’ll always be my princess and in that no one will ever hold my heart as dearly as you have. I love you Kelly Amy Madison.”
