Adventures with You

Adventures with You

By Angelica Pierzchala

Ma Cherie,

If you are reading this, then I would want you to know how much you mean to me and how much I miss you. You have been my greatest adventure of my life. At times it has been scary, however, more times than not, it’s been an exciting and wild ride and that is what I hope you remember of me and our journey together. You are the one thing that means the most to me and the best decision of my life was to take a leap of faith with you.

I know this time may not be easy for you, but you have always handled things with kindness, grace and most importantly love - even during the hard times.

I hope for you to smile, laugh and be filled with joy again. I know this will take time, preferably not too much, as life is precious, and you deserve the world of happiness.

Ma Cherie, I have planned a special final adventure for you from me…so you can remember all the good times and be light again. I hope that you will take this journey.

A long time ago, we had all our finances in order should anything happen, in large part thanks to you. I’m happy you and our family will be well taken care of. In addition, I had set aside $20,000 for you take this last adventure with me and I hope that you will say yes.

A letter will arrive one day after you receive this note. Now, you must go and pack. Pack a light luggage of necessities and a few of your favorite things. Everything else will be provided for you or you’ll have the opportunity to get what you need. I know you always worry, but it is time now to let go and trust.

With all my Love,

Oliver

********************************

Next Day

Buzz, buzz… a text message alert on my phone. I rollover and reach for my phone on the nightstand. I open the message and it reads, “Good morning my darling… your tea has arrived and is on the windowsill on the back porch. Enjoy the morning, eat well today.”

I have a bittersweet feeling, one of sadness and excitement. I put my robe on and walk to the back patio. I find the tea on the windowsill and I slowly breathe it in to smell the flavors of the tea. I sit down in the chair and watch the sun rising and listen to the birds chirping. I sit and all I see is the movie of our life together playback from my memory.

Knock, knock... I grab my phone and open our front door security app to see who is at the front door. It looks like a courier.

“The letter!” I thought. I ran to the door and opened it. A simple cream envelope, with the stamp from our wedding invitations, two birds kissing.

I open the envelope and I see our original Wedding Invitation. The invitation reads:

“You are invited to take this last adventure with Oliver & Isabella.

Time: Please be ready at 6 o’clock.

A car will be waiting for you.”

Six O’clock

The car arrives and I grab my carryon luggage and handbag. The driver helps me to my car and asks. “Ms. Isabella, my name is Damien, and I am your driver tonight. May I help you with your luggage? May I offer you a glass of Prosecco? Are you ready for an adventure?”

“Why, thank you Damien. Yes, I would love a glass very much and I am ready as I will ever be.” With tears and excitement, I say, “Cheers to what’s to come.”

“Well, Ms. Isabella, I am instructed to tell you the first place I am to take you is the place where Mr. Oliver asked for your number.” Mr. Damien says with a loving smile. “Do you know where that is?”

I reply, “ Why yes, near the corner of Eddy and Lawndale.” Damien, looks at me with a smile via the rear view mirror. I continue, “I was wearing a sexy fanny pack too.” I began to laugh.

Eddy & Lawndale

“We are here Ms. Isabella.”

I get out of the car, place my glass on the tray and take a stroll down the side streets. I walk the block back to the car.

Mr. Damien is standing there, with a wrapped gift and a single rose. I gently smell the rose and exhale. I open the gift, wrapped with airplane gift paper. I open the gift and find a kodak camera, a debit card with a $20,000 balance and the coordinates to our next destination and an engraved compass I gave him for his birthday many years ago. Underneath it all, a little black book with a sticky note on top that reads, “Scratch off for the first adventure. Remember only one picture per destination.” On the front of the journal, inscribed, “Adventure awaits, so let’s go my dear.”

I reminisce to the birthday where I gave him a journal and handmade scratch off pages of our next adventures. Each adventure we took together, we only took one picture with the retro Kodak camera. It was so much fun, we had to wait to get the film developed until the camera roll finished. It took a while to look at our photos from each adventure and then we placed it in his book. I gently sigh and hug the little black book.

“Is everything alright, Ms. Isabella?” asks Damien.

“Yes, just going down memory lane.” I get back into the car and ask, “ Where are we headed next Mr. Damien?”

“Open to the first page, there should be a coin in the journal for you to scratch off. Would you like to grab a bite first? I have a place where we can go. I think you will like it and it is not far.”

“Sure, that would be wonderful,” I reply. We drive down the one way streets and around the corner, the little Argentine café across from the church still stands. “Oh! I know this place quite well,” I exclaim.

I sit down at one of the tables on the sidewalk and wait for the waitress to come take my order. Just as I remember: hanging lights, flower pots, dog bowls and puppies walking by. The waitress comes to the table, “I’ll order a medium Earl Grey Hot Tea and the Caprese panini with the pappas please. Damien, would you like anything? Please join me.”

Damien sits across from me and orders a coffee and some empanadas. While waiting for our food to arrive we chit chat and take in the scenery. I tell him about our time in this neighborhood and how we met. Finally, our food arrives. As I finish my panini, I take the little black book and turn to the first page. I grab a coin out of my wallet and scratch off to see the first stop.

Coordinates that read 26.4615° N, 80.0728° W. “Hmm, I wonder where this is,” underneath the spot for the photo, a note that says, “Enjoy the sun, skip some rocks and remember this is where I fell in love with you.”

The waitress comes and I give her the debit card for our meal and ask her to take our Kodak photo, sitting at the café, with my tea and journal.

“Say cheese,” she says. For the first time in a long time, I feel a weight off my shoulders. I breathe and smile.

“Snap” and a flash goes off.