“Thank you so much,” Tasha looked into Travis Franklin’s face. She was pleasantly surprised when he stayed back after the luncheon party her mother had thrown for her.
The afternoon was filled with laughter, dancing, and heartfelt conversations. She was so grateful to her parents for always making her happy. As the party ended, people began to depart, leaving behind a sea of empty glasses and plates. Tasha’s siblings and cousins had stayed back to help their exhausted mother clean up the mess. And Travis, too, joined them.
“It’s nothing,” he looked into her eyes, putting both his hands in his pocket. “Would you like to take a walk with me?” He asked.
“Of course,” she replied, her heart racing with excitement. “Let me just tell my brother I’m leaving the house.”
“It’s okay.” he rubbed his hands together. “I’ll be waiting.”
Tasha dashed into the house while he waited for her on the front porch. She returned a few minutes later and said, “let’s go.”
He stretched out his hand, and she took it as they walked away from the house.
Travis turned to the left.
“Are you taking me to…?” She eyef him a quizzical with a chuckle.
“Yes,” he took a deep breath. “I am taking you there.”
They both burst into laughter. The air hummed with the scent of pine needles and damp earth as they walked deeper into the woods. The setting sun cast long shadows, painting the familiar path in shades of gold and purple.
“Can you remember the first day I made you climb the tree?” He asked and stopped at the base of an old oak tree.
“And I almost got stuck?” Tasha chuckled, her voice echoing through the stillness.
Travis grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners, he was enjoying teasing her like he used to do. “Yeah, and you swore you’d never climb another tree again. You were terrified that day.”
“Yes,” Tasha laughed out loud. “Gone were the days…” She wrapped her arms around herself and started walking again. “When we had no care in the world, we were always out to catch fun.”
“You are so correct,” he agreed with her. “No care at all. Life was so simple and easy.”
They both stopped when they got to a small grove where the trees formed a natural canopy. They exchanged a magical look.
“This place,” Tasha breathed, her voice tinted with nostalgia.
“Our grove,” they both muttered at the same time.
The grove was filled with the sweet scent of jasmine; it was actually that jasmine fragrance that attracted them to the spot years ago. They sat under the tree canopy.
“I am so proud of you, Tasha,” he took her hand and beamed into her eyes. “I can recollect vividly the afternoon you told me you want to be a college professor at the very spot years ago.”
“Yes,” she nodded. “You were the first person I ever breathed my dream to.”
“Now, your dream has come through,” he squeezed her hand. “I am so happy for you.”
“Thank you, Travis,” she said. “It’s so surreal. Finally, I am at the pinnacle of my career. I feel so fulfilled in my career.”
“Yes you are,” he agreed with her.
None of them said anything for some time. The silence between them filled with unspoken memories. The air grew cooler, and the first stars appeared in the darkening sky.
“When was the last time you came here?” He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I come into the woods every time I’m home,” she swallowed hard. “But this spot…the last time I came here was the night before I went to college.”
Travis felt bad for treating her the way he did. He knew he was the first man that betrayed her; he was her first love.
“Do you ever wonder what would have happened if…” he turned to her, his eyes searching hers. “If we had stayed together? If I hadn’t gotten carried away?”
Tasha nodded, a bittersweet smile playing on her lips. “So many times.” Tasha admitted.
They both stayed quiet, then he said, “my divorce is final.” He took a deep breath. “I am now a free man.”
Tasha said nothing.
They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. As the moon rose, casting a silvery glow over the woods, Tasha felt a familiar warmth bloom in her chest. It was the warmth of friendship, of shared history, of a bond that time could not erase.
“Maybe,” Travis said, his voice soft, “maybe we can find our way back. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since last summer when we met.”
She refused to look at him, her gaze fixed on her hands. “It’s too late, Travis,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “We’re not who we were any longer.”
“Tasha,” he called out, his voice rough with emotion. “I still love you.” He leaned closer, the fragrance of her lavender perfume a familiar comfort. “We can be again,” he pleaded with desperation. “We can build something new, something better than we used to have.”
He reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek. The warmth of her skin sent a jolt through him, a reminder of the love that had once burned so brightly between them. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear. “Tasha, please,” he whispered, his voice laced with a desperate hope.
“Please, Travis,” she turned her head away, her eyes filled with a pain that mirrored his own. “Don’t,” she said, her voice trembling. “We can’t. I can’t.”
“Okay,” he said solemnly.
“I think we should head back,” Tasha said, standing up, wishing she hadn’t come here with him.
He stood up too and shrugged, looking into her eyes. Travis knew whatever they used to have was gone. Travis couldn’t blame her. He was a jerk. He should have been more reasonable.
“Tasha, I’m sorry I brought this up,” he readjusted the collar of his jacket. “I thought you feel the same way as I do.”
“It’s okay, Travis,” she said, to make him feel better. “I have put everything about us behind me. Remember, that was a long time ago; and we never really put a name to what we used to have…”
“Tasha Harrison,” he patted her on the shoulder. “Professor Tasha, can we still remain friends…though?” He stretched out his hand with a sly chuckle.
“Why not?” She took a deep breath with a little smile playing on her lips and took his hands. Yes, friends.”
They both laughed happily and started walking back towards the familiar path to the house.