Sweet Catherine Breezes By

  "Hi, Timmy - how are you?" she asked tentatively.

  "I'm okay," he replied with a half-hearted shrug. "I just wanted to see you one more time."

  Catherine stepped close and took his hands. "I'm so sorry," she offered, fighting back a sob.

  His chin was quivering. "I understand. I'm just going to watch until you're gone, okay? I'm not being silly anymore."

  The cars were moving. "You're a great guy, Timmy. I'll always remember you," she said, choking up that time. "Have fun in the Navy, okay? You're going to make a great sailor!"

  Timmy fought back the ache in the base of his throat and smiled and waved. He followed their car until the end of the pier and stood there watching for every possible glimpse of Catherine as they parked and then as she walked with her parents over to the seats at the front of the ferry when it was pushing off. He stood there transfixed and watching intently as the ferry drifted slowly away and finally Catherine waved and he thought he could see her smile. He then waved back frantically but she was obscured by the cars when the ferry turned a little.

  "What's up, dweeb brain?" his brother laughed suddenly, scuffing up his hair. "What - are you going to cry are you?"

  Timmy thumped his brother's chest sending his back on his ass. "Get the fuck off me, Tod," he growled, and Tod got up stunned.

  "H-ho! Look whose balls just dropped," he said a little shakily, feeling a twinge of fear.

  Timmy was just glaring at him but he turned back around to search into the distance for another glimpse of Catherine.

  Paulo took Tod's arm and pulled him away. "Come on - let's go and watch some porn," he said.

  Timmy turned back around glaring at the two of them and he stepped forward sending them both scurrying backwards as he stormed past and ran down the pier. He ducked into the cruiser and got his scope and ran up the hill past the house and across the dunes to the trail leading up onto the headland.

  His chest was tight with the pain in his heart and the ache from the tears he had been holding back. He felt none of that though as he ran as fast as he could up the rocky trail and emerged at the lookout. He then levelled his scope on the ferry and immediately found Catherine's pretty white dress. He could see it and he could see her clearly but it was too far to see her eyes or her smile. And he watched and watched intently as the ferry drifted past the buoy and closer to the mainland, and as the image of Catherine became harder and harder to distinguish in the shimmering distance. Then the ferry swung around and docked and he focused on their car. He saw it move slowly with the others and then it went up the hill and turned onto the road leading along the coast towards the city. He followed it straining to see but unable to make out Catherine in the back. He could just see the shape of it and he knew she was there. He watched as it disappeared into the trees and his heart sank but it sparked to life again when the car emerged on the cliff road around the headland. And he clung to his scope with his heart pounding and his bottom lip quivering as the car skirted the headland and when it finally disappeared into the trees the ache in his heart clenched and he couldn't contain his tears.

  He searched the tree line for a one more glimpse but she was gone and he slumped to the ground and took the photo from his pocket. It was the photo of Catherine cuddling the stuffed giraffe and smiling at him. He'd been carrying it around in his pocket and taking it out to look at all the time. It was a bit dog-eared and smudged from where he had been touching her face but he had another one in a picture frame at home.

  He stroked her pretty face again and a tear dripped from his chin so he rubbed at his face with his arm and sniffled, trying to compose himself a little.

  "But I love you, Catherine," he uttered though, and his chin began to quiver again……..

  End

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  Kind regards, Matt Coolomon

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