It was springtime. The fields were recently colored in gold by the wheat plantations. No noise disturbed the endless silence but the gentle singing of the birds. The two small villages that no map had chartered were as peaceful as ever. The road connecting them, which was not used since times unremembered, was graced by the cool shadow of the walnut tree.

 

This story took place between the last lilac blossom and the harvest of the wheat crops.

###

He was fast asleep under the kind shade of the century-old tree. He had escaped from the big city, if only for a few months. The tranquil stillness had bewildered him into the land of dreams. His sense of time was exiled to the deepest parts of his mind.

 

Upon waking up from the relaxing nap, he yawned with all his might.

 

“It’s not like someone could hear me here! No need to constrain myself…” – he stated to himself.

 

Just when he was about to doze off once again, a strange sound interrupted him. He looked to the road, which was as empty as it has always been, and said out loud:

 

“That must have been caused by a little bird flapping its wings! What else could it be, I wonder?”

 

Then he laughed.

 

Then she laughed:

 

“I didn’t consider myself to be a bird, but it isn’t really impossible, is it?”

 

“That depends.” – he replied – “You sound like a girl, but you may very well be a bird! I know better not to judge people by the sounds they make!”

 

Then they both laughed.

 

“If you were a bird where would you go?” – she asked.

 

“I would stay here! But how did you know that I am not a bird?”

 

“Forgive my rudeness.” – she laughed – “Are you a bird?”

 

“That depends.”

 

“Are you a human then?” – she continued with the questions.

 

“That depends as well. Those are some very hard questions you are asking. Why are you here?”

 

“I don’t really know – I just felt like coming here. No reason whatsoever!” – she smiled unbeknownst to him.

 

“Me too! We are so much alike!” – he stated with dignity in his voice.

 

“We are not the only ones in these two forgotten villages who have nothing to do all day! This is not enough of a reason to say that.” – she countered.

 

“We are the only ones sharing this tree’s trunk. What more do you need as a proof that we are alike!”

 

“We might be resting upon the trunks of two different trees. You can’t know for sure.”

 

“But there are no other trees on this road!”

 

“Do you have any proof to support this statement?” – she enquired.

 

“No, I don’t! You are completely right – we may not be alike!”

 

They laughed for a few seconds. Then they remained silent for about a minute. Then they laughed again.

 

“You are mad, you know.” – she said.

 

“Yes, I know. But is that any way to talk to strangers!”

 

“I shouldn’t be talking to strangers at all!”

 

“Don’t talk then. That way I can nap again” – he proposed.

 

“Didn’t you have enough sleep already?”

 

“Some things are never enough. You can’t stay awake if you hadn’t slept.”

 

“But what happens if you sleep too much? Don’t you have chores to do?”

 

“When I sleep too much I feel sleepy and then I want to sleep some more. Sleeping is a greedy thing, be sure of that! Besides, the time here is different from the time in the city. Here, it stops when you nap.” – he stated in a serious manner.

 

Then they both sighed. They were lying on the opposite sides of the old tree, looking at the sky, decorated with many clouds.

 

“Clouds are cool, you know.” – he said.

 

“I think so too!” – she replied – “I want to travel the world like them!”

 

“Become a cloud then. You seem cool enough.”

 

“This is the strangest compliment I have ever been told! Don’t you want to travel the world too?”

 

“I do have strange talents, none of them really useful. And you know, I wouldn’t mind staying at this spot forever. It’s nice.” – he answered.

 

She smiled and told him:

 

“Isn’t it...”

 

She remained silent for some time. Then she continued:

 

“Do you think it is OK not to change?”

 

“What do you want to change?”

 

“I don’t know… there’s nothing that comes to mind.” – she said whilst a warm sensation embraced her soul.

 

“Why would you want to change then? You seem great the way you are.”

 

“You haven’t seen me, how do you know that.”

 

“You are nice.”

 

“How would you know, we just met.”

 

“You are nice to me, I feel well. This is all that matters. You may be a girl or you may be a bird, but you would always be great in my eyes, if I feel good because of you.”

 

Then she blushed and whispered:

 

“I have to go, would you be here tomorrow?”

 

“Where else could I be? After all, I have been enchanted by a bird’s song!”

She blushed even more and left, leaving behind the stranger on the other side of the tree.

###

 

 

 

The next day she did her chores as fast as she could. She still had a big smile on her face when she went back to the lonely tree on the road.

 

“Hey, yesterday I smiled so much that it hurts!” – she proclaimed the moment she arrived at the tree.

 

There was no answer. She sat down on her side of the walnut.

 

“Where is he, I wonder?” – she said out loud – “Mother did say that men always disappoint you in the end!”

 

“I am very sorry… I hurt you and disappointed you all at the same time.”

 

The girl was red with shame, but nonetheless radiated a wide smile. She blushed so genuinely, that it actually made her feel warm. She told him:

 

“How could you let me embarrass myself like that, shame on you!”

 

“Sorry, I was just sleeping… not only is sleeping greedy, but it is also shameful.” – he replied.

 

She laughed. He laughed:

 

“How are you today? You came earlier than I expected.”

 

“I am fine, thank you! When did you expect me to come… and apart from that, when did you arrive?” – she asked with a gentle quietness in her voice.

 

“I expected you to come later… the other stars are still asleep, it seems. And I, I came to see the sunrise, it was beautiful, did you see it?”

 

She gulped and smiled. Then she told him:

 

“Do you think that I am a star?”

 

“You could be, you know, stars bring heat to this earth. And I am sure that it is warmer when you are here. Nevertheless, if you are a star, you should be a little star!” – he answered.

 

“Why should I be a little one?” – she asked in amusement.

 

“Because the big ones are too far away!” – he smiled.

 

“But stars are gone with the sunrise… isn’t it sad?”

 

“Most stars go to sleep when the day comes, but the Sun is also a star… and a special one at that!”

 

“Is it special because it is big?” – she enquired.

 

“No, not in the least! It is special because it’s near. But you are near too… might you be the Sun?”

 

She took a breath and smiled. She stood silent for a while. Then she said:

 

“Aren’t night stars in their multitude more beautiful than the single one during the day?”

 

“I don’t know!” – he countered.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“They are all beautiful.” – he answered.

 

She couldn’t say a thing. She stood there and thought of what she should tell him. She started feeling unsecure. She didn’t know what to do. He stated:

 

“You shouldn’t speak if you don’t want to. Silence is fine. It is easy to find people with whom you can talk, but it is much harder to find somebody who enjoys staying together in silence.”

 

She smiled, relaxed, and let her head rest upon the walnut trunk. After some time had past, she whispered:

 

“This tree is hard to sleep on. How can you nap here all day?”

 

“Sleeping isn’t easy. It is greedy, shameless and hard. Nevertheless, it is comfortable when you bring a pillow with you.”

 

“You surely came prepared, didn’t you.” – she concluded.

 

“I did. I also thought that I should bring you a flower.”

 

“Did you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I didn’t want to kill a flower so I could bring it with me. Wouldn’t it be sad to watch a flower wither after being plucked?”

 

“Wouldn’t it wither anyway?”

 

“It would.”

 

“Then what is the difference?”

 

“There is a time when the flower should bloom, and then there is a time when it should wither. I wouldn’t want to be the one to decide its life for it.”

 

She smiled for what seemed as the thousandth time that day. Then she replied:

 

“Flowers belong with each other, just like the stars, don’t you agree?”

 

“What color are your eyes?” – he asked surprisingly.

 

She felt her heart waver gently. She was overcome with shyness. She politely whispered:

“Blue.”

 

“Then the skies above compliment them, just like the flowers in a garden compliment each other!”

 

“Thank you… but what would you say if I had brown eyes?”

 

“Then this great walnut would envy the color of your eyes!”

 

Then she laughed with an enchanting kindness. Then he laughed too.

 

“It’s nice!” – they said together.

 

Then they laughed with all their might!

 

For the next few hours they stood silent, but happy. They felt a melancholic tranquility, which no words can describe. It was fine. Everything was OK. Neither wanted anything more.

 

Soon, the day was coming to an end. The Sun started setting behind the western hills. She looked at the beautiful light radiating from the sky. Her eyes filled with tears.

 

“Isn’t it sad that you can’t see what I see? You should come to my side of the tree. Please.”

 

“There is nothing to be sad about,” he proclaimed, “I feel incredibly happy that you get to see the view! Besides, I am not greedy enough to want to watch both the Suns awakening and its lull!”

 

She cried. Her teardrops were sparkling with happiness. They stood like that until the Sun had set behind the horizon.

 

She had to go home.

 

“Sorry, I have to go.”

 

“Don’t be sorry, there is always tomorrow!”

 

“Yes, I really look forward to it!” – she smiled so much that it almost hurt.

 

“Please, cherish today, as much as you want to cherish tomorrow… wasn’t it good?”

 

“Yes, it was really great!”

 

“I am glad to hear,” his voice trembled, “would you like to stargaze with me tomorrow?”

 

“Sure!” – she replied.

Then she ran home with tears of joy rushing kindly to her cheeks.

###

 

 

The following day she went to the walnut just before sunset. When she arrived, she was welcomed by the pleasant smell of rosemary and lavender, mixed together with some witch hazel.

 

“That’s an odd smell!” – she said.

 

“Well, it is better than letting the bugs bite you!” – he countered.

 

And then they laughed.

 

“I didn’t know it was so easy to laugh. There were times in my life when I didn’t even smile during the day. What happened to me?!” – she proclaimed.

 

“You might have been ill… did a doctor see you?”

 

“Don’t be like that!” – she blushed – “I meant to say that you make me smile a lot… I am shy enough as it is, you don’t have to worsen the problem!”

 

“I see no problem in shyness. Shyness is a good thing, be proud of it!”

 

“I…” – she spoke in a trembling voice.

 

“Thank you!”

 

“Why are you thanking me?” – she smiled and blushed at the same time – “You are a complete madman!”

 

“Yes, I am! And I am proud of that!”

 

Then they laughed.

 

“I thanked you, because what you said to me warmed my heart. It is a precious gift that will stay with me forever…”

 

“But wouldn’t it hurt when you leave?”

 

“Do you want me to leave?”

 

“No, of course not!”

 

“Then why would I leave?”

 

She smiled sincerely from the bottom of her soul. She said:

 

“Aren’t you from some big city? Won’t you go back there?”

 

“Everything comes with time. I will go back to the city one day, but that should not sadden you! I know the path that leads here… and you are the shining light that will guide me back!”

 

She was happy. She knew that this was a naïve compliment but she didn’t care. He sounded honest.

 

“Would you lie to me?” – she asked.

 

“Why would I lie to you?”

 

“I don’t know… people tend to lie for no apparent reason.”

 

“Well, I prefer to tell the truth for no apparent reason! Although the truth is tricky to find, you know…”

 

“Why?”

 

“Why, you ask… I am not really sure as of now whether you are a bird or a star! If I don’t know the truth about my best friend how would I know the truth about anything else?”

 

She liked being his best friend. It was romantic, but not complicated. Neither wanted anything from the other and they were free.

 

“Freedom is a magnificent thing!” – she stated.

 

“Isn’t it? Nevertheless, I like you better!”

 

“But if I took your freedom away, wouldn’t it make you sad?” – she blushed.

 

“It would make me very sad if you took it away, but I will be very happy if I let you take it!”

 

“I don’t want to take it!”

 

“That’s exactly why I want to give it away so much!”

 

“You are strange!”

 

“Why?” – he asked.

 

“Don’t know, but so am I!”

 

And then they laughed as much as they could. Then they laughed some more. Soon the Sun was setting. She told him:

 

“It is beautiful!”

 

He told her:

 

“You are beautiful!”

 

“I am talking about the Sun, you know” – she laughed.

 

“I am talking about the Sun as well!”

 

She was overcome with joy. It felt so nice. The sunset, the strange aroma meant to chase the bugs away, the kind words coming from her best friend, whom she had never seen… all of them were nice to her. She told him:

 

“It would be unfair if only I saw this view…”

 

“Then can I ask you something?”

 

“Sure!”

 

“Would you stay here until I can see the sunrise? Or is it too arrogant of me to ask?”

 

“I will gladly stay! Why do you think that it is arrogant to ask me that?”

 

“Because that means I can enjoy your presence for so much longer!”

 

She smiled. She laughed.

 

“Thank you!” – she said.

 

“Thank you!” – he said.

 

“That is becoming repetitive, you know!” – she stated.

 

“Well, sunsets are repetitive too, but they are great, aren’t they!”

 

And they laughed again.

 

And just like that, floating on the wings of tranquility and fueled by smiles and blushes, the two of them welcomed the starlight. It was incredibly peaceful. It became dark, but they felt safe.

 

“Are you cold?” – he asked.

 

“No… my soul is much too warm for that.”

 

“Stars, they say, are warmer on the inside…”

 

“But I am a girl. I do not want to be a star.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because if I was a star, then I wouldn’t dream of the stars above!”

 

“But if you are not a star, then I wouldn’t dream of stars!”

 

“Why?” – she whispered.

 

“Because the stars above are so much colder…”

 

She smiled… so much that she forgot how to stop. She said:

 

“Do you prefer the brighter ones or those that twinkle?”

 

“I prefer the brightest stars!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because you do not seem to twinkle!”

 

They smiled. Then they stood silent for a while.

 

“Do you miss the city?” – she enquired with a gentle sadness.

 

“No! Not in the least!”

 

“But don’t you have something there that you miss?”

 

“I have someone here that I don’t want to miss…”

 

“Thank you.” – she whispered.

 

Neither had anything more to say. It was nice. They remained silent for a few hours.

 

“I am sorry.” – he apologized.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I thought of what I should say to you… it took so long while the answer was so simple.”

 

“And what do you want to tell me?”

 

“Thank you…”

 

“I enjoy staying in silence while I am with you…”

 

“Thank you…”

 

“It is nice to be surrounded by stars and caressed by a friend’s words…”

 

“Thank you!”

 

“You are thanking me too much!”

 

“I am sorry!”

 

“Don’t be sorry, I feel good when you thank me for no apparent reason!”

 

“Thank you!” – they both said at the same time.

 

And they laughed. They laughed for long enough as to welcome back the Sun with a smile…

 

“Is the dawn more beautiful than the dusk?” – she asked.

 

“I don’t know…”

 

“If you were a painter, what would you paint?”

 

“You!”

 

“But you haven’t even seen me!”

 

“I have seen you… at least what matters most!”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Your soul… it is something you don’t need eyes to see. Yet, it is the most beautiful thing of all!”

 

She smiled. Then, with a blushed face, she continued:

 

“If you were a poet, what would you write?”

 

“I would write a poem!”

 

“That’s obvious, isn’t it!” – she laughed from the bottom of her heart.

 

“I would write you a poem! It’s decided!”

 

“OK, then I will be waiting!” – she said with polite expectation in her voice, “I will go to get some sleep now…”

 

“It is nice sleeping during the day, isn’t it?”

 

“But it is much nicer staying awake with you!”

Then she peacefully retreated, bewildered by joyous thoughts so nice, that she hardly felt the warm light of the sunrise, which caressed her gentle shoulders.

###

 

 

 

 

 

“Hello!” – she shouted happily upon arriving at the tree, “The stars yesterday were so amazing!”

 

“They really were… but you were the most amazing one!”

 

She laughed.

 

“I have to apologize,” he continued, “I couldn’t write it…”

 

“Write what?”

 

“The poem.”

 

She smiled. Her poem was something important. It was something that couldn’t be left aside, forgotten… it was something that someone wanted to do for her.

 

“I have a proposition,” she stated, “let’s write it together!”

 

“That would be strange, wouldn’t it?”

 

“Why?”

 

“Well, you are the muse of the poem… you have a very important task as it is!”

 

“What is my task?”

 

“Your task is to be admired!”

 

She laughed again, this time as loud as her shyness would allow her. She told him:

 

“I always wanted to be one of those muses that help the poet!”

 

“Letting yourself be admired is a great help… it bears responsibility, you know!”

 

“I consider myself to be a workaholic muse – no responsibility will ever scare me!”

 

Then both of them laughed. They had become accustomed to feeling nice. Neither wanted it to end. She whispered:

 

“When will you return to the city?”

 

“I am sorry…”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I do have to go back there…”

 

“I know, don’t be sorry…”

 

“But I promise I will come back shortly after!”

 

“Does this mean that you will soon be leaving?”

 

“It depends on what you consider soon…”

 

“What do you consider soon?” – she replied.

 

“When I am with you, even eternity seems soon!”

 

She smiled. Then she enquired:

 

“When will you go back to the city… you know, in normal terms?”

 

“What do you consider normal?”

 

“Stop it!” – she laughed, “Don’t tell me if you don’t want to…”

 

“In the beginning of summer…”

 

“Sad, it was my favorite season…” – she joked through hardly hidden sadness.

 

“I won’t be gone for long though!”

 

“Really! When will you return?”

 

“During the summer, I hope!”

 

She sighed as if a huge load had come off her shoulders. She felt even happier than before. She blushed, but still she asked:

 

“How long will you stay when you return?”

 

“Well, that depends… will you be here?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Then I will stay as long as I live!”

 

“Thank you!” – she said happily – “Thank you!”

 

“Hey, I am the one who should be thanking you!”

 

“Thank you!” – they both said to each other.

 

“Stop it!” – they said in unison – “Enough already!”

 

They laughed and smiled and blushed and felt happy. It was charmingly nice.

 

“Hey, let’s stay silent this afternoon… let’s enjoy the moment” – she proposed.

 

“Sure!” – he agreed.

And soon they fell asleep, although the smiles never left their faces.

###

 

 

 

 

“I heard you leaving early this morning.” – he said upon her arrival on the next day.

 

“I had to, sorry…”

 

“Don’t be sorry!”

 

He stood silent for a bit, then continued:

 

“Can I ask you a favor?”

 

“Sure, what is it?”

 

“Mind if I admire you today?”

 

“Please, admire me whenever you want!” – she blushed.

 

“I will, thank you!”

 

After some more silence, she added:

 

“I have a proposition!”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Don’t write me a poem!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because when you’ve finished writing the poem, you may stop admiring me!”

 

“Never!”

 

“What would you do then, once you finish it?”

 

“I would write you another one!”

 

“Don’t do it then!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because then you would be writing poems all day and you would have no time to talk!”

 

He laughed. He smiled. She said:

 

“What is the city like?”

 

“Big.”

 

“Is it good then?”

 

“No.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Are you big?”

 

“You shouldn’t be asking a lady that!” – she laughed – “Nevertheless, I will answer you! I consider myself to be quite small…”

 

“Therefore, we can both agree that good things tend to be small!”

 

“You know what people say – the bigger the better…”

 

“People are wrong, I tell you! There are more important things than size - you have a soul!”

 

“What is a soul?”

 

“I don’t know…”

 

“Then how do you know that it is important?”

 

“I don’t… but I am sure that you are important!”

 

“Thanks…” – she beamed, “what makes me important?”

 

“You are special to me and that makes you important!”

 

“But what makes me special then?”

 

“I can’t tell you…”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because you are special beyond words!”

 

She was overcome with niceness. Never in her life had she felt so free and happy. The simple compliments made her feel so good. She didn’t know why. Maybe it was because her best friend told her those naïve words. But she hadn’t even seen him!

 

“Do you want to see me?” – she whispered.

 

“I don’t know!”

 

“How so?”

 

“Well, at first I thought that it would be rude of me to try and see you… now I am not sure that I should see you…”

 

“Why?”

 

“Won’t the magic disappear?”

 

She laughed. She had just realized how shy he really is. She really couldn’t stop laughing.

 

“Hey, I am blushing here, be more compassionate!” – he stated.

 

“I am! Sorry!” – she continued laughing – “I just can’t stop!”

 

Then he laughed too.

 

“It’s nice…” – he said.

 

“Do you mean blushing?” – she joked.

 

“No! Well, yes, it is nice. As long as it makes you happy…”

 

“Hey, I laughed so much that I blushed too, so don’t worry!”

 

“It is great when we can do things together, isn’t it!”

 

They both smiled with every inch of their faces. She asked:

 

“How do you think I look?”

 

“I know how you look!”

 

“How so?”

 

“I just know!”

 

“And how do I look?”

 

“You are beautiful!” – he said with impeccable pride in his voice.

 

She couldn’t say anything. She did not want to. They both stood in a silent relaxation. Night fell. He said:

 

“Hey, did you see the shooting star?”

 

“Yes, did you make a wish?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What was it?”

 

“I wished for you to be well!”

 

“Then it seems your wish came true!”

 

“Thank you!”

 

“Are you happy?” – she enquired.

 

“Yes, incredibly happy!”

 

“Thank you!”

 

“Why?”

 

“You made my wish come true as well!”

 

No words could describe how they both felt. Smiling, blushing and stargazing they talked and laughed late into the night. He said:

 

“Tonight it’s so warm…”

 

“Yes, sadly…”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because this means that the summer is near…”

 

“Don’t worry, I promise I won’t take long! Besides, it is not the weather I was talking about – I meant the radiance of your soul!”

 

“Hey…” – she whispered.

 

No more words did they find that night, only stars veiled by fluffy clouds.

 

###

 

 

 

 

“I told a bird to see you off last night!” – he told her.

 

“Why?”

 

“To make sure that you are safe.”

 

“Would a single bird be able to protect me?”

 

“No, but it has friends. With friends like you nothing can harm us.”

 

“Thanks!”

 

“Do you know what the bird told me when it returned?”

 

“No, tell me!”

 

“It told me that you are beautiful!”

 

She laughed. She always laughs when they are together.

 

“Can I tell you one of my secrets?” – he continued.

 

“Why would you want to share your secrets with me?”

 

“Because they would be safe with you!”

 

“But then they won’t be secrets anymore…”

 

“That’s the point! I don’t want to have any secrets from you!”

 

She liked being trusted, even if it was only words. She enquired:

 

“Tell me a secret!”

 

“Well, I am very shy…”

 

“That’s no secret!” – she laughed as loudly as she could.

 

“Hey…”

 

“Can I tell you one of my secrets?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I like you.”

 

“Thank you!” – he smiled – “I like you too!”

 

“Hey, don’t tell me your secrets so easily… now I have to share another one of mine!”

 

“What is it?” – he asked filled with curiosity.

 

“There are a lot of apple trees in our backyard… when I was little I thought that the trees themselves were sweet. So one year when snow fell, I tried eating some from atop an apple tree…”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I thought that it would taste like ice cream, why else?”

 

“And did it taste like ice cream?”

 

“Of course not, don’t you know that the only thing that’s sweet on an apple tree is the fruit?”

 

“No, how would I know that… I have never eaten an apple tree before!”

 

“So you do have some common sense after all!” – she smiled.

 

“I do… nevertheless, I constantly try to replace it!”

 

“Replace it with what?”

 

“With imagination of course! It is much better!”

 

“Isn’t it!” – she beamed.

 

“It is!” – he claimed with unmovable pride.

 

Then they laughed. Again.

 

“Hey, let me tell you another one of my secrets… I went to the moon one night!”

 

“No, you didn’t!”

 

“Yes, but I tried to!”

 

“Hey, you make me smile too much!” – she blushed.

 

“Great!”

 

“What’s so great, it hurts!” – she joked.

 

“Your smile is great, I am sure of it!”

 

“If you say so…” – she blushed with all her might – “May I tell you another secret?”

 

“Sure!”

 

“If I could, I would spend my whole life here…”

 

“Why can’t you do that?”

 

Her heart trembled. She realized that there really may be happiness in this world. It didn’t have to be like what everyone else imagined. It could be something much simpler, yet warmer. So warm were her thoughts that he could feel their embrace in the silence.

They didn’t make another sound. They didn’t move another inch. Nothing more was necessary.

###

 

 

 

 

 

“Hi!”

 

“Hello, beautiful!” – he answered.

 

“Hey!”

 

“Sorry!”

 

“Don’t be sorry!”

 

“Didn’t I make you feel uncomfortable?”

 

“Of course not, it is very comfortable when the first words you hear when you wake up are so nice!”

 

“That’s great! How was your first nap under the starry blanket?”

 

“It was surprisingly good! Now I fully understand you!”

 

“Sleeping is not just greedy, shameless and hard… it also builds bridges between people!”

 

“It almost sounds like you believe in naps a bit too much!”

 

“No, I don’t!”

 

“How so?”

 

“Because you are the only thing I believe in!” – he stated proudly.

 

“Hey,” she whispered, “can I ask you something? Promise me you won’t run away!”

 

“Sure, I would never run away from you!”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“It seems you already answered my question!” – she blushed yet again.

 

“Cool, but why do you think I would try to run away? It is so incredibly nice when we are together, here, under the shade of the walnut tree!”

 

“It is the tree then!” – she joked.

 

“Well, it is a cool old fellow, but its shade is unimportant!”

 

“How so?”

 

“You know, every shadow will keep me cool during the summer… but only your soul could keep me warm during the darkest winter! You are very special. Please remember that.”

 

“Thanks!” – she said and then stood silent for a while – “Will we be able to continue on like this, I wonder…”

 

“Of course, napping all day doesn’t seem that hard to me!” – he laughed.

 

“I…”

 

“Don’t worry, I am here. Nothing will change from what it is now. I promise!”

 

“Hey…”

 

“Can I tell you something?” – he continued – “It has been on my mind for a while?”

 

“Sure, what is it?” – she awaited in anticipation.

 

“You are pretty!”

 

“Hey!”

 

“Sorry…”

 

“Don’t be sorry! I just smiled because of you!”

 

“Thanks.”

 

They stood speechless with joy for a few moments. Then she asked:

 

“What will we do in the future, I wonder?”

 

“That’s simple, isn’t it?”

 

“How so?”

 

“We will do whatever we want in the future! As long as we are together nothing is impossible!”

 

“Hey, you make the impossible possible, you know!”

 

“I am experienced with impossible things… and it’s only because of you…”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because you are impossibly kind to me…”

 

 

She wanted to be kind. It was in her very nature. She felt relieved. Tranquility and gentleness hugged her soul… and no more words came out that day.

###

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Sorry,” she apologized, “I went home last night…”

 

“Don’t be sorry, the important thing is that you came back!”

 

“Thanks… though this seems more like home to me now.”

 

“Everything depends on the point of view. What is “home” to you?”

 

“That’s a hard question… it may be the place where I was born. Or it may be the place where I had lived the longest…”

 

“Or it may be the place I share with you!” – they said together.

 

Two huge smiles illuminated their faces. They were so happy they could cry. It is nice when someone understands the words you say. Nonetheless it is heart-warming when the one closest to you understands without words.

 

“Shine!” – he said.

 

“I am already shining! All because of you!”

 

“Thanks! One more thing… can I call you a star?”

 

“Sure, but I can tell you my real name though…”

 

“Why? I know your real name!”

 

“Really, what is it?” – she smiled.

 

“Beautiful!”

 

She laughed. In just a few days she learnt to see herself in a different light. Two weeks ago she would stay in front of the mirror and worry about her hair, the lines on her face and the grace of her figure. But now she is free from all that. She doesn’t need to worry – he likes her the way she is.

 

“I am strange!” – she stated.

 

“Yes, but I like strange things… even more so when they are as nice as you!”

 

“Then we are very much alike!”

 

They laughed.

 

“The weight is gone… it’s easy now.” – she said.

 

“Isn’t it…”

It was. It was so very easy to breathe when they were together.

###

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yesterday I understood something…” – she told him.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Little things matter the most, don’t they?”

 

“They do… it is the little things that make us happy!”

 

“Yes, the singing of the birds, the soft breeze, the cool shadow of the walnut…”

 

“…And you!”

 

“Hey, I am not that little!”

 

“But you are still amazing!”

 

They both felt content with what they had… a place to stay, enough to eat… a friend. Nothing more was needed.

 

“I am happy!” – she stated.

 

“Me too!” – he replied.

 

“Hey, I would like to talk with you forever!”

 

“Thank you! No sound is better than your voice!”

 

She sighed.

 

“Don’t be sad!” – he said.

 

“Are you leaving soon?” – she asked.

 

“Yes, probably tomorrow. Sorry.”

 

“Don’t be sorry, just promise me that you won’t take long!”

 

“I promise! I will return as fast as I can!”

 

“Good. It was nice…”

 

“It will be even nicer! I promise you that as well!”

 

They laughed. She told him:

 

“The good news is that we have a long night ahead of us!”

 

“Hey, we will have as many nights and days as we want once I come back!’

 

“Sure!”

 

Then they laughed again.

 

“What would you like to do tonight?”

 

“Let’s talk.”

 

“Talk about what?”

 

“Let’s talk about all the things we will talk about when you return!”

 

“Sure.”

 

And then they talked. It was nice and warm. No sadness was left. They were happier than ever. Taken high into the skies on the wings of dreams, they watched the night transform into rays of morning sunlight.

 

“Hey, do you want to see me?”

 

“Yes.” – he gulped.

 

“Come and see me then.”

 

“No!”

 

“Why?”

 

“It should be more dramatic!”

 

“What do you propose then?” – she laughed.

 

“Please stand up.”

 

…

 

“Make five steps to the south.”

 

…

 

“Ready?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Turn around.”

###

###

###