I picked at the package wrapped in newspaper as I listened to my father's deep chuckle erupt through our small, forest green kitchen.
I smiled absent mindedly at my uncle's joke. All I could focus on was the small unopened present in my lap, it seemed to be teasing me. I pictured it with a mouth calling my name.
"It's really got a hold on you, doesn't it, pumpkin. " my dad smiled. Sitting across from me at our dark kitchen table.
I laughed "I suppose so."
"Well get to it then." He crossed his arms.
I smiled, starting at the obituaries. I ripped until I saw leather. I picked up the brown book in front of me rubbing my fingers along the stitching.
"It's beautiful." I cried jumping out of my chair clutching it to my chest, they laughed at me.
"Thank you so much daddy I love it with all my heart." I chirped smiling up at him not wanting to let go of my new treasure. He smiled and grabbed my upper arms.
"Don't ever stop that smile, it could save someone's day." He hummed.
He pulled me in, engulfing me in one of his signature bear hugs. I snuggled in to the warmth.
"So what's the first thing you're going to write in it?" My uncle asked breaking our hug.
I thought for a moment teeter tottering back and forth on my toes and heels, my eyes widened with realization when I decided what I'd write. I padded across the chestnut flooring towards our junk drawers in the bar.
I dug through the kitchen drawers, looking for a pen, until I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned looking up to uncle Jackie handing a beautiful sleek ink pen. I smiled taking it from him.
I sat down at the bar flipping my journal open to the first page. I wetted the end of the silver pen with the tip of my tongue and gently started writing.
'Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.'
I looked at the fresh black ink on the paper proudly, my uncle leaned over me reading it.
"Did you write that?" He asked astonished, I laughed.
"No, I wish." I started handing back the pen that I have to say, I would miss rather much.
He shook his head "Keep it, you write better than I do. " he smiled.
I mirrored his smile pulling the pen to my chest "Thank you." He nodded a welcome to me.
"So where's that from?" My dad questioned.
"A Midsummer Night's Dream - Act 1, Scene 1" I replied "My favorite quote from Shakespeare." I hummed, he gave me a soft smile.
"It's how I want to love and want to be loved with the mind and heart instead of looks or lusts" I confessed.
"And so you shall pumpkin, so you shall."
-
I meditated on my memory as I waited for the curly headed lady to hand me my ticket information.
"Yes ma'am here you are it finally came through. " she smiled.
I think she had more teeth than a shark.
I gave a small smile nodding my head, she handed my ticket and passport over.
"There you go and thanks for flying American Airlines." She smiled again showing all sixty-two teeth.
I waved a thank you and made my way through the security check. I know a lot of people say they hate those but it really doesn't bother me much, it reminds me I get to go somewhere else.
I mumbled a sorry as I had become a human bumper car being knocked into several times. I let out a sigh as I sat in my seat waiting for the plane to arrive.
I pulled out my phone glancing at the time, I still had about thirty-five minutes.
I had just enough time to get on social networks and see what someone has had for dinner, or what the sunset looked like this afternoon, or who is having relationship problems.
As I sat there looking through my news-feed the terminal slowly filled up with enough people to where I could tell it would be a pretty filled flight.
I slid my phone in my purse and started digging for my journal. I pulled it out running my fingers across the word "pumpkin" that I had written on the top of the book.
I felt someone plop down beside me as I opened my leather friend and started scribbling my thoughts down. After I had finished I had some more time and continued to draw little palm trees and suns.
I closed the book placing it beside me, taking a sip of water. While I was putting the top back on the bottle they called my flight.
"Passengers leaving for North Carolina can start to board." I started packing up and getting ready to get up when the person next to me cursed. He stood up grabbing his bag and started running towards wing B6.
With a small shrug I picked up my journal and walked towards the gate. I sat down in my seat and looked out the window at the evening glow.
I took a picture of myself with the last little bit of daylight in the background and then turned my phone on airplane mode.
I leaned back in my chair buckling my seat bleat, I closed my eyes and waited until the captain announced it was safe to unbuckle. I looked out the window taking a picture with my phone because the stars were so pretty tonight.
I imagined the stars starting to dance surrounding the moon in a beautiful melody.
I looked down at my journal wanting to write about the beauty of the stars. I glanced over the leather looking for the small heart doodle I drew not too long ago, but it wasn't there my eye brows furrowed.
"What the.." I trailed off. I examined the book before me, it was completely different it was a lighter brown than mine, someone had drawn stars in the lower right hand corner.
I started to panic I tired running over things that could have happened and the only thing I could think of was the man beside me. He must have sat this journal down before I started packing up and one of us must have picked up the others journal.
I unbuckled my seat belt rushing to get out of my seat trailed by a few "I'm sorry's". I reached the hallway heading towards the door until a red headed flight attendant stopped me holding her hands up to stop me.
"Wow, ma'am I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to sit down while the plane is moving." she pushed.
"Yes but I need to get back to the terminal I left something very important to me-" she cut me off.
"Ma'am I understand but you can't go look for it, we'll find it and safely return your valuables to you within the time of the trip."
I sighed "Yes I know but this is something I have to get now and if I-"
"ma'am you cannot leave your seat I'm sorry but we'll have someone look for it" she cut me off once more, she wasnt the nicest.
"Now please take your seat" she commanded. I sat back down telling myself that I'm sure she's just had a rough day being that harsh and all.
I looked back down at the journal remembering my real problem. I debated on looking inside, I know how I've always felt about people looking in mine. I cringed at the thought of someone looking inside my deepest thoughts.
I debated for about an hour finally deciding I should just in case it has the persons information inside.
I took a deep breath pulling the string tying the book together. I opened the cover looking inside to find a single lyric to a song that happened to be a favorite of mine. I looked on the backside of the cover it had something written on it.
Name: HS
Number: 478-6390
Address: Mayberry st
Under that it had the word "live" inscribed to an H.
At least I had a number I'll call it when I get off the plane. I turned the page taking in a sketched picture of a girl with shoulder length hair looking out a window I smiled admiring the simple picture.
I turned the page scanning the first words "she's gone"
I shut the book