“I hope it’s worth the wait.” Emilynn said to John before he boarded the plane. “It will be. Trust me.” John gave her a kiss. It was a ‘I am going out for milk’ kiss, not a ‘I will be in Africa for 6 months’ kiss. This was all new for us.
When he first told her about his plan, she was supportive. She had to be. It was the first time he had actually had the courage to do what he wanted.
Emilynn and John had grown up together. They were elementary school sweethearts. As long as she had know John, he had always been concerned with what others thought.
His friends used to tease him because he was the first one to get serious about a girl. So, he would down play their relationship in front of them. But, Emilynn knew the truth. John loved her since the second grade.
His mother thought he was to young to be so serious about a girl, so their plan to get married after high school were postponed. “What was the hurry anyway, right?” John said. “We will be together forever.”
His dad wanted him be able to take care of himself before taking on a wife, so he enlisted in the army and the wedding was put off again.
It pained Emilynn to watch John change his own thoughts and beliefs much like a chameleon changed his colors to blend in with his environment. John just wanted to please everyone. He didn’t want to stand out. He didn’t want the people he cared most about to be disappointed in him.
That was why this news was such a shock to everyone. When he told his mom she went and got a thermometer to make sure he wasn’t sick.
The pressure from his family and friends and probably a little from Emilynn had been building up for a while. The pressure finally forced John to take some time to decide what he really wanted for himself. Why that had to happen all the way in Africa, Emilynn wasn’t quite sure. But, it was what John needed to do.
John had told Emilynn on her birthday. He was so excited. Emilynn couldn’t help but be happy for him.
He had given her a pen. “What is this for?” Emilynn asked.
“Write me.” He said. He thought he was being clever. They both loved the movie Say Anything, but John never did quite get the significance of why Diane gave Lloyd the pen.
She couldn’t fault him, though. It would have been bad manners on her part. He was trying. And, she knew he needed this. So, she was going to be supportive and wait. Wait for him to come back as the man she knew he wanted to be and not the man that everyone expected him to be.
Emilynn had been waiting all her life for John. She was banking on the real him being worth the wait.
Sydney Aaliyah Michelle 
Very good! I liked that Sydney. I look forward to reading more. 🙂
Thanks Karen. Working on conveying more emotion in my writing with out saying, “she was sad”
Well it’s working!
That’s great!!! Oh it felt so real!! Now I hope nothing bad happens. 🙂
Thanks Nicole. I know, right. Also, I seem to have seen the pen in the photo and used pen as a word instead of pin. 🙂
Bah! She needs to get on with her life and find a super fabulous man who will sweep her off her feet and take her breath away! A pen? Yeah, I get the reference? But the kiss? She need romance, heat, passion! Why is she waiting for John when there are so many other, fascinating men out there?
Sheesh, I think I got a little emotionally attached to Emilynn. 😉
Tameri. Calm down. Emilynn just wants to be with the boy. Even though he is thought less and being selfish at the wrong time in his life. And, he could have taken her to Africa if he really cared about her. Ok, here I go. HAHA.
I must’ve been fired up, look at all those typos in that comment. Sheesh. Okay, if you say she wants to be with him, I’ll simmer down and wait. Maybe. I still think Emilynn should keep her options open… just in case Mr. Right shows up while loser boy is in Africa. 😉
Too fun. I will make sure she keeps her options open.
A mixture of sadness and hope in just the right proportions. I think the word was pin not pen, but who cares! Great piece.
Thanks Kim. I know. For some reason I saw the pen in the photo and forgot about the actual word pin. I confessed to the blog hop host just in case they wanted to disqualify me for the week. Haha. I really appreciate the feedback.
Lol. I doubt you’ll be disqualified for such a good piece. There have been other cases in the past of dyslexia or even leaving the photo out completely. 😛
This was a great story. I actually applaud John’s decision, even without taking Emilynn. They’ve been together so long they need to make sure they know themselves before tying themselves to each other. It’s a beautiful story, a strong choice, and we can all hope it works out for them.
Thanks Carrie. I love that everyone has such different views. Some are telling Emilynn to not wait for this guy and others are saying John needs time to find himself. Love that.
I do hope it works out for them.
Very nice, and I liked the way the emotion was controlled, much like the characters are doing in the story. Well don!
Thanks Scott. It does feel controlled, but at the time same time we would blame Emilynn for blowing up. I appreciate the feedback.
Oh I can so relate to John. I have been that person trying to please, doing what everyone else says I should do but not really given the chance to just be me and do what I wanted to do. Like John I had to go away to find myself. I was never the same once I had left, and the people I left behind were hoping I’d have turned out alot differently, and would do other things, but by then I didn’t care anymore, I was too busy being me.
I enjoyed this story alot 🙂
Thanks Yolanda. I am happy you enjoyed it and saw yourself in it. I will put you down for Team John. I am surprised at the support for John although I can totally relate to him. I think a lot of us have had the need to go off by ourselves and find ourselves, not just how we are reflected in the people around us.