The Power of Memories
Chapter 1
It had been one week. One whole week since Abby had last heard of him. The night that was supposed to change her life and make her happy, which it did for a few hours, even two days. Now it didn’t look like it would make her happy for much longer.
One week ago her boyfriend of three years had asked her to marry him and she’d said yes. They’d been friends ever since they’d met each other in Plymouth. Half a year later Abby had moved to her aunt in Fort Lauderdale to start working for her newspaper and get away from her parents. They’d always stayed in contact and when he moved to Florida to play hockey for the Florida Panthers she couldn’t have been happier.
Now she wished that all this had never happened. She loved him and that was what hurt the most. She wanted to feel rage and hate, but she couldn’t. He’d been a part of her life for six years now and they’d shared so many things.
She was close to breaking down, she knew it. The day after their engagement, he’d left her without a word. Nobody knew where he was. He hadn’t talked to anybody and Abby didn’t know what to do. But her aunt did.
She found out that he was staying with his former girlfriend in his hometown and they’d even posted photos on facebook. Abby had heard these news just a couple of hours ago, but she’d already suspected something. At least she knew now that he’d really left her. It would have been half as bad if he’d actually talked to her instead of taking off without saying one word. That was the worst thing. Being left alone.
Her aunt was the person she was closest to at that moment. Her idea had sounded crazy, but Abby would try everything to feel a little better, or at least feel less. She didn’t want to feel anything at all.
She was standing in her aunt’s backyard with a small fire in front of her. All alone with a box next to her. This box was filled with some photos, things he’d given her as a present and things that reminded her of him. One by one all of these things landed in the fire. She didn’t feel happier, she felt nothing and she liked it. Some day she would probably get over this, over him, but right now she had to get away from Florida.
When she talked to her aunt about this, she was very supportive. After a few calls, she even smiled and hugged Abby. “You know that I’ll miss you and you have to promise me to visit every now and then, but I got you a job with a newspaper in Boston.”
“Boston?” That was a positive surprise. Especially that she would work for another newspaper. She didn’t know in what section right now and she didn’t care. Boston was a beautiful city and she knew that she would get distraction there.
“Time to dry your tears now, brush your hair and pack your things.” Her aunt gave her a big hug and smiled down at her. “They want you there as soon as possible and they already have an apartment where you can live.”
“Thank you, Auntie Mae.” Without her aunt she wouldn’t be here. She owed her her whole career and she would miss her terribly.
More than six years later Abby found herself in Sydney, Australia. She’d been here for roughly a year now, but it was time to go back home, to Boston. After working there for two years, always travelling to different places to write articles about her experiences, Boston had become home to her. She had a lot of friends there and at 27 it was now time to return and start a new adventure. Her plan was to start her own bakery with baked goods from around the world. On her travels she’d learned a lot of different recipes and she was a good baker. There was more than enough money in her bank account to start this. Maybe her friend Kara, a famous writer, would help her with that and become an investor. She knew that it was a long shot and that it could fail, but if she never tried, she’d never know and regret not taking her shot at opening her own business.
Two more days and she’d be in Boston. Her flight would leave tomorrow afternoon and there was still a lot of packing to do. There were certain pieces of furniture that she wanted to take to Boston with her, so she had to send them. Most of her clothes were already in suitcases and in boxes to be shipped to Boston.
Of course she would miss the people she’d met in Australia, the friends, but most of all she’d miss Scott. He wasn’t really her boyfriend, more like a friend she occasionally had sex with. She didn’t want to have a boyfriend here in Australia because she always knew that she’d return to Boston someday. Not that she’d ever had long relationships since her engagement fiasco, but she didn’t want to get too attached to someone.
She was looking forward to seeing Kara again the most. Before she’d called her after Christmas, they hadn’t talked in weeks. While she was in the outback for a couple of weeks, she hadn’t had reception and then she’d lost her phone. After that it had taken her some time to get Kara’s number back. When she got to Boston, she’d stay at Kara’s place until she found an apartment of her own, giving them enough time to catch up in person instead of over the phone. She knew that Kara was right at the beginning of writing her newest book, so she would be doing a lot of research and get Abby involved as well.
Well, she had one more night in Sydney and she’d spend it with Scott. In Boston she wouldn’t have time to get to know a lot of new people at first, because she had to concentrate on her business first. And maybe, just maybe, she would now be able to say his name out loud to Kara. The name of the man who had broken her heart. Ever since that day six and a half years ago Abby hadn’t said Gregory Campbell’s name out loud.
One week ago her boyfriend of three years had asked her to marry him and she’d said yes. They’d been friends ever since they’d met each other in Plymouth. Half a year later Abby had moved to her aunt in Fort Lauderdale to start working for her newspaper and get away from her parents. They’d always stayed in contact and when he moved to Florida to play hockey for the Florida Panthers she couldn’t have been happier.
Now she wished that all this had never happened. She loved him and that was what hurt the most. She wanted to feel rage and hate, but she couldn’t. He’d been a part of her life for six years now and they’d shared so many things.
She was close to breaking down, she knew it. The day after their engagement, he’d left her without a word. Nobody knew where he was. He hadn’t talked to anybody and Abby didn’t know what to do. But her aunt did.
She found out that he was staying with his former girlfriend in his hometown and they’d even posted photos on facebook. Abby had heard these news just a couple of hours ago, but she’d already suspected something. At least she knew now that he’d really left her. It would have been half as bad if he’d actually talked to her instead of taking off without saying one word. That was the worst thing. Being left alone.
Her aunt was the person she was closest to at that moment. Her idea had sounded crazy, but Abby would try everything to feel a little better, or at least feel less. She didn’t want to feel anything at all.
She was standing in her aunt’s backyard with a small fire in front of her. All alone with a box next to her. This box was filled with some photos, things he’d given her as a present and things that reminded her of him. One by one all of these things landed in the fire. She didn’t feel happier, she felt nothing and she liked it. Some day she would probably get over this, over him, but right now she had to get away from Florida.
When she talked to her aunt about this, she was very supportive. After a few calls, she even smiled and hugged Abby. “You know that I’ll miss you and you have to promise me to visit every now and then, but I got you a job with a newspaper in Boston.”
“Boston?” That was a positive surprise. Especially that she would work for another newspaper. She didn’t know in what section right now and she didn’t care. Boston was a beautiful city and she knew that she would get distraction there.
“Time to dry your tears now, brush your hair and pack your things.” Her aunt gave her a big hug and smiled down at her. “They want you there as soon as possible and they already have an apartment where you can live.”
“Thank you, Auntie Mae.” Without her aunt she wouldn’t be here. She owed her her whole career and she would miss her terribly.
More than six years later Abby found herself in Sydney, Australia. She’d been here for roughly a year now, but it was time to go back home, to Boston. After working there for two years, always travelling to different places to write articles about her experiences, Boston had become home to her. She had a lot of friends there and at 27 it was now time to return and start a new adventure. Her plan was to start her own bakery with baked goods from around the world. On her travels she’d learned a lot of different recipes and she was a good baker. There was more than enough money in her bank account to start this. Maybe her friend Kara, a famous writer, would help her with that and become an investor. She knew that it was a long shot and that it could fail, but if she never tried, she’d never know and regret not taking her shot at opening her own business.
Two more days and she’d be in Boston. Her flight would leave tomorrow afternoon and there was still a lot of packing to do. There were certain pieces of furniture that she wanted to take to Boston with her, so she had to send them. Most of her clothes were already in suitcases and in boxes to be shipped to Boston.
Of course she would miss the people she’d met in Australia, the friends, but most of all she’d miss Scott. He wasn’t really her boyfriend, more like a friend she occasionally had sex with. She didn’t want to have a boyfriend here in Australia because she always knew that she’d return to Boston someday. Not that she’d ever had long relationships since her engagement fiasco, but she didn’t want to get too attached to someone.
She was looking forward to seeing Kara again the most. Before she’d called her after Christmas, they hadn’t talked in weeks. While she was in the outback for a couple of weeks, she hadn’t had reception and then she’d lost her phone. After that it had taken her some time to get Kara’s number back. When she got to Boston, she’d stay at Kara’s place until she found an apartment of her own, giving them enough time to catch up in person instead of over the phone. She knew that Kara was right at the beginning of writing her newest book, so she would be doing a lot of research and get Abby involved as well.
Well, she had one more night in Sydney and she’d spend it with Scott. In Boston she wouldn’t have time to get to know a lot of new people at first, because she had to concentrate on her business first. And maybe, just maybe, she would now be able to say his name out loud to Kara. The name of the man who had broken her heart. Ever since that day six and a half years ago Abby hadn’t said Gregory Campbell’s name out loud.
7/13/13