Finding David

Madison was singing softly to herself as she looked through the leather bound photo album that had been her mother's before she died. 1

"...She said, you were seven and I was nine..," she softly sang a tune she couldn't remember where she'd heard, though it was so familiar. "I looked at you like the stars that shined, in the sky, the pretty lights..."2

She flipped through the pages, feet crossed under her. She was sitting on her lavender couch. She had no idea why she had picked up this album; it had last been added five years ago. She hadn't picked it up since the week after her mother died, mainly because it featured only her and David, and until now she had never thought she'd be able to face it. Her mother had been making this scrapbook Madie's whole childhood and teenage years.3

David was the only man she had ever loved, and she was sure, ever would. He was her childhood and high school sweetheart. He was the nicest man that Madie had ever known, and it hurt just to think about him now. He was her mother's best friend's son. She had always loved him so much.4

David had disappeared five years ago, and no one knew what happened to him. They had been so deeply in love and now he was just gone. She'd barely been able to think about him, and that was why she hadn't looked at the album but once since he was gone: about two years ago when her mother had died and Madie had to sort through all of her mother's things. She'd found this in the process, looking through only a few pages before putting it away in her own home, never to be reopened until now.5

It was as if he had disappeared off the face of the earth: no one, not even his mother or his brother, Danny, had heard from him since the day he was gone. He was very close to his family and Madison's, and no one could explain why he was gone. It was a complete mystery to everyone. 6

David had left Madison alone. Madison was an only child, and both of her parents were gone. Her father had died years before her mother, before even David had gone. The only family she had left was David's mother and brother. And they weren't even real family, though they always had and always would tell her she was a part of the family. 7

Madison flipped through the first of the pages, as they were only pages explaining the years and names, and nothing she hadn't already read many times in childhood, a lot of those times with David. 8

As soon as she flipped to the first of the pictures, she stopped singing and started to cry, silent tears streaming down her face like raindrops down a windowpane. 9

There were the pictures of her and David as children. As she flipped through the pages, she saw her and David's childhoods unfold right before her eyes. This was why she hadn't looked at this for so long. But what troubled her was that so many times she had gone through this book smiling and laughing. Loving everything about it. 10

Everything was different now. David wasn't here anymore. David was gone, and it was so painful to see him with her when she didn't have him anymore. 11

She saw them, together in the pool as cute, little four year olds, grinning for the camera as they jumped on each other and splashed around and had a blast. 12

She saw their birthdays unfold, one by one, laughing softly, while still crying, when she saw her ninth birthday picture where Dave had thought she took too long making her wish and had blown all of her candles out himself. 13

Then she saw them as teenagers. She saw a maturing, beautiful young girl that was she, and a young and handsome Dave growing into his teenage years. 14

Then came their first years as an official 'couple'. 15

Pictures of them holding hands, blushing from the camera, and even one of them kissing. It took her breath away to see them again. She was now crying even harder. 16

She remembered those times when they had first started dating one another. They had been a little shy, but best friends always. She remembered walking through the park, hand in hand, all day long. 17

She remembered how they had laughed as their fathers had gone crazy when they announced they were dating. Ever since they was one and two years old their fathers had told their mothers the two would end up in love and get married. Their dads had always teased them that they were going to fall for each other, and since they'd always been best friends, it gave their dads more leverage. They had never thought they really would fall in love. But they did. And their fathers had loved that.18

As she flipped through the pages it was like turning back time. She remembered her feelings for David and how he had always been there for her, how he had protected her and how close they had been. How when any other boy wanted to talk to her, David would come over and put his arm around her, smiling the entire time. She'd always loved how he did things like that for her. Showed she was his, and only his.19

She was caught up in remembering every inch of her and David's childhood together when she saw it. 20

Their prom pictures. David had worn a magnificent white tux, and she had a beautiful white gown on. She saw them, smiling and looking so beautiful for the camera, his arm around her waist and both of them looking as if on top of the world. 21

But the thing that caught her breath and completely stunned her was the rose. 22

Her mother had taken the white rose David had bought for her and pressed it into the book. She knew her mom must've done it not long before she'd died, because Madison had not seen these pages in the book ever occupied. She started sobbing as the memories flooded back of that wonderful night. She carefully folded back the plastic and took out the rose that he had given her so long ago and put it to her heart, hugging it close and hanging on as if for life. 23

She remembered every detail of that night, almost nine years ago: 24

David had knocked on her door, something he never did. She had been stunned when she saw how handsome he looked, his shaggy black hair cleaned up and back and his blue eyes shining with excitement and love. Then she remembered when he had handed her a single white rose. 25

"This rose is our symbol, Mads," he had told her, head to her ear. "Of our love…It's almost as beautiful as you." He had winked at her. "I hope I'm not sounded too mushy. Wouldn't want that." They laughed. 26

Then he gently the rose behind her ear and kissed her hair. 27

"We're going to be together forever, Madison. I love you," he whispered, hugging her tight.28

She silently blessed her mother for this small gesture. This long forgotten rose showed how much he had loved her, and suddenly she knew he was out there somewhere. He loved her; this small rose was full of his love. He would've never let her go, not willingly. But he was here. He was still here somewhere. He was alive.29

She would find him. 30

She was suddenly filled with the most hope than she'd had since he disappeared. She could find him, she would.31

It was then that she remembered she was singing that song, and where it was from. 32

It was the song that David had written for her when they had graduated high school together. He'd sung it in her ear only one time, it was telling the story of their childhood.33

He said,34

You were seven and I was nine,35

I looked at you like the stars that shined 36

In the sky, the pretty lights37

And our daddies used to joke about the two of us,38

Growing up and falling in love39

And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes40

And said oh, my, my, my41

Take me back to the house and the backyard tree,42

Said I’d beat you up, I was bigger than you43

I never did, I never did44

Take me back when our world was one block wide 45

You dared me to kiss you and ran when I tried46

Just two kids47

You and I48

Oh my, my, my, my49

You were sixteen when suddenly50

You weren't that little girl I used to see51

But you're eyes still shined like pretty lights52

And our daddies used to joke about the two of us,53

They never believed we'd really fall in love,54

And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes,55

And said oh, my, my, my, my...56

That was all Madie could remember. She thought about it for minutes, scanning her brain, wanting to remember so badly. But she couldn't remember anymore. 57

That couldn't be the end....58

She flipped the page, only to find nothing but white paper. It was the end of the book.59

"I love you, Dave." She said aloud. "And I will find you."60