by Jessie K
me.
Leaving for college was hard for me. I had to say bye to Puppy and Red. I wasn’t going to be back for about six months. I had to bribe mom not to get rid of them while I was gone. Of course it was hard to say good-bye to my parents too. I told her I would meet a girl and maybe even bring her back home. She promised me she wouldn’t and off to college I went. While I was away I did meet a few interesting girls, but I did have this dream almost every night. It was about this beautiful girl. She had long red like fire hair and the most beautiful emerald green eyes. I was so obsessed in finding this girl I even looked online. I found nothing. So I started going to all the parties, started watching the hallways and looking in all the classrooms for her. Still nothing. By the time I was to go home I realized I haven’t met anyone that I could bring home to meet mom. I’m so tired from not sleeping because I don’t want to think of this girl.
The trip home was boring. The train ride took a little longer then usual, but I didn’t care. The longer it takes to see mom the better. I can’t help but to wonder what she has planned for my birthday. I’ll be twenty-one in a couple of days. Mom always says that’s the best time to settle down with someone. I have to remind her how the times have changed. The cab pulls up in front of the house. I get out and just stare. I can’t seem to move. I close my eyes and all I smell is the flowers from the garden. It’s so alluring. I walk around the house carrying my bag. I get the feeling I’m not alone. I set my bag down on the stairs and walk towards the pond. I think I might be dreaming. I must have fallen asleep on the train. The blanket is hanging off the bench and Red is sitting on top of it. I sit next to the frog and can’t help thinking about what the therapist asked me. Did I kiss the frog? I laugh out loud and lean down to the frog. I have never kissed a frog, but why not? Maybe you’ll turn into the princess I’ve been looking for. I bend down and kiss Red. I wish you were my princess. I can’t help but shake my head at myself. Did I really just kiss a frog? I head towards the house until I remember the blanket. I turn around to grab the blanket. The blanket is no longer on the bench; it’s wrapped around the girl from my dreams. Her red hair moving in the wind, She walks up to me and I can’t look away from her eyes, Emerald green eyes. I must be dreaming that would explain all of this. Red gets closer and touches my face with her hand. It feels so real. She smells like the garden and I can’t help but move closer to her. What is going on? She kisses me and I have a vision of her being turned into frog by someone who looked like a witch or something. I pull back and look at her. She smiles and tells me how long she’s been waiting for me to get it. To get that I was the one to break the curse that was brought upon her because of something her mother did. I still can’t believe this is happening. Then Puppy comes running out to us. Red leans down and Puppy seems so happy to see her. He doesn’t stop licking her. I hear my mother yelling at me asking what I was doing in the garden and to come inside. I walk up to the stairs and grab my bag. She can’t go inside wearing the blanket. I set my bag on the bench and pull out a t-shirt and sweatpants. I hand them to her and she puts them on. She’s so beautiful that I almost forget to ask her what her name is. She answers by saying Red Scarlet. We both laugh and now I know this is real. This is really happening. I kissed the frog and she turned into this beautiful woman that I’ve been dreaming of every night since I left for college. I want to kiss her again, but I’m afraid it might turn her back. I don’t want her to go back. I want her to stay like this forever, with me forever. I kiss her with my eyes closed. I open them slowly and see her still smiling at me.
We lived happily ever after. Well, we had ups and downs like every couple, but we never took each other for granted. We lived life not knowing what could happen next. I believe we are soul mates and that fate made sure we came together. We have six children, three boys and three girls. We have grandchildren. In fact they are the ones surrounding me as I tell the story of how I met their grandmother. I see my life as a fairy tale come true. My soul mate was a frog until I kissed her. Now I know hearing this you’re probably saying yeah right that didn’t happen. I’ve heard it so many times before, but I’m asked to tell the story almost everyday. I live in the same house I did when I met Red. The pond is still in the garden. The flowers still smell glorious. My Red is still as beautiful as she always was. I will always love her and everything she has given me. Soon I will be with her again after I tell the last story, our story. My Red past away a couple of months ago. She was out by the pond sitting on the bench next to me. We were wrapped in the blanket watching the stars. I saw a shooting star pass over us, it was so magical how close it came. She had no more life in her for she lived for so long. First as a girl, then as a frog, and then as my fairy tale wife. My life is with her and tonight I will go and be with her, as I know she is waiting for me.
Believe my story or don’t believe it. I lived it so I know what is real. My life was filled with happiness and love. Puppy passed a couple of years after we were married. He is buried near the pond where everything started and ended. As I make my way to the bench I look back at the house that is filled with our family and smile. I wrap the blanket around me and sit in front of the bench. I close my eyes and all I can see is the girl from my dreams.
