Memories

Gabby woke up as early as 5 in the morning, which was not her usual time to start her day. But for the sake of her best friend, she did it as she knew it was hard for Helena to cope after Arthur was gone.

For the third day staying at the campsite, she got used to it. Cooking a simple breakfast, making coffee, and, after having their breakfast, proceed to their daily activity of exploring the woods to help Helena clear up her mind and relax.

"Good morning! Did you wake up on the right side of the bed?" Gabby asked, seeing Helena out of the tent.

Helena chuckled. "Yes. I slept for long hours last night. Thanks to you, I can wake up late and have breakfast at the right time. You're the best, Gabby." Helena sat on the foldable chair.

"Here's your coffee. Just the way you like your latte."

"Thanks. So good," she said, sipping her hot latte. She remembers how Arthur made her coffee and everything for breakfast early in the morning. Arthur has been part of her life for weeks, but it feels like forever to Helena.

"Ellen, is there anything you want us to do today? We have been roaming around the woods for two days. How about we try something new?"

"No," she answered, getting out of her reverie. "I don't have anything in mind regarding activities worth trying today. But I am up for new adventures," she smiled warmly.

Gabby was delighted seeing Helena smile freely. "I have an idea. What do you think about fishing?"

"That sounds exciting, but we don't have the tools for fishing."

"That's where you are wrong. We have it," she exclaimed. "I asked Arthur, and he told me he had everything we needed for fishing in his tent. I looked it up last night, and it's in one of his storage boxes."

"You still communicate with him?" Helena asked hesitantly.

"Of course. Arthur cares so much about you. He wants me to keep him updated about you."

"Isn't it awkward? He already leaves me, yet he wants to know my whereabouts. Wouldn't it be better if we went our separate ways peacefully? He can continue managing their companies while I continue doing my passion for writing."

"Ellen, just let him, please," Gabby said calmly. "Let's not talk about him and focus on our fishing activity later. What do you say?"

"Alright. I'm excited about fishing since this is the first time I have done that for a very long time now. We should get fish for dinner later."

"Yes. That's the goal," Gabby said.

They had both gone fishing together before, though it had been a while since they'd done it. But they had fond memories of their fishing trips and were excited to do it again. So, after their breakfast, they set out to the nearby river, loaded up with their fishing gear, bait, and snacks. As they walked, the sun rose, and the day began to take shape.

When they reached the river, they looked out across the calm, crystal-clear waters; they could see the ripples of the fish breaking the water's surface. Gabby started unpacking their gear, setting up their rods, lines, and bait while Helena spread their picnic on the riverbank.

Once she was finished, Gabby baited the hooks with a worm. "Let me try if I can still do this now," she said.

"You can do this, Gabby," Helena cheered up her best friend.

Gabby had a hard time learning how to do it again, but eventually, she succeeded. She then tossed the lines into the water. They were both excited as they waited a few minutes and soon they were rewarded with the gentle pull of a fish on the line. They squealed with excitement whenever the fishing rod twitched.

Gabby expertly freed the fish from her hook, tossed it into a bucket, reached out for another worm, hurriedly baited the lines again, and didn't hesitate but threw her fishing line back into the water.

Helena couldn't help but imagine fishing with Arthur beside her; he always made her feel unique and loved. But she quickly shook off the thought and focused on the present moment. She was with Gabby, her best friend, and they were having a great time fishing together.

They grab snacks and drinks from the picnic basket while fishing. They talked and laughed, reminiscing about old memories and discussing their plan to move to Helena's beach house. They continued fishing for hours, each time re-baiting the hook and casting the line. The bucket was full of fish in the afternoon, and they decided it was time to call it a day.

"Looks like we're good for dinner tonight," Gabby said, holding up their catch.

"Great job, Gabby! I can't wait to cook them," Helena replied, beaming excitedly.

They felt a sense of accomplishment and contentment as they returned to their campsite. They had spent the day doing something they loved and caught enough fish to feed themselves.

Helena started a fire in the grilled Arthur set-up before, and soon it was crackling and popping with flames. Gabby expertly cleaned the fish, gutted and scaled, then rubbed salt, pepper, and herbs over them and placed them in the grill.

The two friends chatted excitedly as the fish cooked, discussing their day and looking forward to their delicious dinner. They plated up the fish and feasted on their catch when they were done. The fish was light and flaky, cooked to perfection. They both relished in its flavor, savoring each bite and smiling with satisfaction.

"Thank you, Gabby. I really needed this," Helena said, having the fish for dinner.

"I'm glad we did this. You seem happier now," Gabby replied, smiling at Helena.

"I am. I feel like I'm slowly healing," Helena said, taking a bit of the fresh grilled fish.

"That's good to know, Ellen."

"Thank you for being here with me. When I start to feel like giving up and stop living, it's your strength that keeps me going," Helena said, her voice heavy with gratefulness. But behind her words, Gabby could see a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Ellen, don't thank me every day. We always have each other, no matter what. I'll keep finding ways to ensure you stay by my side well enough to continue working on your novel."

They had a delicious dinner, and it made for the perfect end to a perfect day. They watch the constellations at night while discussing their past experiences.

Helena couldn't help but think about Arthur beside him while watching the constellations. She was leaning on Arthur's shoulder in her vivid memory. The thought causes a sting in her heart, knowing it is close to impossible to happen again.

"Ellen, are you enjoying?"

"Yes," Helena answered, forcing a smile. But Gabby knew her best friend so much she knew the smile was just to convince her.

The following morning, Gabby woke up without Helena by her side. They had been sleeping together in her tent, and she would always wake up with Helena beside her, sleeping soundly. She thought she must have woken late, but when she looked at her wristwatch, it was five minutes past five in the morning.

"Ellen?" She called, sitting bolt upright from the sleeping bag.

"Ellen?" She got out of the sleeping bag and fixed it before heading out of the tent.

Still no sign of Helena outside. She took a moment to gather herself before stepping out of the campsite, calling Helena's name softly. The ground was wet with dew; her feet sank deeply into it as she walked through the woods toward the river. She could see someone floating on the water from afar. Her heart sank, thinking about who it could be.