The Ship That Stayed

They were high school sweet hearts that were raised right across the street from one another. A couple that was just meant to be despite the odds. They were Luke and Lily, the inseparable two.

Lily, the beautiful white, freckled blonde.
Luke, the dark haired, dark eyed, son of a military man.

Together they planned their lives. College, jobs, marriage, then a family. Lily wanted to become a veterinarian and follow in the footsteps of her mother. Luke planned on opening a restaurant in his future, after culinary school.  Everything was going according to plan. They selected schools that were nearby and selected an apartment on the second floor. As their first pet they decided on a puppy from a shelter.

The draft came on a Tuesday afternoon. It happened after school, right as Luke got home. His usual routine included checking the mail for college scholarship responses. He stopped on the third square of cement that made up the sidewalk to the front door.

Across the street was Lily, who he had just walked home. She was waiting for him to wave, as they often did. Him on his porch and her on hers.

She knew right away that something was wrong. She dropped her books and removed her backpack. Within seconds she was looking over his shoulder.

"What? What is it? Did you get a scholarship?" She looked at him, but his eyes were drowning in tears. It was the first time she had seen him cry.

Never had a man of his family run from the call of duty. Luke wrapped his arm around Lily and hugged her close. Still, she had not read the unbearable words on the small piece of paper. She managed to get the letter free from his hand and read it aloud, each word getting slower and quieter as she went on.

"Please... report... to..." Lily fell on her knees. Luke followed.

"Let's elope." Lily murmured to Luke, but he shook his head.

____

It was made that on the day of his return, they would be married. Until then, Lily was to wear a ring. Being that they both were in high school, the ring was cheap. A silver diameter and a clear, fake, glittering diamond to represent their young love. Fake, yes, but it was more real than anything expensive.

On his last day before going to war, Luke stood with Lily's hands in his.
"If I don't come back, don't wait around. Be happy." He said, while choking back more tears.

Lily's tears were unstoppable. She shook her head and hugged him.

Then Luke stepped off the dock and got on the boat that would take him away from his small lake town.

____

For several years, Lily waited. Each evening she would watch the sunset on the lake, waiting for Luke's ship to return. She watched as her friends grew up, got married, and moved away. Everyone had left her. Luke's parents had not gotten word of his whereabouts for almost a year. Although it was hard, his parents, too, had moved away.

The fake ring was now on a chain, that Lily wore around her neck. She didn't go to college, or become a vet. Instead, she took up a job at a local diner and had earned herself the managing position.

"Don't wait around." Played in her head on the hard days. Cute young couples walking in and out of her diner, returning married, and some with kids. Each customer was living the life that Lily wasn't. Her employees had tried to take her to a pub or two, but she always managed to slip away before ordering a drink.

She rented a small house that overlooked the lake. Attached to the back yard was a dock, which she had repaired. It was only big enough for one person to stand on at a time, but it was enough for the lone Lily.

____

A man came into the diner one late night with dark hair and dark eyes. Lily was in the back on her break when he walked in. The diner was close to closing and she was the only one there.The cook was there, sitting in one of the booths with a newspaper in one hand and a coffee in the other.She heard the bell above the door ring.

"We're about to close." Lily said to the man with his back to her.
"So I've heard." It was a deep, voice.
Lily looked at the figure. He was worn, and tired.
"Luke?" She said across the diner, shakily.

"Excuse me?" The man turned around. He was just passing through. His name was Parker, a fisherman.

Lily was humiliated. The cook put down his coffee and looked up.

"It's getting late. Like the little lady said. We're closed.  We open at five o'clock tomorrow morning. Stop by then." Her coworker escorted Parker out.

When he returned, he walked over to Lily, who was standing still in terror.

"I'll close." The cook said as he guided Lily out the door as well.

____

It was time to get back out there and time to stop waiting around for the one who got away. Lily decided that at the start of the new year, she would begin her transformation. She'd get back in the game. It couldn't have been too late for her to find love, right?

____

 It was New Year's Eve and everyone was getting ready for their own resolutions. One last look at the sunset. One last stand on the dock before Lily would give up.

She stood there alone. She wore her pajamas because she hadn't started getting ready for any parties. She looked down at her hands, then sat down with her feet hanging off the end of the dock. She leaned over and peered at her reflection in the water.

She had aged. She was old. Tired and forgotten. She touched her face, then touched the chain which held the promise ring that Luke had given her. She stared at the relic for a long time. Then broke the chain and the ring went flying into the water. Horrified, she leaped into the water and started feeling for the ring. The water was not that deep, maybe five feet at the most. The floor of the lake was a terrible fiend. It ate her ring, her love.

Lily came up from the water crying, then went back down again. She had to find it, she had to find her love. She came up from the water again, and screamed in anger.

"Why did you leave me? I'm sorry!" She stood still, and when the water was calm again, she saw her reflection. Bitter and bereft. She punched the water and dove in again. When she came back up, she made her way back to shore.

Once out of the water, she opened her clenched fist. In it was the ring. Maybe next year she'd give up, but not now.

____

Three years went by and still, Lily remained devoted to the ring. She would smile at her customers more often and made more of an effort to spend time with people. Still, she was alone.

After work, Lily was walking home and passed the dock which Luke had said his good bye on. She hesitated for a moment, then walked along it and passed the different boats that were tied to it. She reached the end of the dock and sat down. She could watch the sunset from there.

Twenty years it had been, without any sign of Luke. No letter or confirmation that he was even alive. The ring kept him alive, and that was all that Lily needed.

The sun had gone to rest and Lily rose up from her feet. She turned around and stopped.

Dark eyes stared at her. She stared right back and for what seemed like a good half hour, they stared back at one another. Tears ran down both of their cheeks.

Eventually, he spoke.

"Long time no see."

Lily shook her head and touched his face. He was real, but he was old. So was she.

"My love, what has time done to you?" He touched her face back.

"Time left me."

Luke lifted the chain around her neck and held the ring in his hand. She had waited for him. The ring was old and scratched, but it was still alive.

"My love, you were the only ship that stayed."