The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed.
Emily walked slowly along the pond, approaching the spot where they had agreed to meet. She was certain he wouldnt come, but deep down, a flicker of hope still lingered.
The biting wind fought against her, sneaking beneath her coat and chilling her to the bone, urging her to turn back to the warmth of her flat. The odds of keeping a promise made twenty years ago by ten-year-old William were vanishingly small. Too much had happened since then.
But what if he remembered?
Her thoughts drifted back to the distant past, replaying the brightest memories of childhood as vividly as if they had happened yesterday.
The daily races from the footbridge to the little island, games of tag and hide-and-seek, burrs clinging stubbornly to her dress, Williams perpetually scraped knees… Her reckless friend collected bumps and bruises as if it were a sport, grinning like a fool whenever she carefully tended to his wounds.
One summer afternoon, Emily sat by the pond, gazing at the small island crowned by a lone, mysteriously sprouted tree, while William bounded about like an excitable puppyuntil he slipped and tumbled into the water with a splash.
“Honestly, what will you even be like in twenty years?” Emily sighed, shaking her head. “Will you grow up, or stay just as daft?”
“Dunno,” William shrugged, scrambling back onto the bank. “But you? Youll be a doctor. A brilliant one.”
“Well see,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “I havent even thought about it yet…”
Then, struck by inspiration, Williams face lit up. “Lets meet here in twenty years! Same spot, same dayApril twentieth, 2022, three oclock sharp. Then well see who turned out how.”
Emily laughed. “Fine. But no changing the place or timeor well never find each other!”
From then on, it became their secret. They teased each other, testing whether the other still remembered the promise, etching the date deep into their memories.
Years passed. Childhood friendship slowly bloomed into something deeper. More and more often, Emily caught William watching herno longer with mischief but with a quiet, thoughtful gaze.
Then, just before their GCSEs, Williams father, an army engineer, was suddenly stationed at a remote site in Scotland with no phone signal. Just like that, they were separated.
At their last meeting, both had been quiet. William fidgeted, struggling to find the right words before finally forcing a weak smile. “Dont forget about 2022, yeah? The meeting place cant be changed.”
At first, Emily felt hollow. Life seemed grey, meaningless. To escape the heaviness, she left school early and enrolled in a nursing college.
Why nursing? She wasnt sure. Maybe because William had called it. In the end, it didnt matter.
New faces, new routines pulled her back to life. She threw herself into her studies, determined to become the best nurse she could.
College, university, specialised trainingten years flew by. Now she worked at a private clinic, successful, just as William had predicted.
“A successful nurse with no personal life,” she muttered, shivering as she checked her watch. 2:55. Shed be on time.
Even knowing disappointment likely awaited, her heart fluttered with anticipation. The closer she got, the faster it raced.
There it wasthe little island with its lone tree. Along the path, only a pair of dog walkers braved the cold. Who else would come out in this weather?
Suddenly, her heart lurched. A man in camouflage and a beret sat on the bank, studying the island intently.
“William?” she breathed.
He turned sharply, standing up. But nothis was a stranger, a young soldier. Her stomach dropped.
“Youre Emily?” he asked with a polite smile.
She nodded mutely.
“Sorry, Will couldnt make it,” the soldier explained. “Hes deployed. But he wanted you to knowhe never forgot. Once hes back, hell find you.”
Her heart hammered, a chorus in her mind: *He remembers! He remembers!*
She fumbled for a business card in her purse and handed it over. “Take this. So its easier to find me. And tell him… Ill wait. However long it takes.”
“Ill pass it on,” he said seriously. “Itll mean a lot.”
With a quick goodbye, he strode toward the bus stop.
Emily stood watching, oblivious to the cruel wind. Warmth spread through her chest.
She would wait.
After all, the meeting place cannot be changed.
Some promises are worth keeping, no matter how long they take.
