Bientôt-Soon-Bald-Pronto-Presto

EXTRACT:

Chapter 1:

Memories of a first encounter

 

August 2024

Hamilton, Montana, United States of America

Stewart Ranch

 

Cole

The morning sun gently caresses the verdant hills of Montana, illuminating the Stewart property. On this special day, an atmosphere of joy and celebration floats in the air. The laughter and lively conversations of the guests fill the garden, while the final preparations for Ethan and Callie's wedding are in full swing. The wedding of my older brother, Ethan, a war hero decorated after a terrible mission on the border of Iran and Afghanistan, with Callie Daly, teacher and mother of his twins Grace and Ethan Jr., was about to begin. A magnificent wedding, filled with joy and love.

 

The guests, elegantly dressed, crowd around the altar, eager to see Ethan and Callie exchange their vows.

 

Me, Cole Stewart, I am a tall, muscular man with short brown hair and piercing blue eyes. I inherited my father James, a man of Irish descent with a square jaw, high cheekbones and a warm smile.

 

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, the laughter of the guests and this joyful crowd, I, the second of the four boys in the family, discreetly withdrew, seeking a moment of solitude. Sitting on a wooden bench, in the shade of a large oak tree, I let my thoughts wander to the past. My gaze is vague, as if I were contemplating a distant past. But for me, this day was also filled with memories, regrets and the nagging pain of loss.

 

My gaze is fixed on a small, worn photo that I hold in my hands. It is a snapshot that I always keep in my wallet, of me and Kathy, my late wife, taken during our first year of high school. We were 12 years old, and our radiant smiles testified to a budding friendship, full of promise.

 

A sad smile appears on my lips. Five years ago, a tragic accident took my wife, my first love, my soul mate, the mother of my beloved little girl, Ava, leaving a huge void in our hearts. A few days before Christmas, a drunk driver had mowed down her car, leaving me a widower and a little five-year-old girl orphaned of her mother. That fateful day in December had brutally ended our happiness. I had sunk into despair, unable to overcome the loss of the one I loved more than anything in the world. So, I had drawn from the depths of myself the strength to get up, to continue living for Ava, for Kathy.

 

Ethan and Callie's wedding is a new chapter that opens for my family. I am happy for my brother, but I cannot help but think of Kathy. For months, I had wandered like a lost soul, unable to overcome my pain. I had sunk into depression, alcohol and loneliness. I had even thought of abandoning Ava and entrusting her to Kathy's parents.

 

But one day, watching my daughter sleep, I realized that I could not do that. Ava needed me, she needed her father. So, I decided to take myself in hand.

 

I left California and my job as a Marine, I returned to Montana to the family ranch, with my father and my brothers. Together, we overcame this ordeal, supporting each other. I started seeing a therapist, playing sports, spending time with my family and friends. Little by little, I had managed to get my head out of the water. I love the life I lead, even if it is sometimes difficult.

 

Today, five years later, I am a different man. I am still marked by Kathy's death, but I have learned to live with her absence. I have become a loving and devoted single father to my little girl, my ray of sunshine.

 

My gaze is lost in the past, in my distant memories that bring me back to my own youth. I see myself again, a shy and dreamy teenager, falling under the charm of the newcomer, Kathy Sweeny.

 

I remember our first meeting as if it were yesterday. It was in September 2002, the day of the start of the school year. Kathy had just moved to Montana:

 

[Flashback

September 2002

High School, Hamilton

 

That day, I arrived at school with my brothers. We were all four very different, but united by a strong bond. Ethan, my eldest, was already a serious and responsible young man. He had always been a role model for us. Me, I was more reserved, but always ready to defend my own. Jimmy, the third, was the life of the family, always ready to make a joke. And Ryan, the youngest, was a sensitive and dreamy boy.

 

On this day of the start of the school year, a new student had made her appearance. I was sitting on a bench, in front of the school, waiting for my friend Kane to arrive. I was nervous, it was my first year of high school. I had always been a bit shy, and the idea of finding myself in the middle of all these strangers intimidated me.

 

Suddenly, I saw her. A little blonde girl, with magnificent sparkling blue eyes, who was getting out of a car. She seemed a little lost, I felt a spark, an instant connection and I felt an irresistible impulse to help her.

 

I got up and approached her.

 

-Are you new here? I asked.

 

— Hi, my name is Kathy, she replied, a radiant smile illuminating her face. Yes, I come from Ashville in Ohio, it's a nice little village.

 

Hi, my name is Cole, I said, a shy smile on my lips. Ashville? It's far from here! 

 

— Yes, but it's a great place and it's about 2000 kilometers away, she replied. But I like Montana too. It's very beautiful.

 

Welcome to Montana, I exclaimed, relieved to see that she was not pushing me away. You'll see, Montana is great too. You'll like it here, it's wilder, but it's beautiful.

 

I can't wait to find out. She said.

 

And so began our story. Kathy, with her joie de vivre and her kindness, quickly illuminated my life

 

I was immediately charmed by Kathy. We spent the whole day together, discussing everything and nothing. We discovered many common points, in particular our love for nature and animals.

 

At the end of the day, I walked Kathy home. We promised to see each other the next day.

 

We quickly became inseparable. We supported each other in difficult times, and shared our joys, our sorrows of life and our dreams. From our shared laughter, from our whispered confidences. Every day, we met after school to do our homework together, stroll through the fields or take refuge in the cabin at the bottom of my garden. Weekends and holidays, we never left each other. It was the beginning of our love.

 

You are really nice, Cole, Kathy said, one afternoon as we were walking in the woods. 

 

— You too, you are great, Kathy. I replied.

 

— Do you think we will stay friends forever?

 

— Of course!