"This isn't making any sense Daniel, you have been away for five years now. Do you think I am getting younger?" Abenad stuttered as she wiped the tears gently flowing down her chin.
"It's not what you think, I didn't make this decision myself. I believe there won't be any extension after this," Daniel replied and expected Abenad's response but she didn't reply to him.
"Sweetheart! Abenad are you there? Please don't give up on us now," Daniel stuttered.
Abenad had drowned herself in tears already and didn't know what response to give. She held a pillow tight to her face and wept silently while listening to Daniel's voice until he ended the call. Abenad had a series of memories playing in her head at that moment and she wished Daniel hadn't joined the military when he did.
It all started at Saint Patrick Fun Park City when Mr. Martin, Abenad's dad took the family out for a treat during the holiday. They had circled the entire city and didn't find a place that wasn't filled to the brim because of Abenad's enochlophobia condition.
"Can't we just have a good time at Saint Patrick Fun Park City instead of just going around the city?" Mrs Martin muttered.
"It's Abenad's call, we will go there if she wants. What do you think honey?" Mr Martin asked Abenad.
"Let's go there dad, it's just that they don't have plenty of activities there but it's okay because it's not crowded," Abenad replied and Mr Martin drove down to Saint Patrick Fun Park City.
Upon their arrival, the park wasn't buzzing like the other places they drove past and Abenad wasn't happy with the look of things there.
"It doesn't feel like Christmas here and there should have been lovely activities even though it's scanty," Abenad muttered.
Mr Martin got their tickets and the family slowly walked into scanty park.
"Let's have ice cream," Mr Martin said immediately after he noticed the disappointment on Abenad's face.
They went to the only ice cream vendor in the park and Abenad's disappointment doubled immediately the vendor said she didn't have a strawberry flavour which is her favourite.
"Vanilla is nice too, you loved it when you were younger. Will you try it?" Her Mom persuaded her.
"I am fine, I will just go and check their games. Is that alright Dad?" She asked.
"Yes, why not? Have fun but don't get lost," Mr Martin replied and handed her some coins to pay for the games.
Abenad's first stop was the teddy bear hunt ground, she loved teddy bears and couldn't resist them.
"Can I try sir?" Abenad asked the man in charge.
"Yes, young lady. It cost ¢1 per try," he replied.
Abenad handed him a coin and the man said to her, "That's a whole lot of shots,"
He showed Abenad how to play first and handed over the plastic rifle to her.
Abenad took the first shot and missed, she tried more until she had one left. She stared at the big teddy again and her determination to win with the last shot tripled.
She raised the plastic rifle and was about to take the shot when a voice stopped her from behind.
"You can't hit it that way, raise your shoulder a bit and take two steps to the right,"
Abenad turned to see who it was and it turned out to be a young charming boy of her age group.
"Hi, I am Daniel," The boy said.
"Hi," She replied.
Abenad eventually did as told by the boy and she hit the biggest teddy bear with her last shot. She was so excited and hugged Daniel before picking up her giant teddy bear.
"My name is Abenad, how did you learn to shoot?" She asked.
"My dad, he is in the military. I follow him to the range and learn few things," Daniel replied as they walked happily to ride the Carousel.
They became friends from that day and their relationship deepened to a point when Daniel asked Abenad to be his girlfriend six years later.
"Yes! Yes!! I will be your girlfriend. I have been waiting for this, what took you so long?" Abenad stuttered and was excited that evening at Saint Patrick Fun Park City.
"Can we always come here during Christmas? The atmosphere reminds me of the first hello, I am glad we met that day,"
"Yes, we can. I promise we will always come here," Daniel replied.
All of these happened before Daniel joined the military, it was his secret desire that Abenad didn't know about.
It came to her as a shock and every effort to convince Daniel not to join the Army failed. He visited home often but Daniel was taking forever to return from the last mission.
"Isn't it better I just end this? What if he had left me? What if he had found a beautiful woman wherever he is?" Different thoughts crossed Abenad's and she gently got out of bed.
She was pacing about her bedroom thinking of what to do when her phone started ringing again.
Daniel! Abenad muttered as she checked the call. She didn't pick up the call and just left without her phone.
Days passed, weeks passed and Abenad refused to answer Daniel's call. He had tried reaching out to Abenad through their friend and even her parents but all was futile.
David became troubled and the lack of communication between him and Abenad wouldn't let him concentrate at work. It wasn't easy for her also but she already made up her mind not to speak to Daniel until he returned home.
A few months passed and the holiday season came. Abenad would wake up every morning and sit by the window side hoping to see Daniel coming to her place but that didn't happen.
On Christmas Eve, Abenad decided to take a ride to Saint Patrick Fun Park City for the last time before parting ways with whatever connection she had with Daniel.
"I will call him at the park and make my intentions known to him. He can't be there while I will be here, I know it won't be easy for us to end this but we will survive," Abenad muttered.
Abenad went around the park and a lot hard changed there. She saw a young girl who reminded her of the young Abenad who walked into the park many years ago.
Abenad smiled and the happiness that was building in her suddenly vanished immediately she remembered Daniel again. She reached for her phone and called Daniel several times but he didn't pick up.
She tried several times again but Daniel didn't pick up the call. Abenad felt disappointed and her heart was shattered.
She strolled to the teddy bear hunt ground and saw the man in charge. He had grown older and Abenad asked if she could try like she did back then.
She gave the man some money and she just went on missing her target. She wept bitterly as she shot aimlessly.
"You shouldn't forget your shooting lessons that easily," A male voice said to Abenad and her spirit was fired up.
She slowly turned around and it was Daniel. Abenad flung the hunting rifle into the air and ran to Daniel who had his eyes closed and arms opened to embrace Abenad but he got a slap instead.
"How dare stay away that long? Don't you know how much I miss you?" She stuttered and burst into tears immediately.
"I am sorry. Things were beyond my control but I am here to stay now, I asked for a permanent position here in the state so your love isn't going anywhere again," Daniel stuttered.
"Really?" Abenad asked
"Yes, we can get married, make babies and grow old together," Daniel replied.
"And how did you find me here?" She asked.
"Your apartment was locked and here is the only place I could think of," Daniel replied.
Abenad forgot everything she was thinking before Daniel showed up and she was excited. She hugged Daniel tightly and she had to let go when she saw her face on the giant screen at Saint Patrick Fun Park City.
"That's me," She stuttered.
"Yes. It's you," Daniel replied.
Abenad turned around to see what was happening and a bold text appeared on the screen, "Will you marry me?"
She was confused and upon turning to Daniel, he was down on his knee.
Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! Abenad screamed with joy as Daniel wore the ring on her finger. The guests at the Saint Patrick Fun Park City applauded the lover.
