The Kiss

Hey guys I don't have much time to write im really hooked up with school but i'm turning in my final paper and its a fictional story that i wrote. Tell me what you think, please be honest if i need to change something like the ending or anything. or even miss spellings too My grade depends on it :) thanks! the pix the story is about is on the link

Ela pulled the key out of the Soda Shoppe’s door and started to walk to her apartment. As she walked across the street she quickened her steps feeling the cold wind pick up speed and blow against her face, turning her nose and cheeks red. She walked up the steps and went to the first door on the left, inserted and turned the key kicking the door open, as she did so an immediate flood of warm air returned her nose and cheeks back to their normal color. Closing the door behind her she glanced around the one-bedroom apartment and felt a tear slowly run down her soft cheek. Ever since Josh, her husband of 2 months, had been drafted to fight in the war the apartment had become a pile of memories that she knew she may never relive. In this apartment they had eaten their first meal together, sat and listened to the baseball game on the radio, every night before they went to bed she would read to him. The last night before he left she had read her favorite book, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. He mocked it mercilessly and her response was that it was a classic and whether he liked it or not he needed to listen. They had laughed, cried, and shared moments that many people only dream of having. “How was your day?” Rachel, her roommate and best friend, asked jolting Ela out of the past. “Fine, business was slow because of the cold weather.” “Don’t worry business will pick up when the sailors come home in two weeks.” The reminder of this made Ela’s heart jump. According to Josh’s last letter he was in this group of sailors coming home. “What’s for dinner? Ela said trying to hide her distraction. “Chicken soup.” Rachel answered with a knowing smile and returned to her preparations. That night they ate silently as they usually did both thinking of the war and how it had affected America the past few years.

The next morning Ela woke up to find Rachel already gone to work at the local hardware store. The Soda Shoppe was closed for the day so she decided to go buy a welcome home dress for when Josh returned. She had been saving up for a red dress that she had seen in a store window; the neck was wide almost reaching the edge of her shoulders, the sleeves went just past her elbows, the bright fabric hugged her slender body and flowed to just below her knees making a full skirt. It was beautiful; she loved it and knew he would too.
She was about to open the door to go shopping when the phone rang. “Hello,” she answered, “This is the New York Police Department do you own the Soda Shoppe?” asked the male voice on the other end. “Yes I do officer, is there a problem?” “Well last night the strong wind blew a chair and it broke the front window. We have it covered with paper, but it will need to be repaired to avoid vandalism.” “There goes my red dress.” She wanted to say but instead said, “Yes sir I will get it replaced, thank you.” She hung up the phone and sighed. What else was going to go wrong with the shop? This month both the ice cream maker and a pipe had broken and had to be replaced. She did know for sure she couldn’t afford both a new front window and a new dress and she knew which one had to go.

It was noon, the glass guy had already come to fix the window and just as she had guessed it blew all her savings. “This happens every time I get a decent amount saved up. Something always goes wrong.” she thought. Trying to forget about it she decided to head back to the apartment for some lunch on the way she grabbed a newspaper not bothering to look at the headline till she had entered the apartment door and closed it behind her. Unfolding the newspaper she read the headline, “Navy ship sunk on way home! No Survivors!!” She sank to the floor leaning her back against the door. She didn’t feel like eating, she didn’t even feel like breathing. The tears welled up in her eyes so big that she couldn’t see the paper in front of her; she finally gave up and crawled to the bed. Laying down she pulled the covers over her head somehow feeling that if she hid from the world around her it would never find her.

Two weeks had passed and she hadn’t left the apartment, she had barely even gotten out of bed. Rachel had tried everything to cheer her up and comfort her, but she knew it was hopeless. Finally, Ela decided that it was time to get up and face the world. She prepared for a usual day at the Soda Shoppe. She choose a white dress with long sleeves, a tight neck and short, full skirt that buttoned down the front, not bothering to look at the calendar to recognize that it was the day the sailors were scheduled to come home. She walked out of the apartment trying to ignore everyone huddling around the newsstand. Ela knew they were all waiting to see the list of casualties from the Navy ship and she didn’t want to read Josh’s name on it. But what she didn’t know was that the Navy ship that had sunk was an enemy ship. Keeping her head down trying to keep in the tears that were flooding her eyes she walked till she reached the street and prepared to cross. About half way through the street she saw a man’s profile that she recognized as Josh’s. She reprimanded herself saying that it was foolish to fantasize about someone she was never going to see again. But then he turned toward her. Barely able to breathe Ela didn’t know whether to cry or laugh; she ran into his arms. He grabbed her waist and leaning over, supporting her head with his hand he kissed her.

The End