Abandoned Homes

I can’t be the only person who looks at an abandoned house and wonders what the story behind it is. Did this house once belong to a happy family? Could some tragedy be the cause of the home’s emptiness? The world of possibilities is endless. There has to be more to the home than peeling paint and overgrown lawns. At one time, someone moved into that home with dreams and ambitions. They dreamed of the life they would live in that home. A home in which they would create memories. As they unlocked the doors for the first time, they unlocked all the possibilities. The person who lived there could have been anyone. They could have chosen to live in any house and they chose this one. Why did they leave? Was it their choice or were they forced?

Imagine this: A new couple walks through the door with wide smiles. The look at each other as they dream of what will become of the home. She looks at her husband and tells him that she wants to repaint the bedroom. He smiles and starts spitting out color ideas. They giggle and laugh about all of the possibilities. The husband dreams of his man cave that will someday be converted into a playroom for the future children. He thinks of watching the game as the little ones run into play. She comes in planning to chase them out. Somehow they all end up cheering their team to a new victory. He kisses his wife after every touchdown. That new couple has so many dreams of there new home.

Some dreams are fulfilled quickly in this home. Eventually they come to an agreement on paint color and they start to paint. The young couple changes the master bedroom color from pink to a pale muted green. She giggles and places a paint handprint on his back. The husband smirks and puts some paint on his hand. Before she has time to run, he is kissing her and leaves a paint handprint on her breast. They giggle and kiss each other as the paint dries around them. Looking at this moment, it is hard to tell where the most paint has ended up. This is just one of the few memories they created in this home.

Soon they fill the rooms with furniture. Then they placed a table in the kitchen and put four sturdy wooden chairs around it. They dreamed of the meals they would cook together and company that would eat with them. The aroma of turkey fills the room as they entertained the guests. They giggle and laugh at the watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade on the television. Before long the football game is on. He can’t get over how cute his wife is as she cheers for the wrong team. All of a sudden the smoke detector goes off. He holds her close and tells her it is okay that she burnt the turkey. He lies and says he didn’t want turkey anyways. The husband orders Chinese and they enjoy that instead. His dad laughs and claims he like Chinese food better anyways. Her mom lets them know everyone has done this at least once.

Each holiday brings different emotions and feelings. The day after Thanksgiving he complains as she puts the tree up. She sings Christmas songs as covers his ears. After awhile, he joins in singing and hanging ornaments. Flour coats the kitchen as they bake cookies. The smell of gingerbread is throughout the house. Before long, Christmas day is here. She wakes him up at the crack of dawn to open presents. As he rubs his eyes she is already down stairs holding her gift for him. He opens it and smiles. Then he hands his gift to her. Tears of joy erupt from her eyes. Somehow he always knows exactly what she wants.

Valentines day comes and they each have a special gift for each other. She hands him a small box. He opens it and pulls out a stick with a plus symbol on it. It only takes a minute for him to realize what it is. When he realizes what it is, he picks her up and swings her around. Their small family was going to grow just a little. Things were sure to change. A few months later they are at the doctor's with tears in their eyes. The little little heartbeat inside of her was a little girl. They dreamed and laughed about who she might be. Name possibilities came from everywhere. Would she have a family name? This little girl could be anyone. Maybe she would have his eyes and her smile. She could be adventurous or she could be shy. That little girl would change their lives.

The day that baby would enter the world was bittersweet. As she entered, his beautiful wife left. He cried tears of pain over his wife. His best friend was gone and he had no idea it was possible to feel this much pain. All he had was this little baby girl who looked just like her mother. How would he raise her? Could he do it alone? As he looked into the little baby’s eyes, he knew he could take care of her. The tiny baby had his late wife’s little button nose. She looked so much like her mother.

As time passed the house seemed lonely without his wife. He had his little girl, but the house looked like a broken dream. All he could see where the memories that could have been. Everywhere he turned, he saw his wife. Even the good seemed like it was missing something. He could see his wife sneaking up to place tape on his back. Then she would giggle as she ran away. He would chase his wife around the house and kiss her once he caught her. Unfortunately that in now only a memory. As he lay alone in his bed, he looks to her side. It is empty. The loss of his wife has changed so many things. The happy potentials seem unattainable without her. He should have her laying next to him. His wife was taken from him too soon.

His wife was in every room. Somehow he couldn’t get her out of his mind. He couldn’t stay here, but he couldn’t let this house go. This house held so many dreams that would never happen. Eventually he found another place to call home. The husband left the house, but could not sell it. He moved into a new home with his little girl. Someday he may come back, but for now, he has to move on. He closed the door for the last time. His little girl waved as they left there home and moved on to new dreams.