The House of Memories by Valeria Lob

The departure of the city is followed by hustle and bustle.

At midday, everyone wants to escape from the unbearable heat of a large concrete city and go to the lake or river. There is a young married couple in this flow of cars and they have another reason for leaving the city. Steve is driving the car and says no word, as well as Amber, does. Only the local radio breaks the silence. In the end, Steve decides to speak first: 

 - What do you think, Amber, how much money we can get for selling that house?

 - Oh, I really don`t know, Steve. But I supposed that not too much. That house is old and far from the city. 

 - Listen, I know, you don`t want to sell that house. But you are pregnant and we don`t have enough money to keep the future child. 

Amber decides to ignore him. She is not stupid and understands the necessity of selling the house without his explanation. Steve`s jobs are their bread and butter, but his salary was cut and they have to count every penny. She wishes their child will have all the best. That`s why she has to put her wishes in second place. 

The house, they are going to sell, is left by her grandparents. The sweetest childhood memories are connected with that place. Amber is in thought, holding in her hand an amber pendant. Her granny always said that stone belonged to her. Amber was a girl with bright orange curly hair glistening in the sun and freckles on her face that looked like gold dust. Her granny liked to call her “my little sunshine”. She presented her with an amber pendant and said: “It is like concentrated sunshine that will always be with you”. Time passed, but Amber still looks like “sunshine” and she always wears a pendant as her talisman. 

At sunset, they get to their destination. Gold rays of sunshine cover the house and the yard. Bees are flying above flowers. Trees are full of ripe fruits of apricots, peaches and oranges. The picture of the old house catches Amber`s breath. Nothing has changed, since she was there last time. Memories from her childhood are everywhere. She remembers how she was trying to pick an orange from the tree but it was too high for her so grandpa helped her. The ladder from which she fell and bruised is also here. All her memories are followed by orange rays of the setting sun. The smell of honey, marmelade and apricot are mixed in the air.  She feels warmth spilt inside her. For a moment, all her troubles go away and she feels as if she was a little carefree girl. She knows for sure, that place is her own heaven where she used to be happy. 

She`s realised, that their grey flat in the city centre is nothing in comparison to that old cosy house in the village.  She wants their child to grow up in such a wonderful place. Amber believes that their family will have an opportunity to start a new life here. 

***

A little girl is trying to pick an orange from the tree. Having climbed a tree, she tries to reach the nearest branch. Suddenly, she sees a spider near her hand. Yelling, she falls from the tree. Laying on the grass she sees her mother coming.

 - Coraline, what`s happened? 

 - I only wanted an orange, but there was a really big spider!

 - Oh, darling, aren't you hurt? Come in, I`ve cooked your favourite apricot pie and dad has brewed tea.  

It comes to the evening. The last rays of the sun are covering the old house and the yard. The family in the house are drinking tea and eating the pie. They are happy and enjoy every minute of their lives. The trees are shrouded in the darkness while the endless sky is burning with bright orange colour. It is a short moment before the full darkness comes. But it doesn`t matter as they have light in their souls.