For the next year I was living in state of constant dream, I kept returning to the summer I met her and the only thing I was thinking about was her, everything about her, her smile, her clothing, her fragrance... I remember almost nothing of that year - everything flew by so fast. When our annual visit to the cottage was closer and closer and these stupid thoughts were crawling into my head, "Will she be there? Will she remember me?" these thoughts were with me for many weeks, up until we departed and arrived.
I did not bother with unpacking my stuff when we arrived, just put everything into my room and bolted outside to find her. Summer was just at its beginning and all I could smell was freshly cut grass from nearby garden of local villager. I must have looked ridiculous, almost running across village in my black pants and loose white shirt. Upon finding the right house my investigation began. I could see that someone was keeping the grass cut, the flowerbeds were watered and stepping stones were not overgrown, but I did not see her or anyone else. I stayed there for a while, probably looking like a major stalker when I realized that the noise I've been hearing was not from some neighbors garden but from hers! After I carefully looked around me and checked that on one was around I opened the front gate and entered the perimeter. I came a bit sneakily around the house to the back garden. She was there. "Hello!" I exclaimed and startled her a bit, she turned at me with some horror in her eyes but laughed when saw me. She was just working on her garden, sporting a bit longer summer dress with blue, orange/pink and greed flower motifs, wide sun hat, wielding small gardening scoop with working gloves on her hands.
"Nice to see you again after..." was what she was trying to say as I hugged her, making her unable to talk. When I loosened my hug and let go of her, she took a good look at me "You look great" and hugged me whispering "I am so happy to see you again. Since the day you left I've been thinking about you, every day." That made me almost cry with happiness.
"It's been same with me, I've been thinking about you the whole year." That hug lasted what seemed as eternity, I could smell her light perfume and hear her hearth beat.
"Hey, you wanna go inside and have a drink? I'm finished here."
"Sure, I... yeah, lets go." I answered still a bit dizzy from seeing her again, she laughed a bit and took my hand, leading me inside. The cottage was old, walls were thick and so the heat was mostly staying outside, leaving inside bit cold. She removed her sun hat and I noticed that her hair was cut now, still blonde, but shorted, basically a bit messy bob, I loved that. She was just pouring us a water "love your new hair" I said "it looks so..." I couldn't find the right word.
"So shorter?" she answered with mischievous smile.