There was a small wooden walk way leading down the slight slope. It vanished into some thick trees and awaiting them down at the bottom of the slope was the stream Jack spoke of. Despite the cold, it was still running, she could hear it. Then there were more trees but they thinned out and revealed a nicely sized field.
And there it was. A house. Big enough for a small family. There was a thick garden under a slight blanket of snow at the back, and at the front. There were fences, empty fields, and an abandoned dog house. Despite sitting there in a field alone, the house looked… loved.
Jack approached her and stood besides her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “And there you have it. Maple Family Home.”
“Oh wow,” she gasped, her eyes taking it all in, soaking up every detail. “It’s lovely! I wish I could have lived in a house like this…”
She looked over at Jack and smiled. “Let’s go inside then and get warm then?”
He took her hand, and nodded. Maybe, one day, they would live here. He could still paint out here, she could do photography… be far from the busy, ugly, crazy city and just be together. Maybe they’d have a dog. Or a cat. A child? Oh God. He was thinking so far ahead as he walked her down the stairs carefully, not wanting her to slip and fall.
But it was such a beautiful dream to think of.
Mrs. Katelynn Maple.
It sounded beautiful.
They approached the front door and Jack opened it with a key on his keychain and pulled the door open. It was all wooden floor boards and boldly painted walls inside. Photographs and paintings hung on the walls, leaving not a lot of space for anything else.
“Let me go put the fire on!” he said as he walked back outside. He returned quickly with two logs of wood, making his way into the lounge and threw them into the fireplace.
Jack Maple 