OKAY. I KNOW THAT FOR SOME OTHER PROMPTS I WAS LIKE "THIS ONE IS MY FAVORITE PROMPT" AND SUCH (OR IT WILL HAPPEN LATER ON). BUT NO MATTER WHAT I SAY FOR ANY OTHER PROMPT, THIS ONE, RIGHT HERE, IS MY FAVORITE PROMPT.

NO. MATTER. WHAT.

Day Twenty-three: Being old together

It was spring when she first noticed them. She was chasing a ball her cousin kicked to try and stop it from going into the road when she looked up and saw an elderly couple sitting on their porch together. The man noticed her looking at them first and nudged the woman next to him. She and the couple stared at each other before the woman smiled and waved at her. She waved back.

"Arabelle! Hurry up and bring the ball back!"

"I'm coming!" She turned and kicked the ball, forgetting about the couple as quickly as she noticed them.

But the next time she walked down that road, she couldn't help but look at that house. The old man was sitting there again on the swinging bench. She was wondering where the old woman was when she walked out, a plant in hand. She motioned for the old man to get up to help her and they hung it off the roof. She held it steady while he hooked it, tall enough to reach even in old age.

Then she continued walking.

It was a month into Summer Vacation when she saw them again. Taylor was walking Mars. He was mowing the lawn while she was planting flowers alongside the sidewalk. The old woman looked up, her hat shading her face, and smiled at her. Arabelle couldn't help but smile back.

And Mars couldn't help barking and running up to the woman, dragging Arabelle's heels into the sidewalk and nearly toppling the old woman over. "Mars!" She gasped, trying to pull him back. "Back! No, Mars!"

But the woman only laughed. "It's fine," she assured, rubbing behind his ear. "I used to have a dog that was just like this."

"He's still a puppy," Arabelle explained. "So I'm still working on training him properly."

"What's wrong?" The two girls looked up to see the old man standing over them. His brow was furrowed and he frowned as he looked down at them. Arabelle grew anxious in his presence but the old woman smiled up at him.

"Nothing's wrong, dear." The lady assured. "This dog, Mars, is it?" Arabelle nodded. "Just wanted to say hello." She lady's eyes shone. "Doesn't he look like Duke?"

The man's eyes softened as he looked at her and then the dog. "Yes," he agreed. "Except he didn't have the brown spots that this one does." He looked at Arabelle again and she couldn't help but squirm on the spot. "I've seen you before."

"I've lived on this road for years, sir." She said. "And I always play at the park with my cousins."

He nodded and the lady laughed. "You haven't been called 'sir' in years!" She giggled.

"It was rather weird to hear it again." He looked down at Mars and gave a questioning look to Arabelle, extending his hand to the dog. "May I...?"

"Oh, yes!" She exclaimed, moving to pet him herself. "He's a huge attention seeker. A big baby, a little brat." Her voice turned teasing as she cooed at her dog. The man placed his hand on Mars' head and he instantly tilted his head back to try and get him to move his hand down. He obliged. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what's your name?"

"My name is Taylor, and this is my husband Saguru." Taylor said, grinning at her. "And your name?"

"Arabelle." She tilted her head. "Saguru? That's a unique name."

"It's Japanese," he explained. He's Japanese? Arabelle thought, eyeing his blond hair. He must have some other foreign blood in him too. Or maybe he was just feeling like he wanted to be one of those 'cool' old men. "It means 'to search'."

Arabelle's grin grew. "That's even more unique of a name."

"But Arabelle is a unique name as well." Taylor said, moving to stand up. Saguru offered his hand for support and placed his other one on her arm, helping her slowly stand. Taylor smiled at him before looking back at Arabelle. "I didn't mean to keep you, dearie. You can continue with your walk now; I know your dog will probably be getting antsy soon for keeping still for so long."

"You're probably right." She pulled on Mars' leash. "Come, Mars! Have a good day, you two."

"You too." Taylor called back. Arabelle watched them walk into the house, wondering if Taylor was okay but figured that they were just taking a break from working in the sun for so long. This was confirmed when she passed by their house a week later and the lawn was mowed the rest of the way and the rest of the flowers were planted.

The leaves were turning different colors and falling when she went to the park with her cousins. She looked at the house but the porch was empty and the lights appeared to be off. But it was in the middle of the day and getting a bit chilly outside, so that was to be expected. It was when her cousin pulled her hand to drag her to the playground when she saw them.

They were sitting on the swings, talking and holding hands. The old woman- Taylor, she remembered- was laughing and Saguru- an easier name to remember- was smiling at her. Taylor's heels dug into the ground and gently pushed the swing back and forth. Arabelle pushed her cousin forward to play on the structures before walking over to them.

"Hello," she greeted them. Taylor looked up and looked confused as to whom she was, but Saguru remembered her immediately.

"Hello, Arabelle." He responded. "We haven't spoken since you walked your dog this past summer- Mars, was it? That Siberian Husky."

"That's right, sir." She bobbed her head and was curious as to why he was giving so much information about that day when Taylor's eyes lit up with remembrance and she suddenly realized the reason. Taylor gave a look to Saguru.

"You and your perfect memory." She scoffed before shooting an apologetic look towards Arabelle. "I apologize for not remembering sooner, dear, my memory isn't what it used to be."

Arabelle waved her off. "It's fine, it was awhile ago anyway."

"We're just here enjoying the cooler weather. Summer isn't really our style- though I prefer winter over everything else." She winked at Arabelle. "Let's hope it arrives soon, yes?"

"Yes." Arabelle grinned before it faltered, her eyes gazing past them. "Jamie, get down from there right now!" Jamie froze from his place on the tube slide, staring back at her. "I'm sorry, I really have to make sure he doesn't do anything he's not supposed to."

"It's fine, go run around and enjoy your youth while you have it." Taylor told her. Saguru nodded in agreement as she ran along.

The first time it snowed Arabelle immediately thought about the old couple. They were waiting for the first snowfall, right? Maybe she could go and see them.

She was just pulling on her boots and gloves when her mother appeared in the doorway. "Good, you're already ready to go out. Will you take your cousins and play with them outside?"

"Uh, sure." She said. The trip to their house was put on hold for the day, and apparently for many weeks.

It was Winter Break and quite a few snowfalls later until she pulled on her coat again to head to the house. She walked outside, nearly blinded by the brightness, and listened to the crunch of the snow under her boots. Maybe she could offer to shovel their sidewalk for them.

She caught Saguru at his mailbox and grinned, running up to him. It was weird to see him without Taylor by his side, she decided. "Good morning!" She called.

He looked up and smiled. "Good morning- oh, watch your step, it's icy out."

"I know, I'm being careful." But she still heeded his warning and slowed down. "It snowed, you know."

"I'm aware."

"Well, are you excited for it?"

"I'm not one that usually gets excited about snow." He admitted.

She tilted her head. "Well, what about Taylor? I know that she was looking forward to the snow."

"She did." Upon seeing her confused look he sighed, looking through his mail. "She died."

The air grew tense and she shifted awkwardly. "Oh." He didn't say anything, and she didn't expect him too. There wasn't really anything to say to that, anyway. She swallowed. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," he said, and she was pretty sure that his eyes were moist. Or maybe that was from the wind blowing at his face. "She died peacefully in her sleep."

"Did-" she hesitated and he motioned for her to continue. "Did she get to see the first snowfall at least?"

He smiled and nodded. "She was excited when she first saw it; I couldn't get her to stop talking about wanting to run around and play in it. She was too old for that, though." He gazed off into the distance, as if he was looking at a distant memory.

"Um," he snapped out of it and looked at her. "I actually came down to offer to shovel your sidewalk for you, if you need it done."

Saguru shook his head. "It was already done for us this morning, so it should be good until the next snowfall. Thank you for the offer though. Next time you can come down, alright? Alright. Have a good day." He hurried into the house before Arabelle could respond. But she could understand why, since she brought up bad memories.

She turned around and walked home.

It was spring, a year after she first noticed the old couple, and Arabelle was looking at the newspaper. She got to the obituaries- something she has taken to do since she's heard of Taylor's death- and noticed a name that made her sigh and close it.

"Saguru Hakuba," she murmured to herself. Jamie looked from his coloring book in confusion. "A unique name indeed."

I would like to say a special thanks to my friend Alicia for giving me the idea on how to write this prompt. Last summer I was confused as to how to write this but then she told me about a couple on her street that do things like puzzles together. There was one instance where the old man was fixing his swinging bench and the old lady brought lemonade out for him to drink. I decided to write this prompt from an outsider's point of view from that. She didn't expect the ending though.

By far my favorite thing that I have written. I'll come back and look at it and possible revise it in a few years.