“Jennifer! Come look at this!” the young Michael said his eyes filled with wonder.
“What? Did you find it? Oh Michael you did! My daddy told me about this place! It will be the the best treehouse!” I cried excitedly. Over the next couple of weeks, my dad built them a simple house in the trees. Of course I was only six, but I knew that it was the best gift I could ever receive. Little did I know that the treehouse would eventually be forgotten and my smiles would fade.

***
A telephone rang and echoed through the heavy spring air. My dad had died early that morning in a car crash. I ran outside into my old treehouse in the thick of the wood. I never wanted to be alone more than that moment. I closed my eyes and thought of when my dad built this eight years ago.  I opened my eyes and saw a figure emerging from the pine trees. It was Michael.

“Hey I heard the bad news,” Michael said breathlessly as he sat down next to me,”I know how much you loved him.”

“Yeah I did,” I said opening my clasped hands revealing an open locket with a picture of my dad smiling up at me.

“Well,  I know what it’s like-”

“No you don’t! You don’t know what it’s like to wake up, start your day, just to find out your dad died.”

“What do you want me to do? I’m just trying to help!” Michael questioned.

“Just go. I want you to go. ” I whispered looking away. I was too upset to deal with him. I saw Micheal look at me with soft eyes and silently climbed down. I waited for him to walk back through the woods to cry, alone.
***

I dreamt of him. My dad. He was standing next to me looking up at my old treehouse, except it was newer. He looked at me, smirked, then threw a match at the structure that took weeks to build. It went up in flames and he was gone. I was being surrounded by flames. They burned closer and closer until-----

I woke up sweating, gasping for air. I stared up at the ceiling until it no longer looked like a surface, but a shell from the outside world.  I looked at my clock to see that it was five o’clock in the evening. I had fallen asleep. I got up and made my way down stairs. As I passed my mom’s room, I saw her lying in her bed sobbing. She was looking at old photos. I stepped back and continued down the stairs. I left her to her sorrows. I couldn’t stand to see her cry. When I came upstairs later, I saw her body rise and fall with her breaths. I crept past the door.

“Jennifer? Is that you?” She rasped from the bed.

“Yeah mom,” I responded.

“Will you sleep with me tonight?” she said innocently like I did when I was little and scared of the dark. I went to the bed and climbed in next to her. She hugged me close. My eyes were dry from all the crying, but they still managed to tear up.

***
I was in a trance for two months, not wanting to do anything. I managed to sign up  for the community service trip. Incidentally, Michael signed up too. We were paired up to work on the beach cleanup. Once we all got there, we split off in groups.

“Hi,” said Michael smiling.

“Hi,” I responded a smile appearing on my pale face.

“Look, I’m sorry-” he began.

“Don’t, it was my fault for pushing people away. I know you were just trying to help,” I said looking down. I felt the nervous blush rise in my cheeks.

“Yeah. I was just worried, you know,” he spoke shyly, I loved the way he apologized.  When we got back, Michael left me at my doorstep. I watched him leave, and when I was sure he was gone, I ran through my backyard to the tree house. Once I was inside I started collecting all of my stuff. I grabbed the fleece sleeping bag, the flashlight, and my dad’s old journals. I had been camping out in there for the past two months. Just when I was about to leave, I saw a glimmer. It was my locket. I grabbed it without thinking. I stopped myself and placed it in the corner of the treehouse. I no longer needed it for comfort.