Let’s … | Teen Ink

Let’s … MAG

December 20, 2011
By RedheadAtHeart ELITE, Mountain Home, Idaho
RedheadAtHeart ELITE, Mountain Home, Idaho
109 articles 0 photos 164 comments

Favorite Quote:
Love with open hands. - Madeleine L'Engle


“Let's do something together,” you say.
“Like what?” I ask.

“Well,” you say, “let's sit and talk on the stone steps after church and laugh about everything and nothing at all. Let's have it be a pure accident. Opportune circumstances. And let's have it be beautiful.

“Let's get up regretfully and bid each other good-bye, with promises to talk again next week. Let's gaze wistfully after each other as we depart.

“Let's make it a habit throughout the summer to talk and laugh on the stone steps after church. Let's look forward to our weekly banter, and let's wonder what the other is thinking as we anticipate seeing each other again.

“Let's be sitting and talking together one Sunday, and let's both be slightly disappointed when I mention that I'm going to my cousin's wedding in Green Bay, and after that I'm spending two weeks in northern Minnesota at camp. Let's say we'll miss each other.

“Let's have a joyful reunion when I return and a long, heartfelt discussion on the church steps. Let's say honestly that we missed each other.

“Let's go slowly into the new school year, always remembering to have our hour on the church steps together. Let's sit out there even on the worst snowy days.

“Let's let time go by, a year or two, and in all that time let's not let our friendship fade. Even as you go to college and I go who-knows-where, let's remain friends.

“Let's keep in touch. Let's one day – even though I have a job by then – get together and hang out, maybe sitting on the stone steps of a church somewhere else. And let's talk for a while, but after another while, let's realize that neither of us feels like talking. So let's sit in silence.

“Then let's kiss. Let's make it beautiful and heartfelt and true. And let's know that we're in love.

“Let's be happy, secure in the knowledge that we were made for each other. Let's let time and life bring everything they've got, while we weather the storm together.

“Let's date. Let's be happy and funny and enjoy each other. Let's walk along beaches and city sidewalks and country roads holding hands. Let's laugh and tease and steal kisses and smile wide when we see each other. Let's be in love.

“Let's be together, some summer night, sitting perhaps on some stone steps, though maybe not of a church. Let's be sitting there, silent like we sometimes are, and then let's both know something special is about to happen.

“‘Let's get married,” I'll say. You'll agree. So let's.

“Let's get married in the church where we met, surrounded by everyone we love. Let's stand in front of the church and forget about everyone else while we promise our lives to each other.

“Let's live in a tiny cottage on the coast of northern Maine. Let's be young and happy and carefree. Let's just live, working a little and playing a lot, like young people tend to do.

“Let's have a crowd of beautiful children. Let's read to them and sing to them and teach them to be good people. Let's sneak into their rooms when they're asleep and marvel at how miraculous they are.

“Let's watch them grow up, survive their adolescence and our midlife crises, and come out the other side wishing they hadn't grown up so fast. Let's quietly live alone again in our northern Maine cottage, just us two, like it was before.

“Now,” you say, “let's come back to now. Let's hold hands. Let's pray that God and your cancer won't take you away from me too soon.”

“Even if they do,” I say, “you know where to find me.”

You smile. “Where?” you ask.

“Right with you,” I say. “Where I've always been.”

Your smile fades. “But you won't be,” you say sadly.

“Says who?” I ask, struggling to sit up in my hospital bed. “You once said, ‘Let's do life together.' So we are. Even if I'm not there the whole way, we are doing it together.”

You smile through tears that cloud your eyes. “Let's,” you say.



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This article has 94 comments.


on Nov. 9 2012 at 9:09 pm
Ghostly-Rose SILVER, Easley, South Carolina
9 articles 7 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Make Life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am?! I'm the man who's gonna burn your house down, with the lemons! I'm gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon, that burns your house down!"- Portal 2

This was a beautiful piece!! The ending made me cry but it was beautiful nonetheless!! I LOVE IT!!

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Sep. 11 2012 at 7:17 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

AWWW This is so sweet and cute! :)

on Sep. 4 2012 at 9:38 pm
aabreu2102 BRONZE, Riyadh, Other
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
Usually, the kid coloring outside the lines is having the most fun.

A touching masterpiece.

on Sep. 4 2012 at 3:26 pm
Amaranthinium GOLD, Dade City, Florida
10 articles 0 photos 49 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Do not let numbers tell you what to do. You are blood and earth, not theory and chalk." -Welcome to Night Vale

This is a very wonderful story. :) The ending had me tearing up!

Emma190 BRONZE said...
on Aug. 31 2012 at 5:18 pm
Emma190 BRONZE, Fort St. John, Other
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Made me cry a little. I have a best friend who just got through cancer this summer and he and I talk all the time about the silly little things I imagine they chat about on the stairs. That was BEAUTIFUL.

on Aug. 27 2012 at 5:11 pm
WishUponAStar SILVER, Gretna, Nebraska
8 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." -Galileo

that was awesome. i loved it. thank you. :)

cheychey said...
on Aug. 27 2012 at 2:00 pm
that was great the ending kinda confused me though but keep up the work girl u were faboulous

on Aug. 26 2012 at 9:37 am
BlueSunset BRONZE, Barcelona, Other
3 articles 0 photos 79 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind"- Dr. Seuss

Seriously, this was a great story. Really enjoyed it! Clever, emotional and so touching. I'd be lucky to be even half as good as you! Continue with the good work ;-)

on Aug. 21 2012 at 8:24 pm
Helena.of.Karatha DIAMOND, Saint Paul, Minnesota
79 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You're a great wizard, Harry."
"Not as good as you."
"Me?! Books! And cleverness! There are more important things, Harry--friendship, and bravery, and--oh, Harry, just be careful."

Beautiful! And I know where you got that camp in northern Minnesota . . . But that was beautiful, especially the ending.

on Aug. 16 2012 at 3:27 pm
MandaLark PLATINUM, Melba, Idaho
40 articles 4 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"we do not change as we grow older; we just become more clearly ourselves."
"the two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why." -mark twain
"make your life your masterpiece."

This is lovely. You're very talented! Keep it up :)

on Aug. 16 2012 at 1:47 pm
thecherrykas BRONZE, Windham, New Hampshire
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
I see you so please stay strong

Very beautiful and touching I love the ending it's sad but perfect! Keep doing what you do :)

Lavinia SILVER said...
on Aug. 15 2012 at 5:11 pm
Lavinia SILVER, Poughkeepsie, New York
5 articles 4 photos 12 comments
wow, this is literally perfect. VERY well written!

on Aug. 7 2012 at 11:00 am
selenafan1 BRONZE, Freeport, Texas
2 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
" Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it but only you can feel it's warmth"
"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it is better to be absolutley ridiculous than absolutley boring"-Marilyn Monroe

I really love this story! It was really great and really sweet! Great job! Please look at some of my work!

on Aug. 1 2012 at 8:29 am
I-Drink-Too-Much-Tea BRONZE, Nablus, Other
3 articles 4 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I will do something by and by. Don’t care what, teach, sew, act, write, anything to help the family; and I’ll be rich and famous and happy before I die, see if I won’t!" -Louisa May Alcott

Lovely and really heartfelt! Kee writing!

on Jul. 31 2012 at 4:02 pm
KristySparklez BRONZE, Sterling, Colorado
2 articles 0 photos 53 comments

Favorite Quote:
Time only numbs all pain, it does not heal the wounds created by, nor does it heal the pain

this was soo amazing! keep writing! i absolutley loved it!!! your amazing at writing!

on Jul. 30 2012 at 2:21 pm
poetic.eyes PLATINUM, Everson, Washington
23 articles 3 photos 198 comments

Favorite Quote:
eARTh

Gorgeous, sweet, emotional!

JRaye PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 28 2012 at 3:15 pm
JRaye PLATINUM, Dorr, Michigan
43 articles 10 photos 523 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you."

"Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, 'I just don't care.'?"

This is incredible! Never stop writting, your a natural!

on Jul. 28 2012 at 1:54 pm
Cuppie.Cake DIAMOND,
80 articles 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
\"I\'m Not Afraid To Take A Stand, Everybody Come Take My Hand.\"
~Eminem~
\"I Just Want You To Know, That You Deserve The Best, You\'re Beautiful.\"
~Lil\' Wayne~
\"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. What do we do...we swim swim swim.\"
~Finding No~

Oh my gosh this is so amazing! I ended up in tears at the end. I'm speechless. Great job.

mats... BRONZE said...
on Jul. 28 2012 at 10:51 am
mats... BRONZE, Ajmer, Other
4 articles 3 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Attitude makes a big difference"
"Live and let live"

it's truly awesome.......
btw i'm sorry to have my question here on this article but i'm a newcomer on teenink and facing a problem. how do we upload a pic and then submit our work.....i have a macbook and badly facing this problem repeatedly......so...sorry to ask here but i need help!!!!!

on Jul. 27 2012 at 7:59 pm
skyblue95 PLATINUM, Bear, Delaware
35 articles 1 photo 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
I am paraphrasing, of course. "My only fear is that when they are turned to loving they will find we are turned to hating." -Reverand Msimangu, Cry, The Beloved Country (a book by Alan Paton)

Oh my gosh, this piece was so spectacular! You have an amazing writing style, very unusual but interesting (in a good way). The ending was definitely a surprise but it went along with the story perfectly, and it totally made me cry a little. Can you check out some of my work? Keep up the awesome writing!