The Unforgettable Gift by Hayley Nelson Page B

a
lot of that.
                    So Ryan experimented.
                   Finding his way to each step took a lot of effort,
but with each Ryan just thought of his fondest memories with Amy, and it
reminded him that the hard work was worth it.
                    As he boiled and then bleached the bones, he
remembered the first time he ever visited Amy’s home; how clean and almost
sparkling it was. He remembered feeling out of place, as he lived a life of
getting down in the dirt to do the dirty work, while Amy lived this very clean
lifestyle. He wondered if he’d cleaned himself up enough –bathing, shaving,
wearing deodorant and cologne – for him to even just stand there. Amy had
kissed him, and told him that he was always welcome.
                    As the sound of the bones being ground overwhelmed
his ears to the point that nothing else could be heard, he remembered the time
he and Amy went out to a Rock concert because she’d been given free tickets.
He’d found the music very loud and noisy, and the words difficult to understand.
He remembered how he would try to talk to Amy, and he couldn’t even hear
himself yell at her. Neither he nor Amy properly enjoyed the concert, and both
agreed never to do it again.
                    As he slaved over a hot brew of inedible cattle
portions, waiting for a gelatine-like substance to form, he remembered the time
when he was sick and Amy had scalded herself trying to cook him chicken soup.
He kissed her where it hurt, and then applied ice. She smiled at him as he
sipped the broth. He smiled back. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that it
was bland.

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    As he washed the gelatine to remove the fatty portions, he recalled
how insecure Amy had gotten when her “friends” called her fat and how he
reassured her that she was perfect in his eyes. To celebrate, they ate lots of
pizza and ice cream, and he laughed as she indulged. He’d playfully compared
her appetite to that of a pig, and she’d playfully slapped his arm.
                    Every time he wiped sweat off his brow, he would
remember the time when Amy visited him in the middle of a busy workday. She
tried to help him with the heavy lifting, but her delicate hands couldn’t take
it. He still appreciated the effort, and, with different areas of his shirt
drenched in sweat, tried to show his appreciation with a big bear hug. They
laughed as he chased her around. After a while, she stopped running and they
embraced, despite her squeamishness.
                    Each heart-warming memory continued to inspire Ryan
like this as he heated up the gelatinous substance, used the liquid as a glue
to bind the powdered bones, poured the mixture into a mould and let it dry. He sanded
and polished his gift with utmost care, and thanked heaven that his
girlfriend’s name was only three letters long.
    *          *          *          *          *
    Ryan was wearing his fanciest plaid shirt and most decent pair of
dark jeans with a pair of brown, hand-polished, leather shoes. His dark hair
was combed more than it ever had been in his entire life. Today was special. It
was the day that one of the most important people in his life was brought into
the world.
                    Ryan waited on a park bench. He decided that this
was the best part of the city, as it was the most natural and most quiet. In
his hands, he held a tiny, brown paper wrapped gift with rope used in place of
a ribbon. He frowned at the ugly little gift, but the thought of what was
inside turned the corners of his mouth back up in a hopeful smile.
                    Ryan looked around, and observed the day. The park
seemed to be the only part of the city where people didn’t move like they were
in fast-forward. In that moment, he found it strange that the sun seemed to be
smiling at him. Part of him