Dawn parked her car in the drive and exhaled. “I need a break!” she huffed under her breath. She turned off the car and stepped out of the car. Her foot splashed into a puddle. “Ugh!” With her soaked shoes squishing with each step, she walked to the mailbox and opened it. She pulled out the pile of bills and a kraft paper padded envelope. She blew a stray curl out of her eye as she made her way to the front door.

She opened it and two fluffy creatures sat on the other side waiting on her. Finally, a smile came to her face. She set down the mail and gave each a welcoming pat on each precious head.

The kraft envelope from the pile slipped out and hit the floor, causing the cats to fluff their tails and scatter. She winced and picked it up from the floor. “What is up with this envelope?” she muttered to herself as she flipped it over and unsealed the wrapped string. Inside set an invitation which read:

Dawn flipped over the invitation, puzzled as to why she received it. On the back, a hand-written note was scrawled.

Dawn, please come. All accommodations are handled except the flights. Meet at the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool on Friday after 3 PM. We have much to discuss.

She rolled the memories from decades before. It couldn’t be, could it? She found her way to the sofa and sat down, looking at the emptiness that greeted her. So much had changed. So much had not.

Her cats headbutted into her thighs, begging for her attention. “Well, should I go?” she cooed as she petted each of them. One rolled over, exposing his belly while the other rested her head on her thigh. “I think I might…”

She wondered who was invited, why now, and what the weekend would bring. She looked back over the invitation and in the envelope for any additional details. There were no instructions how to RSVP. There was a small envelop however inside. She pulled it out and untucked the flap. Inside was a single aspen leaf, dipped in gold.

She hung the invitation with the leaf on the refrigerator to keep it in plain view, to remind herself to look into tickets. She still had a few months ahead of her to plan the trip. But first, she had much work to do on herself.

That work starts now.