Spring has turned Cats Hollow into a little paradise – tulips are blooming everywhere, birds are chirping and the air smells of freshly cut grass and lilacs. I stretch out in the sunshine while Steffi gives me a beaming smile and hands me a bunch of pink tulips. ‘For you!’ she says. Her eyes sparkle just as vividly as the flowers she hands me.
We walk through Cats Hollow, our hometown, past townhouses and parks towards the beach. I have my camera ready – Steffi poses like a natural, forms a peace sign and laughs heartily. Her bright summer clothes dance in the wind as I capture the moment.
After a short stop at a cute little coffee house with a red and white roof, we get two steaming cups of cocoa with cream. We lean against each other, savour the warmth and watch children chasing soap bubbles in the distance. It’s these little moments with Steffi that burn themselves deep into my heart.
Later, we move on to the old stone railing at the edge of the garden. I sit down with my legs crossed while Steffi lies across it and looks at the sky as if she’s flirting with the clouds. A cat joins us and purrs softly. We don’t say anything for a while – and that’s what our friendship is all about. This quiet intimacy.
As the day slowly fades into the golden evening hours, we sit down at our favourite spot – the picnic table on the lakeshore. The biscuits are ready, the cups are steaming again and the light is dancing on the water. We talk about everything and nothing, laugh, make plans, bring memories back to life.
And as I look at Steffi, with the wind in her hair and the soft light on her face, I know: this day is one of those that I will carry in my heart forever.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
