Treasure Hunt – Hint #4

if you skipped the beginning, you can catch it! Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 

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“You are on the right path… the rings are so cute, right? What was the last gift you offered me?? (Outside from anniversaries & birthdays)“

Should be easy right? But I had no clue …

Absolutely nothing came to mind. I just remembered that I always gave her jewelry: a ring, a bracelet, earrings, anything related to jewelry. It might be a small thing, of no big value but she always loved it and would wear it for days or months. With my raise, I started buying her more expensive things, but always jewelry.

I figured, if it was indeed jewelry, I would find it in one of the drawers.

“You won’t mind me looking through the drawers, right?

• Suit yourself! Just please put everything back where you find it! I don’t want to lose anything.
• Yes yes! I will not leave a mess, I promise! I mean I will not leave a bigger mess than how it already is“

But it was hard looking without knowing for what exactly.  There were many boxes. Maya is not exactly a tidy person nor super organized. She had her own logic in arranging her stuff. I get why she asked to put everything back, otherwise she will be lost herself within this.

As I shuffled through her stuff, I could recognize some of the gifts I had bought through the years but I couldn’t find the last one. There were so many boxes and so many cards. I am surprised that she kept everything, like documenting our relationship in a sweet way, keeping all the souvenirs to remind us of the good times.

After some minutes of searching I decided that I wasn’t getting near the clue. I sat down and started thinking. But it led me nowhere.

My eyes drifted, searching in the room, for any possible clues. Still, my pride and my competitive spirit forbid me from asking her for help. She knew that and didn’t venture providing it. She was just silent, respecting my decisions, as she always does.

“– OK, I don’t remember… is it in this room?

• No it’s not.
• When did I give it to you?
• 2 years ago.“

My mind was blank. Since this game started, I didn’t have any memory coming back naturally. Yet, these all were beautiful events and situations that I shouldn’t have forgotten.

Technically, I didn’t forget them… They were just buried deep inside my head. I didn’t think much about them and, eventually, they were pushed to a deep corner in it.

Back to the game… any gifts I purchased 2 years ago? Not sure what that would be. I used to bring her flowers… I don’t think she would keep those for so long. I used to bring her ice cream, without any special occasions. I surprised her with dinners outside. All these were not tangible items or objects that she could hold on into.

I tried going back to 2 years ago and see if anything happened.

“May I put some music while you are thinking?” Her voice erupted directly into my ears, by surprise, taking me away from my thoughts.

“Yeah, sure!” I said and went directly back into my thinking.

I don’t know what song she played, I didn’t pay attention to it. I was still thinking about what happened to me, why I didn’t remember anything and why I let go so easily of such precious memories. I also felt a terrible guilt. I was the one forgetting while she was still holding onto everything. I was the one that changed, slowly, imperceptibly through the days, while she remained true to herself.

I didn’t dwell that much on my guilt. I am not a man that stays prisoner to the past or to his regrets. I am a man of action. What I need to do is to take control and make her see that I am the man that she loved. I am the man that she can still rely on.

As I took this resolution, I paid more attention to my surroundings and let the reality sink back in. I heard the last notes of that song … the melody was familiar but I didn’t hear enough to know what song it was.

“Hey, what song was this?

• (she laughed hard) You were just listening to it and you don’t know?
• Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.
• Oh I’ll play it again then.“

The first notes of the song brought me back to many sweet memories. This is the song that we played ultimately every time we are on the car. We just danced like crazy people. Well, she urges me to sing, dance, but always stays alert and looks straight ahead, but we get crazy over it. It’s our favorite song while driving.

The song played in the car… the CAR! That’s what the gift was about!! 2 years ago, when she got her car, I gave her car accessories! That was my last gift and the song was a hint from her.

“– That is a subtle hint!

• What? I did nothing. it’s just a normal song…“

I could imagine her, picture her face expression as she tried to act innocent. I didn’t comment and I went running outside.

The car wasn’t there. Maybe it’s in the garage? I came back inside to get the keys and then headed to the garage.

I automatically opened the trunk. Oh the junk that was there! She never took care of this car and I always nagged her about this. Knowing how organized she is, no one would believe that this car belongs to her. in the trunk laid many pairs of shoes. All high heels. She kept them there because she couldn’t drive wearing one but, as she purchased more and more high heeled shoes, there was a pile in the trunk.

I closed it and opened the passenger’s side door, and directly checked the glove compartment. I found her insurance papers & driver’s license. There was a small bag. I opened it, expecting to find the next hint but it was only containing her make up. As I closed it, the wheel attracted my attention; it had a small post-it stuck at the back.

As I seated in the driver’s place, I found my next hint. The post-it marked “5” had a small text in the back. “Drive! The car knows the way“

Well, that is not a simple hint. Where should I go?