His mother was obsessed with post-its. Not just the traditional yellow squares, but anything she could find with that patented sticky backing. She used them to leave messages for her forgetful son.
Change your underwear! Said his dresser.
Brush your teeth AND floss. Was stuck to his mirror.
And sometimes a simple I love you would find it's way into his backpack when he left home again.
Misty loved those notes. When they traveled together he hid them before his friends could see them, but she beat him on his way home from Hoenn and giggled as she passed each one, fingering the loopy cursive of his mother's handwriting.
The next time he came home, there was a pale yellow post-it stuck to his pillow.
Sorry I couldn't be there to cheer you on, you were great! In the familiar childish writing he had memorized.
A smile played across his lips as he pulled an old shoebox down from his closet and placed the note inside it.
This tradition continued for years, Ash would come home to find more notes that he stashed away in the same box.
When he was 24, Prof Oak sent him on a fact finding mission to a new region. He called his mother and friends a lot at first but then a year went by and then two and he became embroiled in his task and found it harder and harder to tear himself away.
Ash made it home a month before his 27th birthday. Exhausted and dirty, he found his way up to his bedroom to drop off his bag. As he looked around his childhood room, he smiled softly. Then his eyes met with a haphazard stack of multiple colored post it notes.
Abandoning his idea to take a shower, Ash sat on his bed and picked up the stack reading them one by one.
When are you coming home? Everyone misses you.
I saw your hat in a thrift store. Well not your hat, but one like it.
Brock says you haven't called in awhile, he has a girlfriend now!
Why did you stop calling? Even your mom hasn't heard from you.
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I don't know where you are or if you're even alive. You stopped calling everyone. We're worried, please come home.
Apparently you've been in touch with Prof Oak and you're fine. Thanks for letting us know.
As he read the next one, his heart stopped.
I've met someone.
Graham is really great, I think you'd like him. Your mom does, she thinks he's sweet.
I just got so tired of waiting and not knowing.
No one knew where you went, we didn't know what you were doing and we didn't know when you were coming back.
I've loved you for half of my life and never even found out if the feelings were mutual.
It was time for me to move on.
It's time for both of us to move on.
I'm getting married. Call me when you get home, I'd love to see you and I know Graham would love to meet you.
That was the last note. He shut his eyes against the tears forming and jumped up. Rushing out of his room and down the stairs he tore out the front door and through the streets.
Misty got out of her bed and wrapped her robe around her as she walked quietly down the stairs. She still had a few hours to relax before she had to work on opening the gym.
She turned on the coffee pot and walked out the front door to grab the newspaper and mail. Misty could hear Graham's footsteps on the ceiling above her as she sat back down at the kitchen table.
She sat there for a couple minutes, flicking through her mail before taking the paper out of it's plastic bag and opening it up. She was shocked to see a small piece of paper fall onto the table before her.
I love you too.