Nostalgia

The wind shook the trees outside, as the rain streamed down the windows of the ancient, rundown house. They sat inside reminiscing on old times, the fire blazing in the middle of the room. Pictures were spread out on the oak table in front of them; each one representing a different time of their life. Soothing music softly played in the background.

He picked up a picture of her as a baby, her chubby cheeks as red as they were when she blushed and her smile breath-taking. Her features had grown older over the years but her smile was still full of youth and happiness. It brought back many memories for them; from fights to heart-breaking times when all she had to do was flash that smile in his direction and everything seemed just a little bit better.

They laughed in unison at their wedding photo. She had her tongue stuck out, her eyes on him and it was obvious from the picture she had been trying not to laugh. He stood a few feet from her, a goofy smile plastered on his face, his eyes dancing with love and laughter. It was a perfect moment captured by the lens that truly told a mesmerizing story of pure love. The picture stood out from the rest, no posing like others that had been taken that day.

They had many pictures as a family of four, but one brought the saddest memory of all back for them. It was taken shortly after their youngest son was born. They all surrounded her and the baby boy in the hospital none of them looking at the camera. He was focused only on her; she on him. Their hands were interlocked. Their eldest daughter was talking away, they were almost sure it was taken in the moment she had decided she wanted to pick their baby boy’s name. Sadly she had never gotten that opportunity. Shortly after their baby boy had fallen into a coma, only to pass away. To this day no one had an answer to the question, “Why?”

They had gone through some rough times over their life together. All their pictures told a different story, a different memory, a different hurdle they had had to overcome to be where they were now. Yet all these pictures didn’t capture the best memories of all. The first time they had met; her as a barmaid in a rough old-fashioned pub and him as a young man on a night out. She still remember how she had felt the first time her eyes had landed on his electric blue ones. The same feeling came rushing back every single day; it was the feeling of falling in love all over again.

A camera had never captured the simple moments. Where they had sat curled up watching the television or lay in bed making love to each other. It had only ever caught the big moments, the ones that they told stories about but what they had both realised over time was that the moments that counted the most couldn’t be made into a film they were too ‘boring’ for that. They couldn’t be explained to someone who didn’t appreciate life. They were moments they cherished, but only meant something special to them.

That night they cried with laughter, sadness, happiness for chances they had missed and paths they had taken. If you had asked them what their biggest regrets were, their answer would have shocked you. “Regrets only come from people who have not lived,” she would have crooked. “People who have never travelled, loved, smiled, laughed, cried. Regrets only come from moments that pass you by.”

They decided to call it a night, placing all the pictures away in their keepsake box but one out of many caught her eyes. “Look at this one,” she laughed, handing it to him.

The picture was taken of their first Christmas together. It was in front of a wonky Christmas tree. They had bright smiles on their faces and laughter shining in their eyes. It had been the beginning of their life together. He still remembered the nerves he had felt that evening asking her to be his wife and she still remembered the joy she had felt.

Her bones creaked as she stood; he placed the pictures away, along with the elegantly written letter; as she walked towards the heat of the fire. Placing her hand on the mantel piece she steadied herself and waited for the pain which was coursing over her skin, through her bones and around her body to die down. He moved to her side within seconds, wrapping his stable arms around her. His body was not as old as his brain, unlike hers.

“Shall we take one more photo for the collection?” She asked, her voice silvery and low. He nodded plucking the camera off the oak table and holding it out in front of them. She lay her head on his shoulder, which dented in just the right places, as if she was his missing puzzle piece. A broad smile overtook his face and a lazy one appeared on hers. That picture captured it all; their love, happiness, familiarity.

They made their way to their bedroom, him holding on tight to her hand, helping her up the stained wooden stairs. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked her and she nodded, sadness filling her eyes. “I feel like I have no choice, I don’t want or need the pain. I’ve said goodbye, the only person that’d truly miss me would be you.” She muttered, he wanted to argue with her, tell her that their children would miss her, her grandchildren but he knew she knew this. But like always he knew there was no point, she had an argument for everything.

When they reached their room, the room they had had many late nights in due to their action-packed bedtime stories. The room they had dressed, undressed, talked, fought and even danced in. She sat on the edge of the bed as he gathered the two glasses.

He handed her the glass of foggy water and she leaned up giving him one last kiss, one last memory forever etched in their brain. They drank the water together, laying down; hand in hand, wrapped up as one. They may not have begun life together but they would end it together. No more surviving without one another. Eternal peace had come at last.