"Remember th-this" I spoke to the woman I was lucky enough to have wrapped in my arms as we lay back against the mattress for what I felt inside as our final time.
Taking the picture in my hand, I looked at the smiles still evident on our faces over 60 years later. My beautiful Tess and I captured on camera for the first time sending a rush of happiness to my heart even after so long together.
Despite the grey hair littering her scalp, she remained the most stunning human being known to mankind with age only amplifying her beauty. The picture before us showing the start of our lives together made the smile on my face only broadened as I looked down at the only woman ever capable of capturing my heart.
"We looked so young didn't we" she spoke up craning her neck allowing me full access to the greyey-blue I loved so much.
"You still look perfect my love" I responded only coughing after I'd managed to get all of the words necessary out.
The last few weeks had been spent with the two of us spending every last minute by each other's side practically unable to move. With the unexpected return of coronavirus many years after the first outbreak, we tried to be as careful as physically possible but somehow along the way managed to fall victims. After getting a positive Test, my Tess tried with all her willpower to have me stay with one of our children in order to keep me safe. Despite the fact she was in agony, practically dying before my eyes, all the woman I had fallen in love with all those years ago cared about was that I stayed living.
The truth was there wasn't a single chance I was ever going to step even a metre away from her presence. I understood with her words why she wanted me gone. When you love someone, when your every thought is consumed by their being, their state remains the only priority in your mind. Tess was trying to keep me safe, but my life belonged to her. There would be no Hardin Scott without Tessa Young, and that fact would remain for the rest of our limited days.
It was a few days later when I knew I was also positive. I'd not in fact been tested, but the pain pulsing through my body was a simple indicator of it all. As we lay back against the bed looking through the box of memories we'd compiled, I felt numb, as if the pain realized it had won allowing a few peaceful moments before it takes its victory. I didn't know what death was supposed to feel like, or how you almost knew it was approaching, but the bliss I was currently enduring was the most perfect way to call our first life together to an end.
"Look at this one Tess" I spoke, taking the photo frame holding our children's ultrasound pictures side by side before looking down at realization she'd become silent.
Shaking her shoulders in desperation for her to come back, I dropped the object in my hand and hugged her body which I could already feel growing colder whilst announcing my feelings one last time, tears littering down my cheeks, "I love you so much baby, don't worry I'm coming"
As if able to understand the situation, I felt myself drifting away with my palms still glued to her. I moved swiftly into deep darkness as I drifted from my body. Moments later, I was met with the most perfect sight of my Tess with the brightest grin on her face. She was stood at the gate with her hand held out, ready to be taken into my own as I examined her entirely after missing her for the short few minutes we were apart.
Not even hesitating, I quickly moved my hand to her own ready to enter the two of us into our new world. This may be the end of one life together, but it was only the beginning of a whole other.
