𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝟯

Fading Photographs

The door knocks. 

I've been waiting all day for that knock, but now it's here, I wish I hadn't. It was inevitable, but I can't bring myself to answer it at first, as if I'm somehow prolonging this moment so the after never comes. 

Instead, the door opens and my hus- ex husband- Leon comes in, setting the spare key on the side behind him. I stare from my place on the floor, surrounded by boxes upon boxes of our memories, caging me in so I can't move. 

"Hey." Leon murmurs, shoving his hands into his pockets as I swallow back the tears already forming. This divorce was a mutual thing, but it still feels like a blade to the heart, reaching so deep I can't even meet his eyes. 

"Hey." I reply, pushing a box towards him as he sits on the hardwood floor opposite me. I'm moving out soon, ready to find somewhere else to call home, even though my home wasn't ever a place, it was the man next to me, who still wears his wedding ring. "You can sort through that one." 

Leon nods, then we begin. I open the first box, freezing when the piles of old, fading photographs stare back at me. There's at least a hundred of them, all of Leon and I looking like the happy couple we were. With shaky hands I pluck up the first, setting it in the pile on the floor to be discarded. I glance to Leon, seeing his eyes fixed on the polaroid. 

"I remember that day. It was when we went to that fair. You dragged me onto the ferris wheel and that was when I first kissed you." He reminisces, a small but sad smile playing on his lips. My breathing hitches, I remember the day so vividly, our first date. 

I don't reply, I just keep going through the photos, setting them all in the rubbish pile, each one reminding me of the years I've spent with Leon. The laughs I've shared with him. The times we've learnt new things together. The way he looked at me when I didn't see him. The way he let me cry on his shoulder. 

"Are they all really that bad?" Leon interrupts our silence, brows knitted together as I stare at the most recent photo of us; it was taken a week before we agreed to go our separate ways. Leon's arm is around my shoulders with him standing behind me, I look away from the camera at the sea, the last rays of the sun creating a summer like hazy filter on us. Leon's arm is outstretched, taking the photo as he grins. If only we could've stayed in that moment, I remember being so content with him. 

"I don't need reminders." I finally reply, taking a breath before reaching for the last folder at the bottom of the box. I frown, unsure what's inside, but when I open it I'm immediately crying, with tears rolling down my face. My hands shake as the paper flutters down towards Leon's knee. 

He gives me a worried look, licking his lips as he plucks up the folded paper so gently, and begins reading what it says. I know those words by heart, how could I ever forget our wedding vows? 

"Words aren't enough to tell you how much I love you, but I promise that every kiss, every hug, every laugh and every tear will be for you. I'll give you everything I am and more, I'll be your partner in life and your shadow in death, our adventure will be a long one, and I can't wait to see where it leads us." Leon softy says, eyes shining once he's done. 

The silence speaks for us, as I sniffle and Leon lets out a shaky exhale, we're both a mess, but once again, we're a mess together. Maybe that's the point, and we never saw it until now. 

"Why are we doing this?" I whisper, wiping my eyes as Leon shakes his head, letting out a small laugh. 

"I don't know." 

I let out a sound resembling a laugh and a sob, then let myself be free. I crawl over to Leon, who already has his arms outstretched for me. I push away the boxes of memories, not needing them when I have my future right here. As soon as I'm nestled in his lap, I finally allow myself to let out everything I've been holding in, sobbing until I can't breathe. 

Leon shushes me, rubbing my back as he gently rocks me, his lips on my head as he kisses me over and over again. "It's okay, you're okay, we're okay." He repeats more times than I can count. I cling to him, nails digging into the fabric of his shirt as if I'm latching onto him for life, which in a way I guess I am. 

"I don't want you to leave. I don't want us to be over." I cry, looking up at him as he gives me a small smile, reaching out to tuck a stand of hair behind my ear. 

"Then we'll redo our vows. We'll start again and take new photos. We'll get a new house and fill it with fresh memories and a few kids. We'll stay together forever and be better than before." He murmurs, looking at me like I'm the most hope he's ever had in his life, like I'm the beacon guiding him through life. 

"And a dog? You always promised me a dog." I lightly smile, linking our fingers together as he chuckles and presses his forehead down to my own. He nods. 

"Anything you want." 

When he pulls back he reaches into his pocket, pulling out my wedding ring I gave back to him. My eyes widen, once again filling with tears but this time of happiness as he slips it onto my finger. It fits perfectly, destined to always be there. 

I wrap my arms around him, breathing him in as he holds me, our heartbeats facing each other like two magnets, that no matter what will always find a way back to each other.