It was his turn to marvel at her beauty.
For days and months that he's been sleeping with her every single night and waking next to her every moment of sunrise, he forgot to stare at her and just stare at her.
He forgot to thank her for staying at his side even though he's busy having his life and chasing his dreams.
He forgot to stay each morning and ask her if she had a good sleep.
He forgot to wait for her on bed every evening to talk to her about her day.
He forgot to taste her undercooked pancakes.
He forgot to just gaze at her and look at her breathing. Look at her placid sleep and her hair falling on her face.
And then he knew what he have been missing.
He have been missing her. His better half. His everything. His promise of unending love. His wife. His life.
She stirred to yawn, Daniel didn't make a move and instead leaned closer to her, not missing how her morning breath made him feel warm. "Good morning." He called.
Kathryn must have been surprised to see her husband still on bed. "What are you doing?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Kathryn..." Daniel called, touching her back.
Kathryn must have heard the ache in his voice. "No Daniel. Not this morning." Kathryn smacked his hand, standing up to find her pair of slippers.
But Daniel was quick to pull her back on their bed. "What the hell?! Can you please get off me?!"
And that was when Daniel crumbled. Her voice was full of disdain and he can't help but grieve. He made a mistake. And that was to make her feel like she was invisible to him. Like the lovely things ended the day they got married. He felt so secured that he will never lose her.
Until this morning when he already did.
"I love you Kathryn." He whispered, pining her on the bed with his arms and legs hurled on her body.
Kathryn was caught by surprise. "What? You are saying I love you?" She pushed his chest to see his face.
His grip got loose, he hugged her instead and captured her head under his chin. "And I'll always love you." Tears drenched his face. "Deep inside this heart of mine I do, love you."
"And I'll always need you. And if you ever change your mind I still, I will love you."
"Why are you singing our wedding song?" She wiped a few tears from her face.
"Because I'm sorry." He cupped her face to see her eyes. "I was a fool to find my life outside of this room when everything that makes me feel alive resides in you."
Kathryn smiled while crying. "You don't know how much I love you even when you never noticed that a whole day passed without giving me a word." She hugged his chest. "You will never know how much I love you even if you forgot to buy me a present on my birthday."
"I'm sorry Kathryn." The pain seared his chest. He never knew he was doing this. He was a jerk, and being one won't make him deserve her.
"I know." She kissed his chin. "And I also know that love is more than words and gestures. Love is a promise of never giving up. Love is a promise of staying through thick and thin. That's how I love you."
He never mentioned a word. He just hugged her and stayed close to her. And promised to hold her again every sunrise for the rest of his life.
"Mom! I think I'm late for---oopps! Sorry!" Little Dindin closed his parents' door.
