Carly sat on the worn-out couch, her fingers tracing the edges of an old photo album. The room smelled of memories—faded cologne, coffee stains, and the warmth of shared laughter. Jack, her husband, shuffled in, his eyes tired but kind.
"Hey," he said, sinking into the couch beside her. "What's got you all nostalgic?"
She pointed at the album. "Remember this? Our first date. That terrible '80s-themed karaoke night."
Jack chuckled. "Ah, yes. The night I discovered I'm better at catching criminals than hitting high notes."
Carly grinned. "And I sang 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' like a cat in distress."
He nudged her playfully. "You were my favorite cat in distress."
They sat there, flipping through photos—their wedding, their kids' birthdays, and that impromptu dance in the rain. Life had thrown storms their way, but they'd danced through them all.
"Jack," Carly said, her voice soft, "sometimes I miss the simplicity of those early days."
He nodded. "Me too. We didn't have much, but we had each other."
Carly's eyes sparkled. "Remember how we used to sing together? Terribly, mind you."
Jack grinned. "Our off-key serenades. You'd belt out 'I Will Survive,' and I'd join in, butchering the lyrics."
"Or that time we tried 'Don't Stop Believin'.' We were so out of tune, the neighbors probably thought we were summoning demons."
Jack cleared his throat dramatically. "And then there was 'Sweet Caroline.' I'd sing, 'Sweet Carly-ine,' and you'd roll your eyes."
Carly leaned against him. "But it made us laugh. Even when life was tough, our duets brought joy."
He wrapped an arm around her. "You know what? Let's do it. Right now."
She raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"
"Serenade each other. Badly. Like old times."
Carly hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. But only if we sing 'I Got You Babe.'"
They stood up, facing each other. Jack's voice cracked as he started, "They say we're young and we don't know..."
Carly joined in, her pitch equally questionable. "We won't find out until we grow..."
They swayed, their laughter filling the room. The lyrics blurred, but the sentiment remained—the promise of being there for each other, no matter what.
As the final chords played, Carly rested her head on Jack's shoulder. "We're still here, Jack. After all these years."
He kissed her forehead. "And we'll keep singing, even if it's out of tune."
Outside, rain tapped against the window. They held each other, their hearts in sync, and sang their imperfect love song.
