Epilogue
Be Seeing You Somewhere in Time
Sitting on a granite bench beside the lake, I cast my line into the water and reel it in a little, my eyes briefly taking in the age spots and spider veins on the backs of my hands that signal old age, for I am indeed old now.
Though I am not looking at them, the words I had engraved on the bench so long ago are also engraved in my heart.
With every breath I breathe I love her,
with longing arms and hands I cling,
too soon arms and hands are empty,
leaving no more breath to breathe.
One day the aroma of her kiss will fill these lungs,
and I will breathe again.
For Katia, My Treasure
It has been fifty years since death separated me and my sweet Katia, and I still wear the ring that ties me to her. It has never come off, and it never will.
I retired from the hotel years ago, and it is now in the hands of our son and his family. I adopted Nick a year after Katia died, keeping my promise to her. He was three years old when I was blessed to become his father and he has brought me great joy, and so has his posterity. Our posterity. I had been prepared to not have any once Katia was gone. But she was a wise woman and knew I needed family in order to keep going. She couldn't bear to think of me being alone, and I could not bear to bring her pain by consigning myself to a life of solitude.
With Nick's dark wavy hair and hazel eyes, he could have been born of us, which makes me believe he was meant to be a part of our family all along. I did teach him the best I could and he grew to be a good man. He knows and loves Katia as his mother, and he has said many times that he looks forward to finally meeting her one day. I always tell him that though I long for that for him as well, I hope it will be many years before their meeting.
I have attended church on a regular basis for years now, and I will always be grateful for the two young missionaries that knocked on my door, bringing me the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only thing that has helped me get through the years of living without the person who was my other half for so long.
Happily, I can report that I have accomplished all I wanted to in this life and more. I have no regrets. I have loved with my whole heart, and have had that love returned. I truly hope I have made my father, and my Heavenly Father proud.
Now I am eighty-nine years old. My eyesight is fading, my hearing is beginning to diminish, and I look forward to the day I can join my sweet tesora, for she was indeed my treasure, the thing I most prized, next to my Savior. My life is winding down and the curtain will one day soon be drawn on this episode of my existence, the final act looming before me, preparing me for my final bow.
Until then, as it has so many times, my mind will go back to another time. I will travel back through the halls of memory where she permanently resides. I see her smile, hear her laughter, and feel her love. I soak in every single detail, allowing myself for a short time to live in that holographic world.
Sometimes during these moments, I hear my sweet Katia's voice and can feel her presence. In those moments, love flows over me, through me.
"Thank you, Katoosha," I always whisper, and I know I am another step closer to feeling her embrace once more. I take comfort in this, and I am grateful for the tender mercy.
One of the last things Katia said to me was, "Live your life, amore mio. Live for both of us."
And I have.
* * *
Three years later, surrounded by his family, Angelo died after a short and draining bout of pneumonia. As healthy as he had always been, the family was sure he would recover, but Angelo–and God–had other plans.
As Angelo's spirit separated from his frail, old body, he opened his eyes, and standing before him in a white Victorian gown with her hand outstretched was his beloved Katia. Her mouth curved in that adorable smile he loved so much, her shining eyes full of love. He cried tears of joy as her arms went around his waist and he clutched her to him, burying his face in her thick, curly tresses and breathing in the fragrance that was her. Then he kissed her, whispering against her lips, "Ti amo, tesora. Now I can breathe again."
Now, turn the page and enjoy the added bonus, Katia's Book of Memories!
YOU ARE READING
Til You Come Back to Me Again - A Love Story
RomanceAngelo De Luca is a man who has it all. As the owner and CEO of one of Orlando's five-star hotels, the twenty-three-year-old bachelor is wealthy and successful, possessing looks, charm, and a heart of gold. He is the perfect boss and a good man. But...