A collection of short stories on love, lost & found; and its strength to completely shatter or mend. Boyfriends, girlfriends, mothers, fathers, husbands and wives. But most importantly, the love of self. Because one can never finish describing this...
Everyone's hopeful faces around me, set in place for what seemed like an eternity.
I looked toward the man in front of me, kneeling, with a small black box held out in front of him, a priceless jewel on display.
My thoughts sped up, rewinding my life to when I met him 2 years back.
We were both on holiday in Paris, and what we thought to be a flash of romance brought on by the magic of the city turned out to be more.
I reveled in the happiness my heart encountered on our various trips together; we were both in love with wanting to experience the world.
Surfing in Bali, climbing Machu Picchu, walking the beaches of Sri Lanka, celebrating Holi in India and securing a place in each other's hearts in Moscow with a padlock.
After many adventures together, here we were, back in the place where we first met, the city of love.
But so much had changed.
This time, we were joined by family and friends for which started out to be a vacation for everyone to spend some quality time together.
This time, we were older, and had identified each other through and through, working together to push boulders and climb mountains.
This time, we were in love.
This time, we also had an ambulance five minutes away, in case I had to be rushed to hospital.
This time, I had numbers scratched onto my forehead, counting down the days that I would be breathing.
This time, he was on his knees, asking me to do what would be the most heartbreaking, yet beautiful thing in the entire world.
Willyoubemywife?
The words that really mattered were left unspoken, though they echoed in the silence that followed.
Forthetwomonthsthatyou'llbealive?
How much courage he must have had to ask me to marry him, knowing that he'll be a widower in two months or less. Knowing that we'll never have children. Knowing that he'll be picking up pieces of his heart for whatever time it may take for him to find them all.
How much love he must have in his heart for me, to take such a risk just so we can spend my last days truly together?
My eyes stung at the memories and revelations.
"Rebecca?"
His smooth voice brought me back.
I reached my left hand towards him and he smiled. He slipped the ring onto my finger amidst the cheering.
I helped him up and pulled him close to me, then felt him smile against my lips, as I vowed to make the best of the times.
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