Bittersweet

Love

~What is love? Somebody show me.~

Back at SnowCorp, a lone figure stood at the last floor staring dazed at the bubbly life below but never feeling a sense of belonging.

Most times, we live without actually 'living'.

Life seems to pass by and in the blink of an eye we turn to dust and our abode becomes the earth.

Death is like a subtle knife that cuts its victim unaware, casting its fatal blow on the unsuspecting. But how true is that?

What of those who are aware of death, aware that it was coming to drag them down to Sheol, having the painful realization that they cannot escape, won't able to see the sunrise again, won't be able to make up for lost years.

Everything, years worth of memories vanishes, all in an instant. That is the most painful part isn't it, knowing death is coming and yet not being able to predict the when or where.

Aaron blinked. Death hasn't been kind to him and life hasn't exactly been generous either.

He walked back to his desk and sat in his chair. It was 9:39 pm and all his employees had long gone home. He didn't have a home to go to, he had a house, yes. But not a home.

He'd gone to his doctor for a checkup and he was still as sick as ever, even worse apparently, since he didn't take his meds for three days consecutively.

He heard a knock on his door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me." The door opened to reveal his sister, Juliet.

"I knocked this time."

"What are you doing here?" Aaron asked.

She walked over and sat in his couch helping herself to a wrap of candy.

"I could ask you the same thing. It's almost ten." She said with a mouthful of candy. He rubbed his temple.

"What do you want Juliet?" She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I came to tell you Eric and I have decided to move our wedding date. He says he wants us to get married as soon as possible."

He could see the blush creep up her cheek, Aaron knew his sister loved him. He looked away.

Marriage to him was as impossible as a fish swimming backwards.

He was envious of her happiness. If only someone's eyes could lit up the way hers did when they talked about him.

He wanted what she had, happiness, freedom, even...lo-

He knew wishing was hopeless for he knew he was destitute and no one could ever love someone like him.

"And?" He replied, referring to her earlier statement.

"And, you're walking me down the aisle." She declared.

"Juliet..."

"Don't you dare Juliet me Ronnie, you will walk me down that aisle, by hook or by crook."

For the first time in years, Juliet saw her brother smile. It was small, barely noticeable but a smile nonetheless. And she knew why and that more than anything made her heart swell with happiness and joy.

She had called him by his childhood nickname, Ronnie.

He hadn't heard her call him that in years. It brought back pleasant memories he had long buried deep down.

"Come on Ronnie, please say yes." She had that look she always used on him when they were little whenever she wanted something from him.

He hadn't been able to resist that look when they were younger but they weren't little anymore. Still, he found himself not being able to say no to her.