getheronthiscrystalspringtimeevening.thewindowisopenslightlyandifeelabreezeasitfansmycheek.themoonhasrisenandwewatchforalongtimeastheeveningskyunfolds.
"i'veneverseenanythingsobeautiful,i'msureofit,"shesays.
"ihaven't,either,"isay,butiamlookingather.sheknowswhatimeanandiseehersmile.
amomentlatershewhispers:"ithinkiknowwhoalliewentwithattheendofthestory."
"who?"
"shewentwithnoah."
"you'resure?"
"absolutely."
ismileandnod."yes,shedid,"isaysoftly,andshesmilesback,herfaceradiant.
shesitsandisitoppositeher.sheoffersherhandacrossthetableanditakeitinmine,andifeelherthumbbegintomoveasitdidsomanyyearsago.istareatherforalongtime,livingandrelivingthemomentsofmylife,rememberingitallandmakingitreal.ifeelmythroatbegintotightenandonceagainirealizehowmuchiloveher.
myvoiceisshakywhenifinallyspeak.
"you'resobeautiful,"isay.icanseeinhereyesthatsheknowshowifeelaboutherandwhatireallymeanbymywords.
shedoesnotrespond.insteadshelowershereyesandiwonderwhatshe'sthinking.shegivesmenocluesandigentlysqueezeherhand.iwait.iknowherheartandiknowi'malmostthere.
andthenamiraclethatprovesmeright.asglennmillerplayssoftlyinacandlelitroom,iwatchasshegraduallygivesintothefeelingsinsideher.iseeawarmsmilebegintoformonherlips,thekindthatmakesitallworthwhile,andiwatchassheraisesherhazyeyestomine.shepullsmyhandtowardsher."you'rewonderful..."shesayssoftly,andatthatmomentshefallsinlovewithme,too;thisiknow,forihaveseenthesignsathousandtimes.
shesaysnothingelserightaway,shedoesn'thaveto,andshegivesmealookfromanotherlifetimethatmakesmewholeagain.ismileback,withasmuchpassionasicanmuster,andwestareateachotherwiththefeelingsinsideusrollinglikeoceanwaves.ilookabouttheroom,thenbackatallie,andthewayshe'slookingatmemakesmewarm.andsuddenlyifeelyoungagain.i'mnolongercoldoraching,orhunchedoveroralmostblindwithcataracts.i'mstrongandproudandtheluckiestmanalive,andikeeponfeelingthatwayforalongtime.
bythetimethecandleshaveburneddownathird,iamreadytobreakthesilence.isay,"iloveyoudeeplyandihopeyouknowthat."
"ofcourseido,"shesays."i'vealwayslovedyou,noah."
noah,ihearagain.thewordechoesinmyhead.noah...noah.sheknows,ithinktomyself,sheknowswhoiam...
sheknows....suchatinything,thisknowledge,butformeitisagiftfromgod,andifeelourlifetimetogether,holdingher,lovingher,andbeingwithherthroughthebestyearsofmylife.
shemurmurs,"noah...mysweetnoah...”
andi,whocouldnotacceptthedoctors'words,havetriumphedagain,atleastforamoment.igiveupthepretenceofmystery,andikissherhandandbringittomycheekandwhisperinherear:"youarethegreatestthingthathaseverhappenedtome."
"oh...noah,"shesayswithtearsinhereyes,"iloveyou,too."
ifonlyitwouldendlikethis,iwouldbeahappyman.
butitwon't.ofthisi'msure,forastimeslipsbyibegintoseethesignsofconcerninherface.
"what'swrong?"iask,andheranswercomessoftly.
"i'msoafraid.i'mafraidofforgettingyouagain.itisn'tfair...ijustcan'tbeartogivethisup."hervoicebreaksasshefinishes,butidon'tknowwhattosay.iknowtheeveningiscomingtoanendandthereisnothingicandotostoptheinevitable.inthisiamafailure.
ifinallytellher:"i'llneverleaveyou.whatwehaveisforever."
sheknowsthisisallicando,forneitherofuswantsemptypromises.
thecricketsserenadeus,andwebegintopickatourdinner.neitheroneofusishungry,butileadbyexampleandshefollowsme.shetakessmallbitesandchewsalongtime,butiamgladtoseehereat.shehaslosttoomuchweightinthepastthreemonths.
afterdinner,ibecomeafraidforiknowthebellhastolledthisevening.thesunhaslongsincesetandthethiefisabouttocome,andthereisnothingicandotostopit.soistareatherandwaitandlivealifetimeintheselastremainingmoments.
theclockticks.
nothing.
itakeherinmyarmsandweholdeachother.
nothing.
ifeelhertrembleandiwhisperinherear.
nothing.
itellherforthelasttimethiseveningthatiloveher.
andthethiefcomes.
italwaysamazesmehowquicklyithappens.evennow,afterallthistime.forassheholdsme,shebeginstoblinkrapidlyandshakeherhead.then,turningtowardsthecorneroftheroom,shestaresforalongtime,concernetchedonherface.
no!mymindscreams.notyet!notnow...notwhenwe'resoclose!nottonight!anynightbuttonight....please!ican'ttakeitagain!itisn'tfair..itisn'tfair...
butonceagain,itistonoavail.
"thosepeople,"shefinallysays,pointing,"arestaringatme.pleasemakethemstop."
thegnomes.apitrisesinmystomach,hardandfull.mymouthgoesdryandifeelmyheartpounding.itisover,iknow.this,theeveningconfusionthataffectsmywife,isthehardestpartofall.forwhenitcomes,sheisgone,andsometimesiwonderwhethersheandiwilleverloveagain.
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