It seemed like they had always been together. He had worked at the plastic plantation and she had been a legal assistant. He spotted her one day on the bus on the way to work. Thereafter every morning he timed his ride to coincide with her. His mother teased him. ‘Why would you want to go and put that brill cream your hair before work love? It’s a factory not some fashion parade.’ She knew he was in love and laughed as he ran out after eating his breakfast. He would lurk just behind the corner come rain or shine, waiting for her to arrive. Then he would casually saunter over and find a seat beside her. And then one day she noticed him. ‘You look like that Tom Hanks’, she said. He was over the moon.
He believed their destinies were meant to entwine and perhaps it was his unwavering sincerity that moved her. On their first Valentine's, he took her to her favourite Jazz pub, "The Momenturs" where they first danced. They shared a ginger ale and laughed at the innocence of youth. After that as he walked her home under the stars, they danced again, drunk with romance. They kissed for the first time. That moment , he knew she was the one.
He believed their destinies were meant to entwine and perhaps it was his unwavering sincerity that moved her. On their first Valentine's, he took her to her favourite Jazz pub, "The Momenturs" where they first danced. They shared a ginger ale and laughed at the innocence of youth. After that as he walked her home under the stars, they danced again, drunk with romance. They kissed for the first time. That moment , he knew she was the one.
They’d courted for nearly three years before he had the courage to ask her father for her hand in marriage. There were many objections. He was plain with barely a high school education, average looking, financially raw with no foreseeable future. She was too good for him. But she knew there was not another man who loved her more. Their honeymoon had been a week in Greece, Athens where everynight they would sleep on the shore of Paleo Faliro and shared their dreams. The first of the girls was born nine months later. She was called Eve, the first of their dream. Then two years later, they had Freya, which is Greek for love.
Life was hard but they were happy. They scrapped by without any luxuries – no television, no nice clothes and no house of their own. In 12 years of marriage, they moved 6 times, 5 to a rented place then finally to a little apartment they bought. The day they moved in, they cried in each other’s arms. They just needed to be with each other. Love to him, was having someone to share life with. And he shared every moment with her.
There were very difficult economic times, but they never once fought over money. He was a good man - non-smoker, non-drinker, non-gambler and non-womanizer. He did not spend for himself, marked by the same old closet since marriage. But he would buy her the clothes she liked and saved all the best fruits for her. Every little surprise warmed her heart because everything she wanted but never asked for he knew and would get for her.
Then one day, her body check revealed a stomach tumor. The doctor dismissed it as minor, but he insisted she see a specialist just to be sure. She obliged.
When the news came, “It might be cancer.”, she almost fainted, mind blank and all she could do was fall into his arms with tears welling up. She did not want to lose him. And he could not imagine losing her.
“It will be okay. You will be fine. We will get through this. Believe in yourself. Believe me.”
Before the operation, he silently packed her belongings. He did not let her see his tears but he could not stop his hands from trembling when he had to sign the consent papers in front of her. This was the man who would be calm and unfazed if the world collapsed. There was nothing she could do. Her hand borrowed his tears softly, kissed it as if for the last time and said,
“Wait for me.”
And he did. He was there when everyone had left, he was the first person she saw when she woke. His hand tightly intertwined with hers saying he was always there. Worn down with deep dark circles, he was beaming with a smile.
“It’s over. The results are in. It is benign.” He cried. She cried. There were tears of endless joy.
She took a good look at him. It has been so long. “You lost weight.”
Life was hard but they were happy. They scrapped by without any luxuries – no television, no nice clothes and no house of their own. In 12 years of marriage, they moved 6 times, 5 to a rented place then finally to a little apartment they bought. The day they moved in, they cried in each other’s arms. They just needed to be with each other. Love to him, was having someone to share life with. And he shared every moment with her.
There were very difficult economic times, but they never once fought over money. He was a good man - non-smoker, non-drinker, non-gambler and non-womanizer. He did not spend for himself, marked by the same old closet since marriage. But he would buy her the clothes she liked and saved all the best fruits for her. Every little surprise warmed her heart because everything she wanted but never asked for he knew and would get for her.
Then one day, her body check revealed a stomach tumor. The doctor dismissed it as minor, but he insisted she see a specialist just to be sure. She obliged.
When the news came, “It might be cancer.”, she almost fainted, mind blank and all she could do was fall into his arms with tears welling up. She did not want to lose him. And he could not imagine losing her.
“It will be okay. You will be fine. We will get through this. Believe in yourself. Believe me.”
Before the operation, he silently packed her belongings. He did not let her see his tears but he could not stop his hands from trembling when he had to sign the consent papers in front of her. This was the man who would be calm and unfazed if the world collapsed. There was nothing she could do. Her hand borrowed his tears softly, kissed it as if for the last time and said,
“Wait for me.”
And he did. He was there when everyone had left, he was the first person she saw when she woke. His hand tightly intertwined with hers saying he was always there. Worn down with deep dark circles, he was beaming with a smile.
“It’s over. The results are in. It is benign.” He cried. She cried. There were tears of endless joy.
She took a good look at him. It has been so long. “You lost weight.”
She pulled him close, drew in the familiar musky whiff and they kissed.
After discharge, they went home to a strange place. He had sold their home to raise the money in case another operation is needed. By day, he took extended leave to accompany her to the hospital everyday. By night, he had to take care of the kids and work with the realtor on the house sale. It wore him out but he did it all while carrying a smile to care for her. He smiled so that she would not worry. That is how he loved her. Silently, unconditionally and beyond limits.
Just then she leant over and tenderly stroked his forehead. Brushing his hair back and away from his eyes. She cupped his face with her hands, looked deep into his eyes and asked, “Do you know why I married you?”
“There is a man who knows how to love a woman. He makes her feel like the most special woman in the world every single day.” She drew him closer.
“Because you have given me what no other man can give. And….” Her lips breathing into his.
“I love...” He silenced her with a kiss.
After discharge, they went home to a strange place. He had sold their home to raise the money in case another operation is needed. By day, he took extended leave to accompany her to the hospital everyday. By night, he had to take care of the kids and work with the realtor on the house sale. It wore him out but he did it all while carrying a smile to care for her. He smiled so that she would not worry. That is how he loved her. Silently, unconditionally and beyond limits.
Just then she leant over and tenderly stroked his forehead. Brushing his hair back and away from his eyes. She cupped his face with her hands, looked deep into his eyes and asked, “Do you know why I married you?”
“There is a man who knows how to love a woman. He makes her feel like the most special woman in the world every single day.” She drew him closer.
“Because you have given me what no other man can give. And….” Her lips breathing into his.
“I love...” He silenced her with a kiss.
No comments:
Post a Comment