The man looked over to his wife, who was sleeping restlessly. Her short gray
hair was matted to her face from the sweat her fever caused. He felt her hand,
which was freezing. He sighed. He couldnt believe this was the end. He
thought back over all that they had shared. When they'd met, he'd never
expected they'd get this far. She was an excitable teenager, he was in his
mid 20's. They met a few times before she actually spoke to him. She had been
loud, and rambunxious, and very persuading. They started a love affair. She
met him every now and again for some wild sex. He tried to avoid her after
awhile,hoping she didn't expect more. She kept showing up. He told her there
were other girls like her, and she could have cared less. He thought she had
forgotten him, when he heard she was singing in a group. A few years later,
they met again at a party. With her aging, she'd become prettier, and more
mature. When he asked her out, he knew she wouldn't resist. They dated for
awhile. She said she loved him, but he wasn't sure about his feelings for her.
Down the road, she broke her back, and he proposed to her then. He wasn't
sure if he couldn't live without her,but he was getting older, and felt the
need to settle. She agreed, and a year after her accident, when she could
walk again, they had a huge ceremony. She had quit her group, and became the
perfect house wife. While he went on tour, she stayed at home, keeping the
his fans at bay and helping keep track of the money. His career ended not far
after that, and he came home, depressed. She did everything in her power to
help him. That year, she gave him his first child. The baby girl they shared
made him happy for awhile. After that, she gave him 4 more children. All of
them but one had dark hair and eyes like their father, but their last child,
a boy, had lighter hair and green eyes, like his mother. She demanded they
name the boy after him, but she called him Junior. Even with the birth of his
children, he had been missing something. She had let him go off to try and
make a solo career for himself. She didn't yell when she found out about the
other women, the drugs, or the thousands he had wasted. Whenever he came home
with news like that, she'd say the same thing. "Darling, I dont care.Youre
human, we all make mistakes." Her eyes would cloud over, but she never showed
her hurt or anger to him. When he decided he needed to seperate from her and
the kids, she sat there patiently and listened. She made him leave before the
kids woke up in the morning .He later had asked Junior if her knew what had
really happened to Daddy for those 6 months. "I know, Dad. You left us. Mom
only cried about it when she thought we were asleep." He had cried then,
realizing he'd hurt his children. Junior had patted his back "Dad, none of us
are angry with you.If Mom was that understanding, to not hate you and leave
you,I dont think I could hate you either." He had come home 6 months later,
begging for forgiveness. She had of course taken him back. The kids grew up,
and moved away. He realized how quiet she had gotten. She never was loud and
rambunxious.But,by then, he wasnt very loud either. They were both old now,in
their 70's. One day, she was gone when he woke up. She came home later that
day, and talked to him softly. "Darling, I have cancer." He rememberd how calm
she was when she said it. "The doctor says I may not have long to live." He
hugged her, tightly. He heard her start to cry. He hadnt seen her cry in 30
years. She quickly stopped, though. "I don't want to tell the kids yet....."
she requested. He agreed. Weeks passed, before he finally got the courage to
ask her a few questions. He asked why she never got mad at him. "I love you.
I want you to do what makes you happy." she replied simply. He asked why,
when they had been young, she had never stopped pursuing him. "Cause I always
knew I'd love you. Always." she smiled at him. A week later, she was in the
hospital. They told the children, who were very upset. He went to the
hospital every day, before the doctor finally allowed her to return home.
"Darling, Dont let me die in a hospital. I want to die here, in our house.
There are enough happy memories here to keep me happy after I pass." she said
softly. He agreed, realizing that she didnt have much time. The weeks passed,
and her condition got worse and worse. She would often look at her photo
albums, and when she was finally bed ridden, she kept the one picture of him
and her when they first met by the bed. He wanted to say so many things to
her,but didnt know how. He realized shed given up her life to raise his
family. She could have performed again after her injury,but she knew he
wanted a family. He was sad she had given up so much, and he had taken so
much. He looked at her as her eyes opened.
"Darling, its time. I love you always." she smiled at him. He felt tears well
up in his eyes. I dont want you to go, he said to her. "Ah, it is my time.
Tell the children I love them." I have so much to say to you. "You dont have
to say anything" I do. Im sorry, I know I hurt you. Im sorry that you gave up
everything for me. "I'm not." she said simply. She smiled at him again. She
shut her eyes and breathed her last breathe. He took her hand and kissed it
softly. I love you sweetie,he said. He hoped shed be there waiting for him when
his time came, still in love with him. He wanted to repay the love she had given him.
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