What was it that had made him fall in love with her, he thought, as he stole a glance at a shooting sta. Beautiful, he spoke softly, looking at the night sky; the moon, bright as ever, adorned by its five pointed friends....the stars. "You love it out here, don't you?" He said, turning his side slightly to the right, towards her. This was indeed their favorite spot, high up on the top of the Richmore Hills, a spot where the best of both sides - the known land beneath them and the mysterious universe above them - sprawled as far as the human eye could see. Both separated by a million miles, yet equally fascinating. And that is what he loved about the spot.
"Where did we meet on our first date?" He asked sheepishly, but suddenly, he exclaimed, "Why yes, I do remember, the Cafe Capital." He looked embarrassed, for having forgotten such an important detail. Twenty five years was not an excuse.
He often wondered how they managed to stay together for such a long time, through their fights, the anger, their family troubles. A rollercoaster life, sure, but a rollercoaster worth the trouble, he thought.
He faced towards his right, and smiled...shyly; 25 years and he still couldn't hide it. Every time he looked at her beautiful face, oh, she was truly, as he once described her, a piece of art by god himself. Those bright blue eyes is what struck you at first, but her amazing dark brown tresses and her big wide smile, yes, her smile; that was what had done it for him. "You still look the same honey... as happy and beautiful as you were the first time I saw you." He said and then quickly turned the other way as his face turned red.
Their marriage was no smooth affair. Initially her parents refused to let her marry a man still searching for a job at the age of 25, but 5 whole years of hard work and luck, he could finally "afford" their daughter, as he had heard them say. They wanted a rich man, someone who would take them to the States or Dubai probably, and then leave them alone. But not her, she was ready to marry the jobless man 5 years back too. "Your parents sure made it a grand affair, didn't they? And they didn't leave a stone unturned, seeing as mine were the ones paying for everything!" He laughed as he gave her a teasing look.
And it was to be the States, most comfortable to her parents and the last they had seen of her parents was 5 years post marriage. And they hadn't even said goodbye the last time. If only they had. A tear rolled down his cheek, as he fought through the stream of tears with a smile.
"You remember the time when your doctor thought we were brother and sister?" He laughed again. It was indeed stupid, for seeing as how deeply they were in love with each other; it was stupid to assume such a thing. You could see it... feel it, their love. It radiated happiness.
Life was very kind to them until last year when she was shot in a robbery gone wrong at their home. "You are a brave woman, my love...the bravest I've ever met. But everybody has to go someday, and I hope to see you up there. A painful week of struggle and fighting the inevitable later in the wee hours of morning, her heartbeats flattened out. He had her in his arms then, and he had felt the life just vanish from her body.
He began to cry, as one more shooting star appeared and then vanished.. He couldn't even make a wish. He fought back his tears and turned his head to face her, and her smile made everything alright. "Ah! Memories.." He exclaimed as he put the photograph back in his coat. It was midnight.
He remembered her last words "Love, is the most powerful weapon in this world. With the police protecting us, I have security, but with you, I feel safe. I love you"
And tonight he felt safe, as he smiled back at her through the clouds.
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