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The Story:
Their dog, Knickers, happily slept between them on the park bench. Mary stroked her fur with the same gentleness that she had for 13 years, while Jim watched the water bounce over the rocks.
Their 50th wedding anniversary was celebrated that morning with many tears and memories. But it was evening, now. Evenings were when they took their peaceful walks together—almost every day for 50 years.
“I had fun today, my love,” she said with a smile that was failing at hiding a painful thought.
“Every day with you has been fun, my dear. Every day.”
She watched him as he watched the river. His face was wrinkled and his hair was gray, but she could still plainly see the young boy she married such a short time ago.
“When do you want to tell the children?”
“Let’s give them a few more days. Let them savor the joy they brought us today.”
He was always intelligent, but over the years she had watched him become a respected man whose lips dripped with wisdom. She trusted him, and she knew that he trusted her.
“Mary, I… I’m scared.”
Scared. That’s not something he would normally admit.
“Jim, you stop that right now. You know exactly where you’re going. You have nothing to…”
“I’m not scared of dying.”
She studied him, patiently awaiting his explanation. He escaped the trance that the river had pulled him into and looked into her eyes.
“I’m scared about forgetting you and feeling a hole inside of me. Feeling a chasm has opened that used to be filled and having no explanation as to why.”
Knickers got up, turned in a circle, and laid back down with her head on his leg.
She was scared, too. But he needed her to be confident. He had supported her and provided for her for a lifetime, and it was her turn to be brave for him, to convince him.
“You may forget me, but I won’t forget you. I’ll remember for the both of us. I promise, Jim.”
A tear rolled down her cheek. He smiled at her and nodded.
“You and this cute little dog you found. What do you want to name her?”
She hesitated.
“You pick a name, my love.”