"I now pronounce you husband and wife; you may now kiss the bride."

The tall, burly man delicately pulled his wife to him and kissed her. Those in attendance at the wedding clapped and cheered. The two of them, happily blushing, looked out toward their friends and family and smiled. Then they cut the wedding cake, signaling the beginning of the after-party. Music and conversations filled the air as people enjoyed themselves. It was a small but happy wedding; the lack of people didn't make the atmosphere feel any less lively.

Two hours into the party, the wife and husband happily danced together. They were a little tipsy from the cheap champagne they had been drinking throughout the party. At the end of their dance, the bride started pulling him away from the party; she had a finger over her mouth, signaling for him to be quiet. She snuck them out of the party and through the woods with the same happy expression. She was pulling this man who had not even a scent of hesitation following her. 

"We're almost there!" she loudly whispered, her voice filled with anticipation.

Not for a second did he even question where there was. As they reached the end of this small patch of woods, they found themselves on a dock sitting over a lake. The sun, which had just begun to set, was dazzling in the water. They kicked off their shoes with childlike delight and put their feet in the water. In this tranquil moment of them basking in the sun and sitting side by side, the husband turned toward his wife. He reached his hand into the water and splashed her. 

With a surprised giggle, she retaliated. This caught him off guard, and thus began a fight of splashing water. Laughter washed over them with every splash at each other. With a mischievous grin, his wife pounced playfully, pinning him on the dock. She gazed into his eyes and smiled, "I love you, Elijah."

A year had passed since that beautiful evening. Elijah entered the house and dropped his tool belt onto the floor next to the shoes. His wife looked up at him as he walked over to the couch, placing his head in his hands.

She stood up, walking over to him, "Rough day?" 

"You could say that," Elijah looked up at her, "I got laid off."

She sat down and rubbed her hand softly on his back. He sighed deeply, placing his head back into his hands.

"The company shut down," he muttered, rubbing his temples, "I'm sorry."

They both sat there for a moment. She stood up, kissed him on the cheek, and returned to her laptop. "It's okay, we'll figure it out, Eli," she said, typing something. Elijah moved up behind her, peering over her shoulder to see what she was doing. On her computer was a website explaining how to start a business, "I was thinking, why don't we start our own construction company together?"

Elijah looked her up and down, "Are you crazy? We can't afford that."

"We'll just take out a loan."

"Do you think we can manage?"

"If it's us."

"Okay, let's try it."

Another six months passed. Elijah walked into the house, hanging his tool belt on a nail next to the front door. His wife was sitting at the dining room table typing on her computer. 

"How was your day, Eli?"

"Good, had some happy clients today."

Elijah walked over, kissing his wife and pulling out a chair next to her. She continued to type on her computer as they continued their conversation. His leg bounced up and down, and he fidgeted with the ring on his finger. She turned towards him, and about to say something, he interjected with a hint of excitement, "So, I've got some news."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Oh?"

"The town over is asking us to open a location there!" Elijah blurted out.

She closed her computer slightly and pushed it a bit away from her. Elijah paced around, explaining what he meant. She sat there listening and giving a slight smile throughout. When he finished explaining, he sat back down, anxiously awaiting a response. 

"I don't think it's a good idea," she sighed, rubbing her neck slightly.

"What? Why?"

"That's a lot for us to do; we already have a lot on our plate."

"But this could be a game-changer for us!"

"I understand," she stopped momentarily before slightly turning away, "It's too much of a risk."

Elijah gave her a look up and down. His face was getting a slight red, and he began pacing again. "We need to take risks."

"Bu-." 

"Why are you so afraid to always take risks?" he interrupted.

A flush of redness rose on her face, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what I mean!"

She slammed the laptop shut, walking over to him. She stared daggers looking up at him. Elijah glared back at her but slightly moved back. 

"Is this the fight you want to pick, Eli?"

"You're the one who said we could handle it if it's us!"

"That's the point!" her voice rose, spreading throughout the dining room, "It's us! I don't want to lose us!"

Elijah breathed, "I need to go on a walk." He walked out of the house and slammed the door behind him. She sat on the couch, the red leaving her face and her eyes tearing up. Before she could start crying, Elijah walked back inside toward her. She stood, getting ready to defend her position again but was pulled into a hug. 

"I'm sorry." 

"Me too."

Another three months passed. The two of them were on a tour of a house. Elijah smiled while looking around, holding his wife's hand. She was smiling as well, keeping herself next to him. The house was gorgeous; its exterior was a charming blend of soft, earthy tones. Polished hardwood floors stretched throughout, reflecting the glow from outside the windows. As they explored, their eyes dazzled, seeing everything the house had to offer. 

Elijah turned toward her, "What do you think?"

"It's everything I was hoping for."

The tour finished, and the two agreed to make an offer. They walked out of the house and drove home for the night. As they were walking, Elijah suddenly put himself in front of her. She quirked her head slightly, giving him a look. 

"I think we should have children!" Elijah blurted out, his face turning a bright red.

After a moment of processing, her eyes grew; she jumped at him, pulling herself into a hug, "I've been waiting!"

They held each other, Elijah carrying her inside the house. 

Two more months have passed since then. Elijah was watching TV in their new home when she slammed open the door from the bathroom.

"I'm pregnant!" 

Elijah jumped off of the couch, running over to her. Gently he pulled her into a hug. They both cried in each other's arms before going to the hospital to get tests. When they got to the hospital Elijah happily sat in the room with her the entire time while the doctor explained things. During tests, he sat out in the waiting room, fidgeting with his hands. 

After two hours, Elijah started sweating and pacing around the room. Within minutes of doing this, the doctor came out, asking Elijah to return to the room. When he walked in, she was sitting on the bed, face red and tears streaming down her face. 

"What's the matter?"

"We're afraid your wife has cancer," the doctor explained. 

At that moment, time froze for Elijah; words were going in one ear and out the other. Tears also ran down his face when he softly put his arms around his wife.

"It'll be okay; we'll get through this," he said through tears, "It's us."

The doctor let them be as they cried, their tears seeming almost never-ending. Their shoulders shook with each heaving breath as if their sorrow was too much to bear. The doctor returned once the crying had stopped, explaining the entire situation. She described the treatment and the effects of it. The doctor sighed, "I'm afraid, however if you start treatments now, it could cause harm to the baby."

With no more tears to shed, they both listened, nodding. They held each other, and with every word out of the doctor's mouth, their hold got tighter. 

The doctor tightly squeezed her hand close, "Sadly, we've reached a critical stage, and based on our assessments, it appears you may only have a couple of months left."

The grip the two had on each other suddenly fell loose. Elijah sat in a chair beside the bed, holding his wife's hand. For them, the entire hospital fell silent for the duration they were there. The car ride on the way home was silent as well. When they got home, they lay down and burst into tears, holding each other close. 

The months following the diagnosis were rough for both of them. Her condition got worse soon after that night which led to hospitalization. Elijah worked overtime to pay the hospital bills while still trying to be by his wife's side as much as possible. By the third month, the doctors had determined there was little chance of her survival. Elijah stopped working but tried to stay strong for her. Both of their families and friends were in and out visiting her. 

"You're going to be okay, Eli," she whispered, her voice breaking. 

"I know," he squeezed her hand tightly, "I love you, Madeleine."