Tiding over tough times

The next day, Alice compiled 30 years of their togetherness into an album and left for the hospital. Ron, too weak to even smile stared at the album with curiosity. “Go on, open it,” said Alice.

The first picture was of their wedding, both smiling, young, and shy. The next one was from their first holiday, locked in a tight embrace. The third showed a young father beaming at his newborn son. The rest of the album was a beautiful recreation of the journey they had cruised together in the last thirty years, a solemn reminder of all that they had been through, of all the storms they had managed to sail together.

Ron’s eyes welled up as he flipped through the album. Alice slowly took his hand in hers, and said, “We promised to stay together in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. We have fought many obstacles. We can fight this too.”

Ron whispered, “Yes we will, love.” For Alice, the hopeful smile on his face was everything she wanted to see.