Red Lily-Her Only Wish

Walking down from an alley, Akinya mused.

"Where would you want to be if you could choose your desired destination? What would it be?"

A wry smile played on Kush's lips. "Hahaha! You want me to answer this?"

"Yes, of course. You may not, if you don't."

"That won't change anything. Um-how should I put this? See, if I even ask for something I wish to have today, it might be something I won't want tomorrow. Don't you think it's silly to choose just one? Why not go around, one...two...three...and so on, with what life is offering?"

She pondered the enigmatic depth of her husband's words, letting them linger in the air like unspoken truths.

"What if those, ones, twos, threes, and so on are without me?"

"Hahaha! My love, what if I ask you the same question?"

Akinya's laughter subsided as she locked her gaze with his, her eyes revealing a universe of emotions.

"I am in no place to answer this, am I?" Her voice was a whisper that held volumes.

"You are always there with me," he said, taking her hand, his smile bittersweet, laden with memories and longing.

"I wish," she paused, and then continued, "I had just one more day to start with you—a night more to stay with you, but..."

As the minutes ticked away, time seemed to be in a hurry, racing faster than day and night, fiercely.

"The sooner the sun escapes, my heart aches—another night without you, it bothers me."

"Akinya," he muttered, his voice trembling with the weight of his unspoken emotions.

"Hmm," was her simple reply from the other side, but her eyes said all that remained unsaid.

"We've been together for seventeen years, six months, and four days."

"I must have hoped for at least 50 years, but why did this have to happen?" She voiced the depths of her yearning.

"Aki, are you sure you would have died peacefully if we had completed 50 years together?"

She looked into his eyes, seeing the truth clearly but unable to fully accept it.

He continued,

"Aki, it's been a year now since your death. Anu and I are doing really well. Our daughter is so smart; she gets herself ready for school on her own. She wakes up early and does her chores, just like you. She did really well in her high school exams. You know, she arranged everything for your one-year death anniversary. She made your favorite dishes all by herself. Suddenly she's all grown up, Aki. In just a year, she has taken on her responsibilities, and she really hides her feelings well in front of me. She misses you and always prays to God that you'll come into her life as her daughter. Hahahaha! She's so much like you."

"Kush," her voice was sobby, and eyes were watery, making him feel a deep sense of sorrow. "I really miss you both. How can I leave at peace, Kush? This feels so unfair to our child. It's so hard to say goodbye."

He held her in his arms, comforting her as best as he could. "Aki, I am thankful to God that I had you in my life. You will always live in my heart, Aki; no one will ever take your place. I will cherish every memory that we have lived together. Anu and I will live well. Your daughter is really smart, and I'll take care of her. Besides, she has your blessings, so just be at peace, dear. Don't hurt yourself. Rest in peace, alright?"

"Grant me a wish, before I leave..."

He held her hands and nodded in agreement, ready to grant her final wish.

"Bring me my favorite red lilies on our every marriage anniversary. Will you?"

"Maybe I knew what you'd ask for, so I've bought one today." He reached into his back pocket and took out a small bouquet of red lilies.

"But I never wanted to give you these. When I first met you, you were holding these red lilies, and wearing a black dress that stunned my eyes. It felt weird why someone likes death flowers, and so every time, on our anniversary when I said I forgot to bring your favorite flowers, it was actually when I knowingly did not bring them for you. I—I did not want to give them to you. The thought of never seeing you again scared me every time. I thought I'd successfully keep you away from these death flowers, but maybe fate does not want us to be together, just like the drawn red lily."

"Akinya, it's said that if you see someone you may never meet again, they will bloom along your path."

"I wish—with all my heart, I wish they'd never bloom along my way."