The Waves... Took Her

We had a disagreement, you see

Yes, just like usual. She would push me away and wish to be left alone, if only for an instant,

to then come back in this embrace, as if she had realised how trivial the matter was. In such times she was so lovely to me

How I miss her.

Most often our fights happened at home. She would open up to me about some idea she had, and as we discussed it, she would get furious, and would storm off in another room.

I didn't worry. I knew her, and loved her as she was. I knew she would come to her senses. But in those moments of red anger, she was as pure as sunlight.

She was simply being her messy self.

On that day, she woke me up early.

She woke me up and asked me, in this dreamy voice, to marry her. I remember since it is my most cherished memory.

But also my most secret.

I took out two wooden rings, that I had carved from pine. She asked me, since when did I make the rings,

and I remember her silly face, as I told her I carved them the night of our first date, from this pine branch we used as a walking stick, on our hike together. How foolish was I

She looked closely at the rings, and told me how she was surprised I carved them out of pine. She said that out of all the woods, pine decays the fastest. I remember because I was surprised she would know about that.

She then laughed as I slid the ring around her finger, and hugged me for what seemed like both forever and an instant.

She wanted to go out and walk with me, to show the whole world our rings. It was going to storm later that day, but I didn't want to argue with her. I took her hand, and we walked outside.

She wanted to walk along the shore, to feel the breeze of the ocean. She leaned up to my ear, and whispered that she was so happy we didn't argue about the wedding.

She laughed and as I held her hand we walked along the shore. She had a spring in her step, and a rare smile, blessing strangers and seagulls alike. I had never seen her so joyful.

My eyes kept looking on the horizon, as the sun made way for grey clouds and winds. I told her, I said look, we gotta turn around, and go back home.

I remember at that moment she let go of my hand.

I told her about the storm, but as always she walked away. It seemed I had ruined our happy moment.

She was walking faster, glancing over to me, as I walked to catch up to her. I wasn't worried, since I knew she would soon enough come back to me. But the storm was closing in fast, and she didn't seem to notice.

As I got near she ran down, closer to the ocean, and she kept on walking along the shore, the waves now reaching higher than before. I couldn't tell if she was angry or sad, but by now rain had started.

I tried to talk to her, speak to her but the air was filled with the sounds of the wind and the rain. A nearby flagpole, it's metal parts clinging loudly in the gale was making a maddening sound, adding to the storm's symphony.

She finally turned around, soaked from head to toe, her long hair sticking to her face, and she screamed something. She looked like she finally, truly, opened her heart to me. I couldn't hear what she said, but I did read her lips.

In that moment it all made sense.

I took a step toward her, and an ear-shattering boom shocked the both of us, as thunder fell.

She looked at me, finally realising the danger, and started to run toward me.

I can't forget the look on her face, she was terrified. Not for her life, but for us.

A massive wave came to shore, she lost footing, and in a split second we locked eyes, as she got carried away in the ocean.

I never told anyone that on that day we got married. It's a secret I'll keep all my life. It didn't feel right. I kept the pine wedding ring, but no matter what, it ended up rotting away. She was right.

How I miss her.