He can’t remember when he fell in love with her.
It could be the first time he saw her at the library, glaring at him when he loudly chuckled over the comic book he was reading.
She was largely hidden by a large pile of books, almost unnoticeable in the corner. But even his twelve-year-old mind trying get away from maths and science to spend on heroes and villains had to admit that he noticed her.
The coming years would prove that he would always notice her.
It could be that time she was sixteen and came crying to him about how the popular girls made fun of her wide nose and thick thighs.
At eighteen he already had the compassion to calm her down by pointing out her pretty eyes and infectious smile. He made sure that smile appeared again, and all the while silently vowing revenge on the girls who made her doubt her beauty.
It could be that day he saw her eyes narrow dangerously and her hands turned to fists as she tried to contain her anger when he turned up late for lunch, miserable after found out his fiancee was cheating on him.
He was 25 then. He was 30 when she confessed that she went to give his ex-fiancee a piece of her mind after their lunch.
He can’t remember when he fell in love with her.
He only knew that he did.
–
Don’t be late, please! Six months of preparation and it’ll be really annoying if you’re late, she said.
Of course, I won’t, he said, chuckling.
Christian looked at his watch as he got out of the cab. He’s late.
Careful not to wrinkle his suit, Christian adjusted his grip on the jewelled elephant lamp and thought back to two years ago when they first set foot on the island.
She had been suffering from a broken heart then, and he thought a week in a tropical island would do her well.
You spoil me, she said. His smile said yes of course, he is.
From his first heartbreak to his latest success, she had been by his side. She deserves to be spoiled.
She spent the first two days bawling over her lost love. He spent that week treating her the way the bastard should have.
On the fourth day she pointed out a lamp in one of the stores. It was exquisite — metal wirings shaped like an elephant and covered in jewels that glinted off the sun.
He offered to buy it for her. She refused.
It’s something you give a very special person on a day like no other, she said.
He did not argue.
“Christian! Where the hell have you been?!”
There she was. A goddess in white. Her hazel eyes sparkled with happiness even when her face was set in exasperated annoyance.
Looking at her, with her black hair in riotous curls down her back, he felt a tightening in his chest.
“Sorry, angel. Flight got delayed. I got you something.” He lifted the lamp out of the bag and handed it to her.
Dumbstruck, she lifted her hand and ran a finger down the elephant’s trunk. “I..but why…”
“When you saw this two years ago you said that something like this should be a gift for a very special person on a day like no other, remember?”
She nodded, her eyes swimming with unshed tears.
“No one more special than you, love. And the day you marry the love of your life is a day like no other.”
She took the lamp from his hands and placed it carefully on the table before moving to his arms. Her arms around his waist and her face burrowed at his neck was what the word home felt like to him.
He kissed the top of her head and stepped back.
“I’ll see you next week when you get back?”
“Of course.”
He can’t remember when he fell in love her.
Now, watching her smile and wave excitedly at him before reaching for the hand of her new husband, he wished so badly that he gave her a chance to know.
–
Photo by Andreas Rønningen on Unsplash
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