Together Forever

Waking up in my old, four poster bed, I sighed and rolled over onto my side. The bed was empty, much to my chagrin, but I shrugged, knowing that the girl I slept next to would have been downstairs. I sighed heavily as I sat up, my back popping and knees cracked as I stretched.

"Good morning, beautiful," I murmur, putting on a shirt that she'd gotten me and buttoning it on my broad chest. Still fits, I thought to myself, nodding and putting on my blue house slippers. After taking a once-over in the mirror, I nodded, combing my receding hair back into a fine toupee-like style.

I then made my way down the stairs, feeling younger and more rejuvenated than I had in years. The steps creaked, just like my aching legs, but everything seemed to get lighter once I smelled the familiar scent of vanilla perfume wafting its way from the front dining room.

I rolled my shoulders back, letting out a satisfied noise as they popped. I shuffled through the lightened halls, humming under my breath and glancing up to adjust my glasses.

I smiled as I walked into the quiet dining room, looking up at the beautiful girl in front of me: Janis Amanda Moss. She looked up at me as well, standing from the table and moving to my side.

"Do you want help with dinner?" she asked, taking my hand as we walked towards the stove and cupboards. I grinned widely, feeling the trickle of red that wound its way up my throat. "No, I'm alright. You go sit and relax."

Janis nodded, moving back to the table and sitting with a simple elegance only she could muster. I took the moment to truly appreciate the amazing girlfriend that I'd been blessed with. I'd only been with her for a while, but it felt as though I'd been with her all my life.

Janis had dark hair, with curls so natural that someone would think they were artificial. Her face was angled and her cheekbones high, holding captivating hazel eyes that changed from brown to green in the right sunlight. Her lashes were long and her lips a subtle pink. She also was absolutely covered in freckles, but they made her even more stunning in my eyes.

I sighed happily, pulling out an old recipe book and opening to a tab for chocolate chip pancakes. "How about Breakfast-For-Dinner?" I asked, looking at Janis over my shoulder.

My heart softened at her smile, watching as it seemed to light up the room around me.

I moved to the pantry, taking out the ingredients and moving back to the stove. I had the flour, the eggs, the chocolate, the pans, everything I could really need to make my famous pancakes.

"Zach?" Janis asked softly, her voice ringing like an angel's.

"Yes?" I reply, sliding my voice up in a playful response.

"Thank you for making me breakfast," she whispered, to which I, of course, responded with a grin.

"Of course, Janis. I'll always make you breakfast."

I turned on the stove, turning and measuring out every individual ingredient. The sun rose through the windows, coating the kitchen in a blissful warmth. I wiped my forehead with a cloth, then running a hand through my dark hair.

I didn't understand how or why Janis would want to be with me, but one look at the ring on my finger showed just how much she truly cared about me.

I was boring - not at all like her. I liked old books, playing Solitaire, and cooking. I had flat, brown hair, stubble, and green eyes that had to be covered by glasses, or else I'd stumble into the stove.

That's definitely not happened before.

Definitely....

Anyways, as I continued to make the breakfast, I took out a measuring cup full of chocolate chips. "How chocolatey do you want your pancakes to be?" I call to Janis, chuckling at her reply of: "As chocolatey as possible!"

It seemed to take an eternity as I made the fresh pancakes for Janis, my own hands growing shakier and my breathing growing heavier as I flipped and flipped. The pancake routine seemed to grow endlessly, as though I'd done it a million times over, the spatula seeming to become weightless in my hand.

I obliged to her request of infinite chocolatiness, pouring the chocolate chips onto the pan and flipping the pancakes. After just a few minutes, I stacked the pancakes five-high onto a plate, drowning the sweet breakfast in syrup and powdered sugar.

I scoop the plate up like a fancy waiter and put it in front of Janis, smiling as she began to eat.

"Are they good?" I whisper, leaning down as she ate.

"They're amazing, Zach. Thank you again."

"Of course," I murmur, pressing a kiss to her cheek and grabbing my own stack of pancakes. I sat beside her, holding her hand in my left hand and eating in the other. After a few minutes, the sun was covered by the clouds, and Janis looked up at me.

"Zach," she mumbled, pulling my attention to her. "You love me, right?"

"More than you could ever imagine, Janis," I reply, smiling up at her - but pausing when I registered the look of seriousness on her face.

"If you love me, then you have to let me go."

"But..." I start, looking down at our hands. "It's too hard."

"It's not forever goodbye," she promised, letting go of my hand. "Just for a little while."

I nod, pressing a kiss to her forehead and closing my eyes. When I opened them, all I saw was the space around me, a half-eaten plate of pancakes in front of me and an empty plate beside me. I sigh, feeling tears trickle down my cheeks as I felt the familiar weight of a hand on my shoulder - but crying harder when I didn't see anyone there.

"I don't want to let you go," I murmur, running a hand through my hair and looking at my reflection in the window - old and gray. "Why do I have to let you go?"

I look down at the wedding band on my wrinkly finger, pressing a kiss to it.

"Only a little while longer, Janis," I promise. "Then I can finally embrace you again."