Thirty

Annabeth took in a deep breath, her eyes narrowing happily, as the spicy-sweet scent of her husband filled her nose. She stood in the kitchen; hands poised over the cutting board as she prepared their dinner for the evening. After spending her entire life with him, she still found herself occasionally surprised that they did not succumb to the status like their peers around them. Sure, Annabeth and William often argued, but it always focused on small things, like where the remote was or what the thermostat should be set at. What holds true for them is that their love never faded, even after thirty years.

Firm arms wrapped around her as she sliced through the vegetables in front of her, causing her to sigh with content. Marriage to William really made her grateful for the little things, like his persistence, back when they were teens. Of course, that only helped to grow their love, but she did sometimes wonder what made him fall for her in the first place. Surrounded by the loving scent of her husband, she thought back to the first time she met him, thirty-two years ago, when she did not believe a word of what he said. Annabeth chuckled before turning to face her husband.

The years were kind to both of them, she thought, looking into his hazel eyes, her hand coming to rest on his chest. Sure, some pepper began to fill into his hair, and wrinkles began to form, but William still looked every bit as handsome as he did back then. With her free hand, she reached up to stroke his cheek, keeping her gaze steady before he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. Sharing at that moment for a little bit, she smiled into the kiss, enjoying the way they fit together like a puzzle piece. Oftentimes, people told them they were made for each other.

“Dinner smells wonderful, Darling,” He mumbled, his deep voice stroking across her ears. “No matter what you cook, none of it smells as good as you, my flower.”

“Oh, you,” Annabeth replied, half-heartedly slapping his chest. “Go wash your hands. It won’t be long now.”

Back when William was a teenager, Annabeth often doubted his sincerity, since there were so many people after his attention. He pulled his arms from her back before reaching up to cup her cheek. Those years were wild, like a hurricane tearing through the land. Despite her best efforts, Annabeth was unable to stop herself from becoming attracted to him. She watched as he walked away before turning back to her food preparation. Loving him turned her into a far more understanding and patient person. She put the finishing touches on her food before moving to set the table, a bright smile on her face. Now, they had the rest of their lives together.

***

William stared at his reflection in the mirror as he washed his hands, his mind on thirty-two years ago when he first met his wife. As soon as he set eyes on her, he walked straight up to her and told her they would be married one day. She slapped him right off the bat, he thought with a chuckle as he lifted his hands from the sink to the towel next to him to dry them. William made his way back into the kitchen, his eyes focused on his wife as she set the table. Thin long fingers with painted pink nails, wrists hidden by a shawl that Annabeth used for warmth.

Her beautiful red hair started to fade to gray, but she still looked every bit as beautiful as she did the very first day, he saw her. Back then, when he saw her, his heart almost gave out. As soon as her gorgeous brown eyes rose to meet his, he was done for. William approached again and wrapped his arms around her, loving the feel of her soft body against his. She smelt faintly of smoke, likely due to her preparing their meal in the kitchen. He looked over her shoulder to see a grilled chicken with pasta and creamy alfredo mixed with fresh vegetables.

“Thank you, Darling,” William pressed a kiss to her neck before taking a seat at the table. “Tomorrow, I will cook for you.”

She laughed merrily, remembering the last time he attempted to prepare her something to eat. Of course, their home went up in smoke, but that was years ago, and he practiced enough to be able to prepare simple meals. Instead of sitting across from each other, they always had a tendency to want to sit right next to each other at the table. Annabeth took her usual spot next to him before picking up her fork with a happy smile on her full lips. William often did his best to not stare at her, but as always, his eyes drifted to her small figure as she enjoyed her food. 

“Remember back when we were in high school, honey?” Her voice felt as coaxing as rain, making his heart pound in his chest. “Back when you kept trying to win me over, but I kept turning you down. I just randomly started thinking about that earlier.”

“You, too, huh?” William countered with a chuckle of his own. “I thought of that while I cleaned up for dinner. The day I told you we would be married one day, you slapped me.”

Annabeth’s shoulders shrugged as she turned her face from him, her bashfulness at her own actions that day cropping up. William did not mind it though, as it was the day he made his choice to win her over no matter what it took. He lifted his left arm and wrapped it around the back of her chair, placing his hand on her shoulder. Never once did he regret anything he did, even though the slap she gave him hurt. Reminded of that pain, his right hand reached up to stroke his cheek where the contact happened. All he can remember now is the excitement he felt back then, not the actual pain itself. 

“Even now, after all these years, I find something new to love about you every day,” He spoke with unrelenting love. “Which only makes me even happier than when you first agreed to date me, thirty-one years ago. I love you, Anna. More than you may ever know.”