Time and Love ( COLLAB WITH MAYA EMERSON)

Hello everybody. THIS IS MY FIRST COLLAB OB REEDSY AND I HAVE DONE WITH MAYA EMERSON. SHE IS A AMAZING WRITER SO AFTER READING THIS STORY RUSH TO HER TO READ JULIES POINT OF VIEW. HOPE YOU LIKE MY WORK.

Jay's perspective.

September 2, 1939

The war turned everybody's life upside down and it has devastated my life. I was forcefully recruited into the army without my or my family's consent. I am the only child to my widow mother and lost my father in World war 1. Life's been always hard on us, but still, we managed to put a smile on our faces.

The reason behind my laugh and happiness is Julie, my love, my breath, and my life. Standing on the station and bidding her farewell was the toughest decision I had to make. We promised each other that we will try our best to survive the war, but everything depends on fate and the leaders of the world.

Julies is serving the soldiers by working as a nurse who are assisting the nation. But it is a very false perspective, soldiers were not serving the nation, they were obeying the power-hungry leaders who only saw their own selfish needs rather than attending the public.

I had her hat and scarf with me as a token of love, the lavender scent was still lingering on the scarf which refreshed my memories. I am expecting a miracle from God to unite us. All I can do is await rather than taking action.

January 1, 1940

Luck's on my side today. I had the responsibility to take the genocide victims and wounded soldiers to the clinic. I am used to seeing the dead bodies, but the corpses of little children drive your breath and hope away. When I reached the clinic, to my surprise I found Julie. When I saw her, I froze, my eyes shot open in shock and my heartbeat skipped. She was wearing a pale uniform and had bandages in her hand. Her eyes sparkled with hope and her face looked dull like an autumn leaf. I couldn't control my urges and leap towards her, she is the only medicine I needed at this time. I took her in my arms and hugged her in a firm embrace. Her eyes were filled with valuable tears, and her lips continuously called my name. I brushed them gently and let my lips feel the softness and sweetness. I could not stop my tears. The patients, the clinic staff, the hospital members, and my cadets were clapping in unison around us, encouraging us for our love.

The whole day I followed her, walked behind her, kissed her, and did everything she was doing. I craved for every touch, every kiss, and every word.  

Her head is on my shoulder and my jacket is soaking in her scents. Her closed eyes show me a beautiful universe and the calm state fills my heart. I promise her that I will be by her side until death, in her sleep.

October 3, 1940

My cadet received orders to march down to Paris, for the free France movement tomorrow. Julie and I were sobbing, not knowing about the consequences. We again were promising to each other. The last few weeks were like heaven to us, the war did not stop, but our company healed each other. We did not fear the bombs, bullets, or the Nazis in each other's embrace. Every night we found solace in each other's eyes, and we hoped the war would have ended.

Today was her birthday, and I could only give her promises. I wasn't sure if I would even complete them. We were again holding each other's hand, sobbing and calming each other. I could not prepare anything special for her and that wounded me badly. Before the war, I had promised her happiness, luxury, children, a home to share and live in. But I failed to do anything.

I and my friends had saved our quota of bread. We glazed the bread with chocolate that all my mates had scrounged from many places in the last few hours. Placed the bread on top of each other, added a few crushed peanuts on it, and made a small cake kind of dessert for her.

 I and my mates rampaged the garden for the flowers and lilies which were behind our camp. We collected all of them and made a small bouquet.

When I placed the bouquet in her lap and offered my handmade cake, her eyes had precious tears. Which I wish I would never see again. At that moment I promised myself that no matter what, I would survive the war and come back to her. I know I will.

August 12, 1945

Do you know what is a soldier's biggest merit? His war wounds.

In these last four years, I have suffered injuries, hopeless moments, lost many of my mates, saw mutilated bodies, saw victims and survivors of genocide, saw orphaned children, and much more. This war showed me that what hell looks like, sometimes I think even hell may be far better than this.

I am lying in the hospital, a bit sedated with a healing bullet wound on my leg. Julie is in Amsterdam, probably waiting for me. Her letters have been the biggest treasure for me. I can trade my life for them. I am happy that I have fulfilled my promise, which I made to myself, and returned to the scent and each breath of Julie.

May 5, 1947

Today was the happiest day of my life. I found what life means to me. When I saw her walking down the aisle. Unconsciously tears rolled down my cheeks. She was looking like a fairy dressed in white, who will in moments wave her wand and create a heaven for me. I was dying for this day, and I vow to live by your side in sickness, happiness, and forever. I wish to write each moment, but I can't wait to see my bride with me alone.

April 3, 1948

The war terrified us in the future too. The boom of industrialization and the commercial crisis have taken a toll on the living condition. Due to financial conditions, we had to push our marriage for 2 years. The government did not help us a lot either, at least they provided us with land and gave us furnished homes. I drew my army service for two years to gather resources for our new life. But now they were on the brink of exhaustion. Julie is working as a governess for nearby homes, but even that money is very meager. The phase of unemployment has disturbed the youth and the people who served the war. We are all hanging by thread and have reached the dead end. Julie is thinking of auditioning for movies as a side actress or back dancer. She gave a few tryouts in the past month but was mostly rejected or kept on hold. The battle has ended but its consequences haven't ended for us.

September 9, 1948

The Lord showed his mercy upon us. Julie got selected for a forthcoming movie with a superstar. We did not assume that she would be selected as the lead protagonist, but fate overturned our lives in a day. They signed the contract for 5000 dollars. I am very proud of her achievement. I promise her that, I will stand with her in thick and thin, and always be supportive of her dreams. I know how talented she is, her work will be applauded and recognized for generations to come, I recently enrolled in a university to complete my education. I took a major in physics and literature. I want to make Julie proud. 

December 14, 1949

I attended the premiere night for Julie's movie. She costumed to her finest for the red carpet and was looking like a perfect maiden. Her acting in the movie is phenomenal, and she was loved by the audience. But there's an unfamiliar behavior of her which made me confused. She did not take me to the red carpet nor to the press conference. Her assistant advised me, to not reveal my relationship with her to anyone. But why is that necessary?

I am her husband who stood by her life and fought with death. Then why am I sidelined? I have many questions that can only be answered by her. I don't dare to ask her because I don't want to end up hurting her feelings.

I am stuck in my thoughts as a husband and as a person.

January 2, 1950

Camera flashes, fame, publicity, compliments, and money had blindfolded Julie about our love. The day before yesterday, Julie got invited to the New Year party of Superstar Mark. She got excited about it, and was very happy because her association with him could guide her to major films. I was happy for her but I was sad. Because Julie won't take me to the gathering. The last time I had asked her the reason ignorance towards me. She replied that she had to hide her identity as a married woman because producers want to cast a female who is young as well as single.

I understand her professional commitments but her work is taking a toll on our lives and our love. Yesterday I saw an article about her, the press is spreading the rumors of an affair between her and Mark. I know Julie, and I trust her, but this constant print media gamble rattles my sanity. Yesterday, because of the article we had a big fight in which I told her to leave. I spoke in a fit of anger, I did not mean it, but I think we both have hurt each other a lot.

February 11, 1950

Julie has understood my side, and as well she feels it's kind of injustice to me. So, yesterday she held a press conference to address our marriage to the media. This time she held my hands and proudly walked with me in front of the others. I felt as if we have won the war again, she explained our past, our love in tough times, and also mentioned her reason to hide me away from everyone. Some people questioned her harshly and some people got affected by our story. I saw the spark of our love in her eyes after a long time. We were proud that we worked for our marriage, as we had worked for our love.

We did not receive any reaction from Mark or the producers, but we do have found the lost love that was buried deep in these worldly pleasures.

January 1, 2001

I am 69 years of now. Saw the ups and downs of life, saw the war, the fame, the misery, the riches, and everything a human can imagine. It's the start of the fresh era, but our love still stands strong. I still love her cheeks and smile. Her eyes are now covered with rimmed rose-colored glasses, but the beauty has not faded out. I am recalling the past decade where we have existed. We saw the world change in front of our lives, but in the end, we felt that the only thing a human needs to survive is love. We have a handsome son, a beautiful home, some pets and each other to live this life with utmost happiness. In these past years, we have concluded that optimism is the only element that makes life successful, and if you have a friend and a lover by your side then I don’t think you will worry about heaven.

Julie has been the most prominent and the best part of my life. I cannot tell, how important she is for me, she is like an angel who just healed and taught me about the different aspects of living. She was my strength during the war, during the tough times. She did not let me down or let our love fall. I don’t think, I wouldn't have survived my life without her. I don’t want to sustain any life without her.

I want you with me in every breath and life of mine.

I am so lucky to be with you, and I have no regrets for choosing you.