The Future

Charles Milburn III walked into a well lit hospital room with an ancient boombox on his shoulder. His wife, Fiona Simple Milburn, looked at him with wide eyes.

"What are you doing?" She asked him in a raspy voice. The voice sounded as sweet as ice cream to him. He could live and breathe on the sound of her voice. It didn't matter that her disease had changed it, had changed her.

"I brought you something." He set the boombox down on the plain wooden bedside table.

"What?" She croaked.

"A reminder." He said.

The Present

The newly minted Mr. and Mrs. Charles Milburn III stepped onto the dance floor for their first dance.

"You never told me what song you chose." Charles said as he stood poised to lead a waltz no matter what the music had in store.

"It's the perfect song. Trust me. Even if you don't love it now, you will someday.

Every Time

The music of Stubborn Love by the Lumineers played through the speakers. Fiona had loved this song for a long time. It filled her with joy every time she heard it.

At the second verse Charles whispered in Fiona's ear.

"I want to be with you forever." 

Fiona fought back tears. Then she questioned why she was holding them back. Now was the perfect time to cry. And cry she did. She cried until her vision blurred. She cried until her husband kissed her. She cried tears of happiness.