• As I groan and lift my right foot cautiously, a loud pop comes from my left ankle, and I gasp as I feel the world slip out from under me; but before I reach the hardwood floor, I feel Sebastian's strong arms wrap around my waist and pull me into his warm embrace. For just a moment, I relax, breathing in his familiar scent - enjoying the feeling of having him hold me; but then, I realize what I'm doing and push myself away with what feeble strength I have left. But as I stand up once more, I know the only reason I do so is because of the support Sebastian lends me as I hold his hand in a reluctant grip. I hobble up the stairs, until finally, I reach the landing. "Curse this body; you'd never believe I was so graceful in my youth." I mutter, angrily clenching my fists.

    "Easy, sweetheart." Sebastian whispers as I sink into my chair, folding into a tiny ball of gray and pink fuzz before turning to the open window. "Do you feel better now?"

    "Don't treat me like I'm an old bag of bones, Bas. I'm as old as you - you don't have to look after me like I'm going to shatter into a million pieces if I so much as breathe." I almost snarl at the last bits as the nasty words roll of my tongue; I know it's mean, and I know he doesn't deserve it, but there's nothing else within reach to vent my anger onto. Nonetheless, he simply sighs and nods slightly before turning and leaving. I frown once I hear his footsteps retreat down the stairs and stare once more out the window; I can see our garden below, and the roses I planted so long ago, in full bloom. I can see Sarah's swing, twirling slightly in the summer breeze, and I think back to those beautiful days. When I was still quick enough to keep up with my husband, when I was still young enough to understand my children - when I didn't need help just to walk up a flight of stairs.

    A cold wind shrieks into the room, rousing me from my thoughts and sending a shiver down my spine; I slowly stand up and walk toward the window. It slides shut easily and I give it a small smile before walking out of the room and into the adjacent bathroom. I quickly turn the tap on and begin to fill the bath with hot water that fills the air with steam. As I begin to slowly pull my layers of clothing off, I hear the door slide open easily and hear two footsteps making their way toward me slowly. I don't look up as my husband helps me slide my sweater off, revealing a freckled chest and breasts that sag only slightly, but not to the point where you wouldn't notice. I feel his arms wraps around me, and feel his nose nestled beside my ear as I tangle my fingers into his hair. I hear him mutter something into my ear, but I can't quite make out what he's saying, so I turn in his arms and look up at him before asking him to say it again.

    He smiles as he does so, "You're still graceful to me; you're beautiful, and amazing, and still the wonderful girl I met in the woods that day..you're everything I've ever hoped I'd have, and you've given me more than I can ever repay. I love you, Ellie." He whispered, and before I can respond, he leans down and I feel his feather light lips against mine. I stand there for a moment, stunned, before leaning into the kiss and pulling him closer. I wrap one arm around his neck, and keep the other cupping his cheek. His hands are placed gently, one on the small of my back and the other resting against my cheek, holding me close.

    I'm breathless as Sebastian carries me toward the bathtub before turning the faucet off; he strips down before crawling in with me. He squeezes himself under me so that I'm laying just slightly on top of him and to the right; I feel his heartbeat as my head rests on his chest, and I can hear him humming a lullaby. "Bas?" I mumble, and he responds with a 'Hmmm?'.

    "I think it's almost time." I whisper, fear leaking into my voice despite my efforts to stop it.
    And for a few agonizingly quiet moments, we sit there in silence; but then, Sebastian leans down to kiss my forehead and wipes the wisps of white hair away from my cheeks. "For what, darling?" I can't seem to form the words to answer his question; I sit there, trying to string together a sentence - something, anything; but nothing comes. "Ellie?" Sebastian looks at me now, searching my face.

    "Tell me a story, Bas." I'm not sure where the words come from, but as soon as they're out in the open, I feel sudden relief.

    "Huh?"

    "Tell me a story, please?" I repeat the words; Sebastian shifts around so that we are sitting up now, his hands around me and holding mine as he lays his head in my hair.

    "Close your eyes, love. " I smile as I feel Sebastian creep into my mind; and then the world around me begins to fade as I am thrown into Sebastian's story. The last thing I see is our legs and hands in the bathwater, intertwined; I make sure to hold onto him as I lose consciousness, so that I don't float away. "Ellie..." Sebastian's fading voice echo in my mind as I drift away, and before I know it, I am gone.

    ----------------------------------------------Roseburg, Oregon, 1919---------------------------------------------

    "Eleanor, wake up." I open my eyes to find my older sister, Catherine, standing over me with annoyed look on her otherwise flawless face.

    "Wha-?" I mutter, sitting up on my elbows with a yawn.

    "Honestly Eleanor; close your mouth and get up. It's as if you've forgotten what today is," She looked at me expectantly and sighed, exasperated as I stared back blankly, "Father's coming home today, you dunce. He just phoned mother from the train station."