He held her gently and looked into her eyes
She looked away and threw the dice
"Look, it's a four" she giggled
He looked at her and this time around he kissed her
She blushed and realized he wanted to talk
"What is it Luke? Are you alright?"
He looked stressed like he added another twenty years over night,
"I'm not going to be around for long" he said softly
"Are you leaving me?" The light drained from her eyes
"No, not that, you need to get a life" he said blatantly
Holding a hand to her mouth, she wept quietly
She sniffed in a few times and pulled her rebellious hair behind her ears
He loosened his hold of her, "Sarah, I'm an old man, I don't have your kind of strength"
She screamed as she cried, "But I love you, what is the matter with you?" For some seconds she held her breadth
"Who is she? Who the hell is she?" she asked quietly,
He looked at her in wild disbelief and grunted, "Oh Sarah"
"Is she older, with grey hair like you? Does her belly sag? Has she done surgery or something? Someone you met in your college back then? Or she sell books?..." Her list was endless. He watched her with interest, their relationship was unusually right. She was the daughter he never had, just that she came with a different tag "girlfriend". And their relationship had gone from one with mutual understanding to another with undeniable thirst for love. She was fragile to him, he was soothing to her! He'd taught her bit of things he'd gathered from his life experience and her youthful vibe and energy had pushed him beyond limit. They complimented each other in a crazy way. She would dance and drag him all the way, his weak thrusts she accepted gratefully. She was contented, didn't want more!
"Ok, it's Cancer" he cut her off. She twirled around,
"That's her name? Really lame! I can't believe this" she walked away from him and stopped abruptly.
"Cancer? Oh my God! You are sick?" She blurted out. She looked like she was going to faint.
He tried to calm her down as she went hysterical, she didn't wanna be alone and begged him not to die. She sprayed his hair with dye and cooked healthy meals, everything just to make him stay. He asked her to leave many times but she swore never to, at least not in his trying times.
Weeks went by and months followed swiftly. In his last days, she never left his sides. He looked healthier than her, she made jokes that made him choke with laughter. And finally, she resolved to silence. They communicated with their hearts and eyes. The nurses admired her courage and wanted to know more.
"Sarah, your father would be fine" One had said to her. She chuckled, her eyes never leaving him as she answered, "He's the boyfriend that never took me to the alter"
The nurse hurried away. After he passed on, her life took an uneventful turn.