***10 Years Later***
Louis POV
I open my eyes to see Dani standing by on the balcony looking out to the water. She loved the smell of the ocean and she loved swimming but hated the salt water in her nose and mouth and how her hair would turn like straw. The kids loved it, they always wanted to go to the beach.
I watch as she turns to me and smiles. We are in Hawaii for a family trip and we have our own private beach. I can see the kids making sand castles from behind Dani. I stand up and walk over to her wrapping my arms around her fragile waist. Her hair has grown out she hasn't bothered dying it so it's a dirty blond colour. She has been cancer free for 3 years now but i can still see she worries about leaving them. It breaks my heart to think she could pass away. But three years has made that thought slip from my mind.
"Good morning beautiful." I say kissing her shoulder.
"Good morning Lou." She smiles back. Her teeth are perfectly straight from the braces she had as a teenager. We don't say anything, just enjoy the sound of the ocean and the kids talking. At this moment everything seems perfect. It's as if everything else doesn't matter. I have my wife in my arms, my two children running along the beach and the rest of the world seems miles away. This is the only moment I've ever wanted to stay in.
I take Danis hand and we walk to the beach. My white top hangs loosely around her. We walk up to the kids and look at their sandcastles. They both have shells and sticks and leaves around it trying to out do the others sand castle. I feel Danis hand slip from mine and I watch as she walks to the water. The top is pushing up against her body from the wind.
"Can we have French toast for breakfast?" Arthur asks.
"Sure, why don't you go inside and clean up and your mum and I will be in very shortly." I tell them and they both stand up and run over to the house. Arthur sprinting like he was doing a running race and Lorelei following behind him.
I jog over to Dani and look sideways at her. Her green eyes seem very focused on the ocean. Her hair falling in her face, yet she seems to not notice it. Her lips are softly pressed together. Her arms are around her torso. The sun light bounces off her skin and eyes perfectly. If I could paint I would want to capture this moment. I do the next best thing and take a photo of her. She looks down and then across at me and smiles.
"Everything okay?" I ask and she nods her head. She doesn't say anything but the slight relax of her shoulders makes him feel as if everything will be okay.
"I like it here." She tells me. "Maybe this is where my ashes can be spread." She says.
"What about your tree?" I ask taking her hand and we walk towards the house.
"We can plant the tree right over there by the house." She replies pointing to a clearing near the house.
"We wouldn't visit it often though." I tell her and she shrugs.
"That's probably true... And other people might try to cut me down." She replies and I kiss her forehead. We don't talk about this stuff often but when we do I don't try to really think about it. I can't picture a world where she isn't here.
We walk into the kitchen and I see the kids waiting for Dani to start cooking. Dani being a pastry chef has taken the role of cooking. Most times I offer to cook she tells me I'll burn the house down. Occasionally when she's tired or not feeling well I'll make food. Lorelei seems to enjoy cooking and sometimes helps Dani when she is making sweets. They all love when Dani makes her chocolate mousse and when they go out and have chocolate mousse try always tell her that hers are better. Hers are actually the best I've tried. She has filled up her cook book with recipes and I've given her a few more.
