CHAPTER # 41
(Stella and Xavier in their old age)
" Take rest, Dada.'' said Stacy. Then her kids and my grand kids kissed my forehead, one by one.
I was in my hospital bed. No matter how much normal my kids tried to act. I knew it was time for me to leave this world.
I could see through the window in my room that Xander and Xion were trying to control their tears while hugging their mother. They won't tell me that the doctor had informed them about my inevitable death.
My sons loved me? Why didn't they showed it in my life?
Just then my beautiful baby girl walked in the room. Thank God, She was here. I was waiting for her. It had been 5 minutes since she left me alone.
I called her," My baby girl.''
She giggled and slowly walked towards me.
Standing near my bed she said," Scoot over.''
Then I moved my old body a little with her help. Making enough space for herself she lied on the bed facing me. We were staring at each other.
Cupping my cheek she kissed my forehead and then my lips. I hugged her close to me by wrapping my arms around her waist while she snuggled her head in my neck.
She slipped her hand inside my shirt and rested it over my heart feeling my heartbeat under her palm. The doctors must have had told her about my condition that was why she needed to assure herself of my condition that I was alive, lying beside her on the hospital bed.
I knew that I was living the last moments of my life and I wanted to spend my last moments with her.
I wanted to die in her arms.
She is the biggest happiness of my life.
She loved me all my life more than anyone in the world.
She gifted me three kids compromising her health.
She gave me so much and just asked for my love in return.
I had a huge family. There was a time in my life when I was alone as I lost my parents and I used to think that who would love me now?
But she came in my life bringing a tsunami of love along with her. Her love was as much intense as a tsunami, leaving me with no other option than to be drowned in her love. I had 3 kids, 2 daughters-in-law, 1 stupid son-in-law, 9 grand kids. All because of the woman in my arms right then.
I kissed her head and said," I love you so much, baby girl. My beautiful wife.''
She laughed a bit and said," I am old now, Xavi, a grand mother to our nine grand kids.''
" You are the most beautiful grandma in the world and the really old grandpa of your grand kids loves you so much.'' I said rubbing my nose against hers and then kissed her.
" My pervert old man.'' she said and giggled.
" My beautiful baby girl.'' I said laughing at her frowning face.
Hugging me close, she kissed my nose and said," I love you too.''
" Everyone left, right?'' I asked smirking at her.
" Yeah, Xander, Xion and Stacy were insisting on staying at the hospital but I ordered them to leave as now they have their own families to take care of, they have to look after them too.'' she said.
" Good, you did very good. Now I can have you all to myself and no one will disturb us.'' I said hugging her close.
" My cute old man.'' kiss " My cute husband.'' Saying that she kissed me twice on my lips.
I groaned," Come on! I am a hot and sexy old man.''
" Yeah! Eric said that he has the most good looking and young grand parents in the world.'' she said and laughed remembering our six year old grand son.
" He is my cute panda, with his cute chubby cheeks.'' I said.
" You love your grand kids more than your own kids, why?'' she asked.
" Because my kids always pushed me away from you, wanting all your attention and my grand kids are taking my revenge now. I love their faces when my grand kids annoy them. It's just priceless.'' I said making both of us laugh.
Then I said looking into her eyes," So much time has passed.''
" Yeah! And so much happened in all this time.'' she said.
" Some of our friends also left us.'' I said remembering about what had happened to our friends in all these years.
" Lucas died of brain hemorrhage and then Amalia died after a month of his death due to heart attack. She loved him so much and missed him so much after his death.'' she said.
" Did you meet Roman?'' I asked.
" Yeah! He came to visit you but you were sleeping. Then he went to Sarah's room to take care of her. I went to meet her as well. Sarah didn't even remember me. Today, she failed to recognize her children. She only remembers Roman. True love indeed has deep roots in one's mind, heart and soul.'' she said.
" Amanda died by falling from the stairs, hitting her head hard on the floor. The next week Ace was found dead sitting near her grave with her favourite flowers in his hand. He had always been a serious looking man and kept his thoughts to himself. He didn't ever show it to anyone that he was in so much pain after her death.'' I said.
" How are you feeling now?'' she asked looking up at me while cupping my cheek.
" I am fine, NOW.'' I said
Then I hugged her close to me while she again slipped her hand inside my shirt and kept it over my heart. I looked at her face and stared into those eyes which had always been filled with love for me just like how they were gazing at me with so much love for me in them, right then. I closed my eyes to sleep and I felt her snuggling close to me.
I was happy.
I lived a complete life with the love of my life.
I was going to die happy as the last thing I saw before my life ended was the beautiful face of my wife with her eyes filled with immense amount of love for me.
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I woke up by the soft touch of my wife's fingers on my face. She would always do it. Whenever she would wake up before me she would brush her fingers on my face until I would open my eyes, then she would smile at me to greet me a good morning along with a passionate good morning kiss.
I opened my eyes to see the beautiful and young face of my wife.
Wait! Young!
When did she got young? How?
I touched her face to know that if I was seeing a dream when I found my hand wrinkle free. I looked at both of my hands to find them without any wrinkles, just the way they were when I was young.
I asked my baby girl who was smiling at me," What happened? How did we got young?''
Then I looked at my surroundings to see we were sitting in a beautiful garden. I had never seen such a beautiful place before in my life. Then I looked at Stella and asked realizing the reality,
" We are dead?''
She cupped my cheek and said," Xavi, we are in a place where we truly belong, where all of us have to return to, on one particular day.''
Holding her hand that was cupping my cheek I asked," How are you here with me?''
Just then a cloud came from no where to our side, to answer my question. It was showing me a film of what happened.
I saw myself sleeping with my love, my wife in my arms. Our eyes were closed and we were smiling feeling peace in each other's embrace. Just then my heart monitor started beeping showing a straight line.
The beep of the heart monitor woke up Stella as she immediately opened her eyes. She looked down at her hand that was inside my shirt over my chest, her hand could no longer feel my heart beat.
She looked up at my face and smiled. She kissed my lips, closing her eyes as a tear slipped down her cheek. Pulling away she caressed my face when another tear made its way down her other cheek. She hugged me tight closing her eyes again.
After a while some doctors came into the room. They gathered around our bed and called her,
" Mam, could you please take a side? We have to check on him.''
When she didn't move, they looked at each other and tried again,
" Mam! Mam! Mam!''
Then one of them stepped forward and checked her pulse.
Looking at his fellows he shook his head and said,
" She is no more.''
I gasped in shock. Just then the cloud disappeared.
I looked at her to find her already looking at me with a smile on her face.
Holding my hands she said," I told you before, we are stuck together forever.''
Immediately, I hugged her close and kissed her.
Pulling away we both smiled looking into each other's eyes.
I smirked," Now I can have you all to myself. Your kids are not here to take you away from me. Ah! Finally we are alone.''
She giggled and got up to run away from me. I chased her, laughing with her while she was looking behind her at me and then running away giggling at the sight of her husband chasing after her.
I saw angels who were smiling while looking at us.
I guess they saw our love story from the heavens, as I could see recognition and appreciation for our love in their smiling faces.
Finally I caught her in my arms and twirled her around. Our laughter was all that the angels could hear in heaven.
Then I landed on the ground on my butt while she landed on my lap.
When our laughter stopped I leaned closer to her to kiss her but our moment was interrupted by someone clearing his throat and then I heard a deep voice coming from behind me, " Young man!''
I scoffed at that and still looking at my wife replied,
" Huh! I am a grandpa of my nine grand kids.''
But just then Stella looked at him behind me and jumped excitedly," Dad! Mom!''
I got up immediately and turned around to see Stella hugging her parents. Her father looked at me after hugging his daughter and raising a brow said," I am the great grandpa of your nine grand kids.''
I smiled nervously.
Snap out of it, Xavier! Why are you nervous?
It's not like you are going to ask for her hand in marriage.
Stella is your wife.
Your children's mother.
And grandma of your grand kids.
Then I straightened my back and again looked at them to find them talking, hugging and kissing their daughter on her cheeks who was jumping in excitement like a kid.
My baby girl looked so sweet and adorable, so much beautiful.
I then looked at her parents. Her father was tall and muscular. He was handsome. Her mother was also very beautiful. They complimented each other so well. No doubt my baby girl got her beautiful features from her beautiful parents.
Just then I felt a hand on my shoulder,
" So your parents are not good looking?''
I turned around and saw my Dado.
I exclaimed in excitement," Dado! Moma!''
I hugged my Moma and then carrying her in my arms I twirled her around. Then I hugged Dado tight and lifted him up while he laughed slapping my back.
" Calm down, son.''
I hugged them both," I missed you so much, Dado, Moma.''
Then pulling away I turned around and holding Stella's hand, I pulled her forward to introduce her," Moma, Dado, meet my...''
Before I could introduce my wife, she was hugged by Moma and Dado.
Moma said," Thank you Stella.''
Then Moma held both of her hands and kissed them.
" Thank you for loving our son. We were so worried about him, when we saw him change into a cold and rude person after our death. But then you came into his life, you loved him so much. Your love changed him into a person we are proud of. Thank you so much, dear.'' Moma said and then kissed her forehead.
Stella blushed and said a shy " Thank you.'' while smiling at them.
I hugged her to my side and kissed her temple but she was pulled away from me by her father who hugged her to his other side, putting more distance between us.
Laughing loudly he said," Of course she is my wonderful princess. I am proud of you, my princess.'' then he kissed her head.
Soon Stella was surrounded by our parents.
What is this?
First our kids and now our parents?
Why they all want her attention, don't they know that she is mine, all mine. Only mine?
I can't share her and I won't share her...
When our parents got busy while talking among themselves.
Dado slapped her father's shoulder while laughing and then her father also hugged my Dado's shoulder laughing at something Dado said.
Our mothers were also talking animatedly with each other and giggling like teenage girls.
I guess they all were good friends.
When all of their attention got diverted away from Stella. I slowly walked towards her then holding her hand I whispered in her ear," Lets run away. Come with me.''
She turned and looked at me. Giggling she said," Lets go my Xavi.''
We ran away from our parents while holding hands with each other.
They called us," Hey! Where is he taking my princess?'' her father shouted.
" Xavier, give me back my daughter-in-law.'' said Dado.
" Xavier, take care of our princess." her mother shouted and then giggled.
" Xavier, my boy. Go have fun.'' shouted my mother.
" He already had enough fun with my daughter resulting in my three grand kids. Come back here, boy!'' shouted her father.
We turned around to look at them while running and saw my Dado hugging her father from behind preventing him from running after us, " Calm down, Buddy.'' said Dado.
Running behind a tree, we faced each other. Catching our breaths we looked into the eyes of one another.
Pulling her closer to me by wrapping my arms securely around her waist I kissed her. She kissed me back wrapping an arm around my neck and running the fingers of her other hand through my hair.
We expressed our immense and deep love through our kiss.
Life can come to an end.
In fact, Life had to come to its end
But
True Love is larger than life itself
Thus it can never end
This is
The end of my story
But not
TRUE LOVE
Because
It has a start not a
THE END
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THIS FINAL CHAPTER OF MY STORY IS DEDICATED TO
AND
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