He held her head in his arms. She still had hair. All grey now. He recalled the first time he had seen 60 years before. She had been a beauty. Vivacious. The life of all parties.
Life had been good with her. The date they got married. Their first child. The baptism. Weddings they celebrated. They had been blessed with grandchildren.
A tear dropped to her face. With the little energy she had, she consoled him.”I need to go and rest. The pain is too much for me”. The dam opened. He wanted to have been the one to go first. That’s how it should be. He was the elder.
The doctors came to pry his hands. “We have to take her in.” She did not let go of his hands. She needed his strength in the transition. He stood up gingerly and held her as they wheeled her for surgery for the 3rd time.
As the door opened to the theatre, her hand slipped from his. She was gone! He knew! They did not. He felt a loneliness descending on his soul. The light went out.
He wailed. His children and in-laws surrounded him. “Papa, easy. She will be alright, the doctors will do their best!” He wailed again.
The doctors came out. “We lost her.” Bedlam. All crying now. He gathered strength. Went to look at her face. He felt her presence. “Come back for me, I can’t cope without you” he saw a tremor in her lids.
He joined her 3 days after. He truly could not cope. 55 years of marriage. She had been the only one all through. He had never strayed.
He was buried next to her. She had kept her word, like he had kept his. A love so true!
Words By Ademola H. Adigun
