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"Come on, honey! Hurry up!" A woman, by the name of Colette, said as she went down the wooden staircase, a small basket in hand. She had a small smile across her face.
"I know, I know! I'm coming." A young man, by the name of Falco, spoke as he followed the smiling woman. "And you should take it easy. Don't walk too fast while going up or down the staircase! What if you slipped?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine! You really worry too much!" Colette said teasingly. Then, she turned and took a look at the person that was just following her. She gave him a playful look, while he on the other hand gave her a confused look, unsure what was going through his wife's head.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is something on my face?"
"Oh, it's nothing, dear! I was just thinking how when we first talked, you seemed, or should I say felt, you felt so cold. I wouldn't had thought you to be the type of person who would worry about another person this much. You can be such a worrywart, it's cute."
"Well, excuse ME for worrying about someone with past history of lacking self caution! I swear, sometimes I ask myself what would happen to you if I took my eyes off of you for five whole minut-" Before Falco could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a hug from the woman he was talking too just now.
"I know. You're just...that worried about me, right? But don't worry, I won't go anywhere. I, nor the baby, will be going anywhere." Colette said as he put her head on Falco's chest, feeling his heartbeat.
Falco, deep down, waned to believe that. He wanted to believe everything would be alright. But after what he saw ten years ago, after what he lost ten years ago, he could never be sure anymore. He could never be sure that everything will turn out fine. It made Falco very afraid that one day, just like what happened ten years ago, he'll be able to do nothing as the girl he loved gets taken away from him. He hasn't told Colette about his life before he came to this small town, but he knew she has assumed by this point that he had lost someone dear to him before he arrived here. He couldn't even bring himself to tell her about his powers, or about how his time is limited, and that in few years, he'll die. There were a time where Falco felt that he was just using Colette's love for him to get over his own pain and sadness, and it made him hate himself, but with time, he truly felt like he had fallen for her. She had brought light to his life, light he thought he had long lost.
Falco slowly hugged the woman that was already hugging him back, and said "Alright, I'll....try to not worry as much, as long as you promise me not to do something that someone who's pregnant wouldn't do. I know I may be asking for a lot, but just don't do anything reckless for the next few months."
"I promise, I promise! Now, let's go! Gordon park might be able to wait, but these sandwiches will get cold if we keep them in the basket like this without eating them." She said as he let of Falco and took a look at the basket she was holding.
"Good thing Gordon park is nearby, then." Falco softly spoke as he himself let go of Colette, took her hand, and slowly walked with her outside their small house in this small town. The sun shined down on both of them. Falco quickly took a glance at Colette's eyes as they were walking, her green eyes were shining under the sunlight.
Falco always felt that his wife, Colette, was reckless, ever since they first met. When most people in this town avoided him, she went up to him and started talking to him, as if it's nothing, when he for all she could had not known could had been a dangerous man. Her recklessness reminded him of someone, of a girl he had long lost. A girl he wished he could have held hands with like this. A girl that he's trying to keep out of his mind. A girl he wished he could forget, her memory being too painful on him.
It didn't take long for Falco and Colette to reach Gordon park and start their little picnic. They sat in the shade of few trees, protecting them from the sunlight. The sounds of little kids playing could be heard all around this park. Either kids who came here on their own, or came with their parents. This town was small, and didn't have much in it, but this park was a hit with the families that lived in it. It was a place where most people can come and relax, although Falco himself was never a big fan of it. The solo reason being is that this park was mostly visited by kids. Falco found it hard to be around them. They reminded him a lot of both himself, and other children that were once his friends, but he had long ago also lost them. A park full of kids playing reminds him of the childhood he, and his long gone friends, were robbed of.
Colette, seeing the sudden troubled look on Falco's face, started a conversation "Hey, Falco. When our daughter is born and grows older, do you think she'll like this park? I wonder if we'll be the type of parents that bring their children here all the time, like some people in this town."
"Huh? You're asking me? Well, I don't know. But I'd hope so, she'll be able to make many friends if she played often in this place." Falco answered, being a bit caught off guard by Colette's question.
"Yeah, you really could meet a lot of people in this place. I wonder if she'll meet her first love here? Haha, it'll be a miracle." Colette giggled as she spoke in a soft voice.
"Miracle? What do you mean?" Falco asked, feeling confused this time.
"Well, it's just that the world is so big, silly! I believe two people meeting, in this big world, and falling in love, to be a miracle. Just like with us! If you never came here, I'd never had met you, and the thought of that makes me sad."
"I never thought about it that way before..." Falco said, but more so to himself, and not so much to Colette. His face showed a hint of sadness, but he quickly forced a smile, as not to worry Colette.
"Anyways! Falco, dear, did you by chance think of the something I told you to give some more thought too the other day? "
"No, not yet. I'm sorry." Falco apologized, and then continued "But, are you sure you want to leave something like that all" which made Colette give a small smile.
"Yes, I'm sure! And don't worry about it! The baby is still months away, anyway, so we have time to think of something!"
Later that day, it was nighttime. The loving couple returned to their home, and were ready to call it a night. Colette was in the bedroom up on the second floor, getting ready to call it a day and go to sleep, while her husband, Falco, was out in the small garden they had behind their small house. It was dark, but the shining moon and stars lit the dark sky, even just a tiny bit. Falco looked at shiny things above him as he was in deep thoughts.
Falco was thinking to himself about what Colette had said earlier. He had always hated how he couldn't do anything. He had always hated how he could do nothing but watch from the sky as the girl he loved got taken away from him. The pain that came from losing her was too much. When she was gone, he knew that something slipped away from him, something Important, special, and very dear. He wasn't sure how to describe it when it happened, but deep down he knew that something that will never be replaced got taken away from him.
He had already lost his older brother before then, but then he lost both his parents, and her all at once. He was in so much pain, to the point he ran away and came all the way to this small town in the middle of nowhere. Hoping by doing this, he'll be leaving the pain all behind him. Hoping that somehow, he'll forget about everything that had happened to him before he came to this town, but he knew deep down all along that something like that wasn't possible, and yet he couldn't help but hope that somehow the pain will all go away like it was never there to being with. But Colette's words made him realize something. It made him think about how big this world that he lives in is, this world that is filled with people, this world that had been around for thousands of years, and so the fact that he, and the girl, the girl he tried to protect and failed, the girl the tried to forget for the past ten years, were even able to meet, and that he was able to fall in love with her, was nothing short of a miracle. It was truly a miracle. He doesn't have any proof of her now, the only proof that he has of her that she ever lived were his memories. But what will happens once he's gone? His memories would be no more.
He remembered a saying, a saying that says that once people die, they live on in their loved ones memories. But most who remembered and knew Gabi well are likely gone now. There is a chance he might be the last person alive that knew her well. Falco knew he'll live on in Colette's memories once he's gone, but what about Gabi? Who will remember her? Who will think about her? Falco suddenly found himself thinking about the girl he had been trying to keep out of his mind all these years, making his eyes watery. Almost if an old wound was suddenly opened by force.
The next thing, Falco found himself walking up onto the second floor, and towards the bedroom. Colette was in bed, she opened her eyes when Falco opened the door, but as the room was dark, she couldn't see his face that was very much so in pain.
"Falco? You sure took a lot of time checking on the garden. I almost got up and went out to check up on you." Colette said, teasingly.
"...Sorry." Falco said, trying to hide all the pain in his voice, and then continued "Hey, Colette? Remember that thing, the thing you asked me to think about?"
"Oh? Yes? Did you think of something?"
"Yes...Yes, about the name. I thought of a name. A name for our daughter." Falco spoke, which made Colette smile, but Falco couldn't see her smile, just as she couldn't see his pained face.
"You did? You really, truly, did?" Colette asked, almost in disbelief, as her husband for some reason, a reason that she never knew, seemed to distant himself away from anything that is related with kids, and naming a child being one of them. So becasue of that, she wanted him to try and at least come up with a name for their daughter. She knew forcing him to come up with a name would be harsh, so she at least wanted him to try and think of something, as she knew that whatever name comes from him, would be a name that would bring him closer with their child once she's born.
"Yes, I....Tell me, what do you....Think of the name Gabi?" Falco said, his voice shaking, even though he's trying to sound normal.
"Gabi? I quite like it! I'm down with naming our daughter that, if that's what you want! "
Hearing that, Falco couldn't stop himself from going towards his wife and embracing her, which took her by surprise.
"Falco? Are you okay?" She asked, feeling that something might be wrong.
"...Yes, yes I am. Thank you, for everything. You have truly brought more light to my life more then you'll ever know"
Falco was thankful, more so then he could express. Maybe for the first time, since ten years, his heart can start to heal, without shutting out the things that hurt it in the first place. He doesn't think his heart, or he, will ever be the same, but he now knows that he wants to be grateful. Grateful for the miracle that happened to him. Grateful for the miracle that allowed him to meet his first love all those years ago, and also knowing that a proof, a proof that she once lived, that she existed, will stay here, even after he's gone.