Unspoken

She didn’t know what to say to him, at that moment she didn’t want to burden him with her feelings. She looked over to find him smiling with the same smile that got them through her cancer last year. She reached for his hand with just her fingers and he slowly grasped her hand and fit it perfectly between his. Without looking over to check on her he smiled a little more and put both their hands in his lap. She let a single tear fall down her cheek and at that moment he put his other hand on top of hers and turned to face her with eyes saying that everything will be alright. He took his free hand and curessed the side of her face as she lay her warm cheeks in his calaced palm and as she nuzzled into the warm embrace she couldn’t help but let a couple more tears fall. The man heard the army bus start to turn that corner to proceed that long driveway to their house and stood up straight. His smile hasn’t completely left him but you could tell her was focused. Slowly pulling away his hand from hers, and from her cheek, he stood up and grabbed his cane safely resting on the side of the bench they had been sitting on, The woman stood up to watch as her husband made his way down those steps from their porch they both walked up for the first time over 30 years ago and prayed that it wouldn’t be the last. He got on the bus without once looking back and she watched him through the bus window as he went to take his seat. She stood there, still, without a tear to show, she knew in that moment, that it was her time to be strong now.