The man and the woman had just gotten back from a funeral. One of their collegues from work had died. It was a very nice funeral, with flowers and eulogies from all of their friends. The man drove the woman home, beucase it was raining and although he would never admit it to her, he was worried she would get in an accident. He looked at her and all he could think was she's so beautiful. The woman looked at the man and all she could think was he will never love me like I do. The man walked to woman to the front door, and he couldnt help but think of himself as dropping off his date after a wonderful evenening out. The woman fumbled with her keys and dropped them on purpose so the man would stay a little longer. She invited him in for coffee, becuase he had driven all the way out to her house and deserved a little nourishment. The man accepted her offer. Inside they made small talk, remarking on the sadness of a life gone too soon. Neither of them knew the deseaced well, but they both had decided it would be polite to attend his funeral. Coffee finished, the man and the woman stood awkwardly in her kitchen, each trying to come up with excues to stay. The woman offered some wine, saying it was approriete after a death. Neither one admitted to the fact that the death in question affected them very little. Glasses in hand, the conversation grew bolder, the man and the woman starting to show their sardonic sides. They remarked on outfits and displays of greif from the funeral attenders. The woman threw out a casual remark about how the deceased had no spouse. The man replied that it was unfortunate. The woman, buzzed on red wine and high with the feelings it gave her, became brave. She wondered outloud what the man would say at her funeral. The man started to say that he would tell their friends about what a good worker she was, and how she cheered everyone in the office up and how she was a depedable collegue, but something stopped him. It may have been the wine, or it may have been the color of her eyes in the dimming light. Whatever it was melted his iniabitions, and he found himself speaking as he had done to no one before.

"At your funeral, this is what I would hope to say. That I loved you. I would speak about how beautiful you looked on our wedding day. I would tell everyone about how excited you were to meet our children, and that you were a fantastic mother. I would show them what an amazing person you are, beucase you are kind, and you like vanilla ice cream better than chocolate, and you once told me your life's dream was to go to Tibet. I love you, and that is what I would say at your funeral."

He paused, as much to gauge her reaction as to figure out what to say next. The woman was staring into her wine, swirling it with her finger. She took a deep breath and looked up at the man. The look on her face took the man's breath away. As she stepped closer to him, he had to keep reminding himself that she was real, that she wasnt a dream. And then her hand was on his waist, and she was pressing her lips to his. In the kiss, the man could taste red wine and joy. It was a long time before either of them spoke again. When they did it was in fragments, softly spoken murmers that blended in with the atmosphere of wine and mahogony counters and yellow light throwing circles on the wet lawn beneath the window. It was still raining. When the man and the woman pulled apart for the first time, her hair clip had somehow fallen out and her hair was down to her shoulders. The man ran his hand through it slowly, and the woman closed her eyes and smiled.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" She asked shyly. The man smiled at her expression and put his hand on her cheek.

"It would be my pleasure."

They kissed again after that. The man and the woman were married four months after that day. They lived together for exactly 56 years, 4 months, 2 and a half weeks, and 3 days. The man knows becuase he counted, every single day he woke up next to her beucase he could still hardly belive his luck. When she died, he went up at her funeral to deliver a eulogy. Surroned by his chidlren and grandchildren, the man said exactly what he had promised to his love all those years ago. He joined his wife in death three days later.