STORY 6 :
BEFORE THE SUN SETS
The park felt quieter than usual that afternoon wrapped in the soft hush of an approaching sunset.
Amelia sat on the old wooden bench by the lake her favorite place since childhood and the place where she had first met Ethan on a warm spring evening, years ago
She closed her eyes for a moment listening to the gentle rustle of leaves remembering how awkward they had both been back then shy smiles stolen glances words that never quite made it past trembling lips.
The soft sound of footsteps on gravel pulled her back Ethan appeared, a little breathless from running hair tousled by the breeze. He wore that familiar half grin that always seemed to say
“I’m late but you still love me right?”
“You waited” he teased sitting down beside her close enough that their shoulders brushed
Amelia tilted her head a playful spark in her eyes
“Of course. It wouldn’t feel right to watch the sunset without you”
“I was worried you might get tired of waiting for me one day” he admitted voice softer.
She turned to face him fully the sunlight painting golden highlights in her dark hair.
“Ethan, if I were going to get tired I’d have done it years ago”
He let out a small laugh but there was something deeper in his gaze a tenderness that always made her chest ache in the sweetest way.
Slowly, he reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“You still remember what you wore that first evening?” he asked
“My yellow dress” she whispered smiling “I thought you’d tease me about it.”
“Tease you?” He shook his head
“I couldn’t even speak properly remember? My heart was pounding so loud I was sure you could hear it”
She laughed a warm sound that seemed to blend with the gentle rustle of leaves. Then quieter she added
“My heart still does that… when I see you”
Ethan’s thumb brushed over the back of her hand “Good” he murmured
“Because mine does too”
The lake shimmered in front of them its surface catching the last streaks of sunlight.
A pair of swans drifted past moving so gracefully it felt like they belonged to another world.
Ethan squeezed her hand gently drawing her closer until her head rested against his shoulder.
“Do you remember what you said to me the second time we sat here?” he asked
“That I wanted to watch a thousand sunsets with you” she recalled her voice soft
. “And I promised I’d give you every single one” he finished pressing a light kiss to the top of her hair
Amelia looked up at him, her heart swelling.
“And you did” she whispered
“Even on the days when it rained. Even when we argued. You were still here”
“Always” he said
“And tomorrow and the day after that. You’ll probably get tired of me before I ever stop showing up”
She laughed then kissed him on his cheek as gentle as the evening breeze.
“You know what I realized?” Ethan said tracing circles on her wrist with his thumb
“Hmm?”
“It was never really the sunset I loved watching”
Amelia blinked “What do you mean?”
“It’s you” he said softly “It’s always been you. The way your eyes catch the light the way you fall quiet when the sun goes down. That’s what I come here to see”
Her breath caught in her chest. For a moment words wouldn’t come. She only tightened her grip on his hand afraid that if she let go he might disappear along with the fading day.
“I love you Ethan I love you so much” she finally managed voice trembling.
“And I love you too Amelia More than every sunset we’ve watched More than every one we’ll ever see”
They stayed there until the sky turned from gold to rose then to the softest violet.
Neither of them spoke because sometimes love didn’t need words just a hand to hold a heart to trust and the quiet promise that tomorrow they’d return to this very bench before the sun set again.
- And that would always be enough.