One Last Time

By the Sea

It was a warm evening as the two elderly women slowly made their way across the sand, hand in hand. Both looked giddy with the sort of joy you saw on the faces of newlyweds despite the fact they moved slow and carefully and both had long gray hair tied loosely from their wrinkled faces. When they reached the water, the taller of the two, with a little difficulty, helped the other shuffle out of her shoes before gently kicking off her own. 

A week earlier had been their 51st anniversary. The pair had been best friends since they were toddlers, loved each other since 14 and married at 23. They were both getting on in years and had had quite a few health issues between the two of them over the last few years, Especially in the past couple of months. 

Tonight had a strange feel to it, Eren had gotten a sudden burst of energy that afternoon and decided to take her wife to the their favorite place. They hadn't been in so long, neither having the energy to make the small trip from their little seafront home to the actual beach. Tonight though, both women felt up to it.

The pair took a few steps into the surf, waves gently lapping around their ankles. Eren turned to Armi, placing one arm behind her back holding the other out to her just as she had for their first dance on their wedding night. Amri giggled softly and took her hand. Eren smiled wider than she had in a while and placed her other hand on Armi's waist as she placed hers on Eren's shoulder. They began to sway gently, slowly turning and stepping amongst the waves. They gazed into each other's eyes with tired but genuine smiles as the water gently tugged at their ankles. Even after all these years, Armi's eyes were still the most beautiful things Eren had ever seen. Beautiful ocean blue with that spark that had started a fire in Eren when they were young, a fire that had lasted her entire life. 

Armi leaned forward and rested against Eren's chest as they continued to sway and thought back on their life together. After they'd first gotten married they had gone off to see the world together. Traveled all over and seen everything there was to see, just like they'd dreamed about as children. After a few years of traveling, they settled down and found their little house on the seaside, a few years later they adopted their first child. She sighed happily, she had had a good life. She couldn't have asked for anything better, or to have shared it with anyone better. 

After a while, the sun disappeared from the sky and it began to get cold. The women ignored it and continued to sway.

Eventually, they made their way back to the shore and then up to their house. Eren brought a blanket over to where Armi sat on the couch, facing the window overlooking the sea. She gently draped it over both their shoulders as she sat down. She leaned heavily back against the cushions, out of breath suddenly. Armi looked at her, their eyes meet and they both knew what was happening. Both women were exhausted and not just because of their little adventure to the sea, Their bodies were old and tired. 

Eren shakily put her arm around Armi, lacing the fingers of her other hand with Armi's as she gently rested her head against the crook between Erens shoulder and neck and Eren rested her head against the top of hers. They sat wrapped in each other, watching the waves crash against the shore, feeling completely at home and happy as they both slowly drifted away.