There He Was...

Lying on his nimbus air mattress bed with a weary look in his face yet still able to flash that amicable smile at me. I introduced myself.

"Ah, Cherry blossom" he said.

"Yup, that's me." I replied.

His face may be tired after a six hour long operation but his smile was the sweetest and the most sincere I have ever seen.

"How long have you been a nurse, Cherry darling?" he asked.

"Do you mind if I call you "darling?"

"No, no. Not at all." I told him. " I have been a nurse for more than a decade. Florence Nightingale would be so proud of me." I said.

"Ah, he called me "darling" that's just so sweet of him." I thought.

He's my ninety-two year old patient who have seen the world. The lines that were etched on his face marked a thin mask of love and contentment. He's a retired lawyer, a previous bank president, a loving husband, father and grandpa, and was married twice.

"My first marriage lasted for forty years. My first wife died of cancer. She was a special lady and my first love. My second wife was a famous actress and singer. I pursued her with much ardour. I felt happiness existed once more when I captured her heart. She gave me a reason to live again. We were married for twenty-seven years. Sadly, she died on Christmas Day." He said this with such a painful glow in his face, it made my heart melt.

"What's your secret for having such two successful marriages?" I asked.

At first he hesitated. Clearly choosing his words carefully.

"I think I am just blessed with such a capacity to love." He said.

"It was a rollercoaster ride but in the end, our love for each other triumphed." He added.

Looking at me intently, he said this thought provoking words, "I tell you this, Cherry darling: the most important thing in every relationship is not to let the sun go down with a wrath."

"It's absolutely true." I said to myself.

"Are you married Cherry?"

"Yes," I said.

"Children?"

"None as yet. My husband is in University at the moment you see." "Perhaps soon." I replied.

"Oh well, you're still young. You can still have as many children as you would like to have. Just enjoy your life, like I did mine."

"You're such a nice young lady and I'm proud to have known you even for such a short time."

He took my hand and gave it a kiss.

"It's my pleasure to have looked after you as well." I smiled coyly.