The deck of cards was laying spread out on the table, each one signifying a symbol of the years that had passed since the two lovers had last seen each other. And totally it has been twenty long years since they had been forced apart by the rages and ravages of the war going on up north, and now, in the dimly lit bar, they somehow had finally found each other again. And continuously they revisited the bar to catch up on old time.
Jerry had been a soldier, fighting for his country in the battle up north, while Mary on the other hand had stayed behind. Each day in the first years of the battle her heart had always been heavy with worry and her eyes constantly searching the horizon for any sign of him, or anything that looked like his. For years, she had heard nothing, no news of his whereabouts or his fate. Not from returning soldiers, superiors, friends nor family. Until one day finally, when she had almost given up hope, she saw him nestled in one corner of the bar with a beer in his hands.
Now as they sat across from each other, they had already forgotten the cards between them on the table. It was as if time had finally stood still. She still recognized him with the deep blue of his eyes, the way his curly hair fell over his forehead, the coarse sound of his laughter and a new feature to his face, which was a big scar that left him speaking from one side of his mouth. Must be from the battle, but she didn't care to ask.
On the other hand, Jerry too, could not help but be awe struck by the beauty of this ravishing woman who had once been his everything. Although her hair now had a few streaks of gray sprouting out of it in scattered formations, her face still glowed with the fine lines of old age, and her free spirit still as strong as ever.
They conversed for long hours, with each word emanating from their mouths being sweet memories about their past, their dreams together and their hopes for the future. Yes they both fought to make it a reality but the universe always has other plans.
Gradually as the night began to wear on, it slowly dawned on them that they still had great love for each other. As good as it was Jerry wasn't married and Mary had lost her husband which she married after years of waiting and trying to be sure Jerry would come back. Their love hasn't gone sour, rather it has grown with each passing year .
Just then Jerry, slowly with his left hand, reaches for the deck of cards and pushes them out of the table. He tucked his hands in his pocket and pulled out a new set of cards and began to shuffle them, his fingers moving with the easy grace of a strong man who had done this many times before and had gotten accosted with it.
"You know why I still have these cards I just pushed away. Although they look worn out yet I chose to keep them? ", he asked
Mary shook her head.
"Because I never lost hope in us" he paused and looked at her deep in the eye. " When I got back I searched for you and found you. But you were already married. So I thought it was of no use letting you know I was back. I didn't want to spoil your marriage." He reclined on his chair. " So now I met you again I knew it was the universe somehow bringing you back to me".
" I'm sorry I lost mine. I just.. I didn't "
"It's fine. I totally understand". He said cutting her short. He shoved the cards faster this time.
"Do you still remember this game?" he asked, holding up the deck of cards to her.
She nodded, with a beautiful smile spreading across her fine lined face. "Of course,I do. A game we used to play all the time. And for the past few days we've been playing regularly"
"How about we play again," he said, his eyes showing excitement. "And this time, let us play for this to be forever. Let's spend the rest of our remaining years together. That's why I got a new card. So we can make this a new start, a new era and a new life for us. "
"Are you asking me to marry you?." Mary asked.
"Yes I am".
Without flinching she nodded. "Yes I will".
And with that they played the cards for the rest of the night, card after card, their laughter echoing and filling the bar. They played until they were the only ones left in the bar.
For the following years of their lives they both lived in contentment with each other. With their love becoming brand new each day and they gave birth to kids too. Truly they were meant for each other.
As for the cards it still clasped in their hands each night after dinner at the big table in their dining room. But this time they had more company to play the cards with and that's their children. The cards remained a symbol of the love and connection to last the family a lifetime.
And when they finally passed on, their kids continued the family tradition. Which was playing the cards together as a family.