The River

Eric feigned fear and pulled the duvet up to cover himself, "What's going on Mrs Wainwright?"

She grinned a filthy grin, "Defend yourself!"

"Oh no! You're going to ravish poor little me!"

Mavis carefully crawled onto the bed, after all, she wasn't as young as she used to be, "No one can save you, My Pretty."

She grabbed the corner of the duvet, "I think we'll be doing away with this," and pulled it completely off the bed in a single motion.

What followed was a gentle, slow enactment of physical love. With great care and affection, Eric and Mavis enjoyed each other's company in that most physical of ways.

Afterwards, as they lay together, Mavis in her usual place nestling against her husband, she whispered, "Forever."

And once again, Eric agreed, "Forever."

But it was not to be.

Not long after that, Eric started to feel increasingly unwell and was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of cancer. His decline from glowing health was both rapid and frightening.

++++++++++++++++++++

Eric came out of his reverie; He preferred not to think about that time any more. Instead, he looked at Mavis and was astonished to see that she looked exactly like she did when they had married. She was even wearing her wedding dress.

Mavis had been gazing out at the far river bank as she absently stroked her husband's thigh when she felt a change in the material of his trousers and turned to face him. Her mouth fell open in shock. He looked exactly as he had on their wedding day and was even wearing the same rented morning suit. She looked down at herself in her wedding gown and felt her eyes sting as tears formed.

"What does this mean?" she wondered.

"I don't know."

The current picked up speed and the little punt moved ever faster downstream. They watched as a small, rickety, wooden jetty hove into view. The boat veered slightly as the river's current increased in power. Just beyond the pier they could see the end of the river as it tumbled over the edge of a rocky waterfall. The roar of the water was deafening now and the foamy maelstrom caused a small rainbow to span the river as it tumbled over the cliff. The nearest end of the rainbow was on their side of the river, but the other could not be seen as it stretched out into the distance through the spray from the raging torrent. In a panic, Eric leaned out as they passed the jetty and managed to get a hand to a small rope that hung from the end. He pulled them in so that the boat was butted against a post and was protected from the buffeting water. There was a small sign affixed to the post which read, "Last Chance."

Mavis examined the jetty and could see that where it met the bank, a small cobbled path led away into the trees. She knew exactly where that path led.

++++++++++++++++++++

Mavis gazed sadly at her husband of fifty-two years where he slept fitfully in their marital bed. He was a pale shadow of his former self, no longer the hearty, older man he had been just a few short months ago. His bedside was filled with a cocktail of medicines and assorted drugs designed to stretch out his existence just that little bit longer.

But Mavis knew that they were now at the upper limit of their effectiveness. He was dying and all she could do was watch helplessly. His eyes fluttered open and he whispered something that she was unable to hear. Placing her ear next to his mouth she asked, "What did you say, Love?"

Weakly he repeated, "I... Love... You... Forever."

There was a rattle from his throat and he exhaled for the last time. His eyes closed and Mavis knew that he was gone.

With tears in her eyes, she took two or three of the bottles from the bedside that she knew contained the most powerful of his drugs. She removed her dressing gown and lay down next to Eric's body, snuggled into his side as she always had. And one by one, she began taking the pills. She began to feel dizzy and was soon unable to make her hands work properly. Her vision dimmed and she could feel rational thought slipping away.

Just before unconsciousness took her, Mavis murmured, "Forever."

Mavis woke up on a boat and looked around. She was sat in the love seat on a small punt and stood at the rear was Eric slowly working the boat along with a pole.

++++++++++++++++++++

Mavis looked at the cobbled path and then back at Eric. She reached out and took the rope from his hand.

Eric said, "Mavis, I have to travel on... You don't."

She replied, "I said forever, and I meant it."

Mavis let the rope slip from her fingers and once again the boat started following the water as it travelled toward the cascade. Faster and faster, the little craft moved. Within seconds they were within reach of the waterfall.

Eric and Mavis embraced tightly and she whispered, "Forever."

"Forever."

The mist surrounded them... Except it was not the mist. It was golden. It shimmered and danced. It filled their senses and lifted them gently from the boat which carried on its journey over the edge of the cliff and down to the darkest depths below.

Eric and Mavis, still wrapped in each others arms started to float up to the rainbow. As they intersected its path, they ceased moving upwards and gently floated along the surface of the coloured bridge.

Neither of them knew where it would lead them, but they did know that wherever their journey took them, they would be together.

Forever.