Mission: Happiness

“Why do you always insist?” The old man said.

“GO AWAY. I don’t want to see you here.” He added.

“Whaat? Not again please love. Please don’t say that.” Her eyes were filled with tears.

The nurse had to get her out of his sight to control him.

“Please ma’am, I can understand your feeling, but I hope you understand. It’s for him.” The nurse said to the lady.

“I know how much you care about him. Please ma’am.” The nurse added.

The lady had to let herself out of the room after one last peek at her husband. She was controlling her tears this time. She stood still in the hallway.   

“What has life gifted us now? Every time, every fucking time.” She was mad at herself. She was mad at her luck.

Her tears portrayed her inner pain. Her life had felt all sorts of pain. And now, another one added up to push her back again.

Peter/Pete Livingston was a war veteran. He served his country in Vietnam. He has always been a jolly guy during his youth days. He devoted his life for his country for almost two decades. He devoted most of his time towards the country rather than to his family. He was happily married to Samantha for thirty-two years and life had gifted them three children, two beautiful daughters and one cheerful son. Everything was well balanced with his army life where he had to stay away from home most of the time. His wife took care of everything else.

Their children had all grown up and moved elsewhere. After his retirement from the service, the only remaining people in their pretty little house was the old couple. They always had something to talk about; they never ran out of topics. Some days, Pete would talk about his days in Vietnam, and other days he would listen to Sammy talk about how she lived without him and how she raised Helen, Trudy and Pete Jr.

After almost about three years, Pete started with acute amnesia where he started forgetting things. He was taken to the hospital numerous times and every bits of test were taken, and the doctor clarified that the memories could not be controlled. If it has disappeared, it could come back naturally or never come back at all.

The couple was shocked to hear about this. They couldn’t react properly. All her life, Sammy had to stay away from her husband and now when she had got him back, his memories had started to fade away.

Sammy consoled him all the way back home. She knew giving up was not an option. Though her hair was grey, and she was getting old, the moments she was creating with him were youthful. She realized her ultimate happiness began with him.

Time passed by, he lost most of his memories and didn’t even recognize his own wife. He would construct his own memories in his mind and believed in them. Sammy was trying to collect all the memories for him, but he wouldn’t believe her.

Their marriage became a virtual dream and had disappeared from his memory. The old couple could never receive back the happiness from their children as they left in their own path and all they had is each other. And now, Samantha was all alone this time. No one else in her life.

They went to the doctor again for the hundredth time. The doctor said that he was confabulating his own memories. This was called False Memory Syndrome where the patient believes in what he thinks his life was and no one else.

Pete was so sure about his false memories and his memories didn’t include his marriage, wife and the children. He couldn’t stay at home with his wife and preferred to stay at the medical centre as he could not cope up with the actual life that he didn’t believe in.

One day, he noticed the ring on his third finger and threw it away telling her that their marriage never happened. All she could do was control her tears. She picked up the ring and started wearing a locket with his ring attached to it.

Sammy always went to the medical centre just to take a glance at him from a distance even though he didn’t want to see her face. Sammy would try, approach him and show him pictures of their past every day. She would try to remind him of his good, old days. The pictures of the marriage also didn’t affect his belief. He would just call his wife a liar.

Sometimes, he would be too damn stubborn, and it would break her, but what else was left in her life, other than him. The numerous heartbreaks didn’t let her give up that easily. She had invested more than three decades of her life with him and she was not giving up.

She would try always, even though he didn’t want to see her. Some days, she would make him so mad that the nurse would have to let her out and some days he would listen to what she says and doesn’t react at all.

One day, she made a brisket which he adored a lot, and asked the nurse to give it to him fearing that he wouldn’t eat it if she gave it to him. Another day, Sammy showed him a video clip of the various memories that was captured in the video recorder.

Sometimes she would think about the happy old memories of when he would come back home for his break and they would spend a quality time and cry quietly.

There was no knock at the door. He just let himself in. Helen, Trudy and Pete Jr. greeted their dad by groping him from all angles. He fell down, all of them giggling at their silly tantrums. Sammy was watching them smile from a distance.

“Alright kids, can I atleast give your mum a hug now?” Pete said.

“Yay. No. Okay.” The kids responded like they are supposed to.

Pete got up and approached towards Sammy and gave her a kiss and told her how much he missed her and if he could stay with her and he didn’t have to go back, then he would do that.

Sammy was so happy to see him that day because they have been fighting all week. The distance would create misunderstandings and small fight would expand to larger fights. But Pete came back for a short period just to make her happy.

He wanted to sort out the fight with her and make everything normal. Although Pete was mostly away, he loved his family very much. He could do anything for Sammy.

Six years have already passed by and she struggled all these days, but she spent all these days with him. This was the only thing that was not letting her give up. Sammy would often think what her life would be without Pete. Although they shared a lot of pain together, but the happy moments were always there. Their children wouldn’t care much these days, but they shared quality time together and how happy the couple were when all three of them came to this world.

She went inside his room and he was just taking a nap. She watched his grey hair and his beard which she would always make fun of and he actually shaved it off for her. He had a moustache which had turned greyish in colour by now. The stocky body had turned pale in six years. But she fell for the same guy a long time ago. She could just forget all her pain and smile remembering about the very first time she met him.

“I wanted to borrow this book.” Pete asked Sammy.

Sammy worked as the library assistant during her early twenties. She used to sanction the issued book and follow up with them and see if the book has been returned and keep them in proper places.

“Of course, you can.” She said.

Pete was so attracted with her beauty, but he was too shy to ask her out. He would always visit the library in the alternate days just to see her and would borrow a random book just to hear her voice.

She had already noticed how Pete was reacting. She wouldn’t say anything to him. It was almost a month now and after borrowing a lot of books, Pete had a pile of book which needed to be returned.

One fine day, he took back all of the books to her and placed it just in front of her.

“Oh Gosh, you just borrowed them and didn’t care about returning them.” She said.

“Sorry, I know it’s a lot, but I have brought everything back.” Pete replied.

“You might have to pay some fine for most of the books as they have crossed the maximum amount of period they can be borrowed.” Sammy told him.

Pete was silent for a moment, unclear about what to say next. He just nodded.

“I can take care of the fines if you take me to dinner.” Sammy said it finally, all of a sudden.

Peter was again silent for a moment. He couldn’t believe what he heard; he could just smile.

“So Tttomorrow?” Pete couldn’t speak properly.

“Yes, I finish at 6 tomorrow. We can go together from here.” Sammy closed the deal finally.

They both smiled looking at each other. “Now, would you please help me to put these books back to their proper places?” Sammy asked him.

Pete could just follow her orders, as she had just asked him out on a date.

Sammy could just smile looking at him run around here and there putting books back to their spots.

The same guy, she married after dating him for two more years and gave birth to their first child after two years of marriage. The same shy guy, she fell for and could do anything for him.

It was their 40^th anniversary next week. Their love was so strong that her hope never died even in the worst situation of their life.

Sammy was just smiling remembering the good old memories that Pete woke up. He didn’t utter a word. He could just look at her.

He just took out his hand from the blanket and approached for the locket hanging around her neck and held the ring attached to it.

He felt that he should wear the ring back. He felt he recognized his wedding ring. Sammy was surprised to see him recognize the ring. But she detached the ring from the locket and gave it to him. He wore it back in its rightful place.

Sammy gave him some water to drink and went to see the doctor and tell him that he wore his ring back.

It was almost four decades with him. Small portion of happiness after six years of struggle made her so happy and gave her so much hope.

Pete was staring at the ring, just trying to figure out its significance maybe. He was confused and blank, but he knew that it meant something.

Maybe the old couple has some happiness left to live in their life. Hopefully, they will be happy someday and life would show pity on them.

After all, it was hope that would keep any relation alive. Once the hope dies, the whole relation collapses in no time.

She was hopeful. She was hopeful that there will be positive changes in their life.

Hope.

Love just needs some faith, miracles happen everywhere.