The six-hour surgery felt endless, but the doctors came out with good news: successful. When James awoke, I was there beside him. He smiled and joked through the lingering pain: “I dreamed you were making tea. I knew I couldn’t go anywhere because I hadn’t had that cup yet.”
Recovery was slow, but it brought us closer. Days were spent on the porch, sipping tea, watching the leaves fall, appreciating the simple moments that had become the heartbeat of our life together. James said one day, “Sarah, do you know why I love autumn?” I guessed, “Because it’s beautiful?” He shook his head: “Because it teaches that even if things fall apart, they can bloom again next season. Just like us—our love bloomed late, but it still bloomed in time.”
