Arthur checked his watch. It was ten minutes past nine. Eleanor was usually on time. A tiny frown appeared on his face as he looked out across the shimmering bay. The morning sun was warm on his back, and the air smelled of salt and a little bit of coffee from the nearby kiosk. He sat on their favourite bench, the one with the carved initials: ‘A + E’. It was a silly thing they’d done fifty years ago, a few months after they were married, but he still smiled every time he saw it.

He remembered that day clearly. They’d been young and full of plans. He’d wanted to be a carpenter, she a librarian. Their dreams were simple, but they’d built a good life together, one day at a time. It hadn’t always been easy. There were arguments, sad moments, and times when money was tight. But they’d always had this bench, this place to come and watch the world go by, to talk, to be quiet, to hold hands. It was the place where they had decided to buy their first little house, and where they had decided to have children. It was where they’d sat, tearful, after their son had left for university. The bench held their history.

He adjusted his position, feeling the familiar creak of the old wood. Where was she? He was just about to stand up and walk back to the house when he saw her. She was walking quickly along the path, her silver hair catching the light. She was holding a paper bag and had a huge, apologetic smile on her face.

“I’m so sorry, Arthur,” she said, her voice a little breathless as she reached him. “I lost track of time.”

“It’s alright,” he said, his frown completely gone now. He patted the space next to him and she sat down.

“I had to go to the new bakery,” she explained, holding up the paper bag. “I heard they make the best shortbread in town, and I know how much you love it.”

Arthur’s heart swelled with a feeling so strong it almost hurt. It wasn’t the biscuits. It was the thought. The way she still, after all this time, noticed his little preferences. The way she would go to a new shop just to find a treat for him. He took her hand, his wrinkled fingers intertwining with hers.

“You didn’t have to do that, my love,” he said softly.

“Of course I did,” she replied, squeezing his hand. “Some things are worth being late for.”

They sat there together, sharing the shortbread and the morning sun, watching the waves roll in. The bench felt warmer than ever, and their love, built over a lifetime of small moments like these, felt just as strong as it had the day they carved their names into the wood.

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Vocabulary Notes

Shimmering
Meaning: To shine with a soft, flickering light. It often describes the way light reflects off water or heat rises from a road on a hot day.
Example: “He looked out across the shimmering bay.”
Similar words: glistening, sparkling, glinting.

Kiosk
Meaning: A small, open-fronted booth or cubicle where newspapers, refreshments, tickets, or similar items are sold.
Example: “…a little bit of coffee from the nearby kiosk.”
Similar words: stand, stall, booth.

Tight
Meaning: In the context of the story, “money was tight” is an idiom that means there was not much money available; finances were limited.
Example: “There were arguments, sad moments, and times when money was tight.”
Similar words: scarce, limited, restricted.

Swelled (with a feeling)
Meaning: This phrase means that a strong emotion, like love, pride, or gratitude, grew and filled a person’s heart.
Example: “Arthur’s heart swelled with a feeling so strong it almost hurt.”
Similar words: surged, overflowed.

Intertwining
Meaning: To twist or weave things together so they are closely linked.
Example: “He took her hand, his wrinkled fingers intertwining with hers.”
Similar words: entwining, lacing, twisting together.

Lifetime
Meaning: The duration of a person’s life. It can also refer to a very long time.
Example: “…built over a lifetime of small moments like these…”
Similar words: a whole life, a long time, a generation.

Story written by Gemini Pro AI

Image created by Imagiyo AI

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads

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