“Why do you find these cute? I hate these pictures of myself.”
Charlotte stared in disgust at the photos Jeff held in his hands. She didn’t often pose for photos, so Jeff took matters into his own hands. That meant snapping photos of her when she was too preoccupied to stop him. She’d hear the click and see the flash, and knew it was over. Jeff would never part with the photos he took. “You look so cute in these pictures.” He waved them in her face. Did he need hard copies of the dastardly things? Of course he did. For his photo book.
She rolled her eyes. “Why do you find these cute? I hate these pictures of myself.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me Char,” Jeff replied, holding the pictures to his face once more. He loved looking at them. This life of normalcy was what she had always wanted. In the many years he had known her, this was the happiest she had ever been.“These are amazing shots.”
“I don’t like them at all.” She shook her head in distaste. “For one, I’m in my baggy pjs. Two, my hair is all messed up. And why doing laundry of all things?”
“You look comfortable,” He answered. When the silence loomed over the pair, he let out a sigh. “I want to remember the days like this. Neither of us know what’s coming next, and it’d be stupid for us to think because we’re safe now, we’ll always be safe. Eventually, we’ll have to head back to Moonlight Falls and right the wrongs there. So, I want to remember these moments. And, I want them to be a reminder to you too.”
“A reminder of what?” She asked.
“You are not your mom.” He gently laid the photos on her lap.
“You tell me that everyday,” She mumbled, biting back the tears that were forming in the corner of her eyes.
“I know, but these are for those times when I’m not here to remind you. I want you to see these photos and remember who you are and what you’ve done for this family.” He wiped the tears that were spilling out of her eyes. “You know I love you right?” She nodded, sniffling. “I see you every single day trying your best to do whats right for us, and I know that sometimes it isn’t the easiest thing. I appreciate it. The kids appreciate it. We would be lost without you.”
She didn’t say a word, but gently laid her head against his shoulder. He was right. For the first time in forever, she was happy.
A Graying World 