He thought it was their first date but she knew it was their anniversary. She had hoped and prayed that he would remember by now. She was agonizingly patient. She smiled at him. There was actually something sweet about him thinking it was their first date. She remembered that day and felt almost the same rush of anticipation she had felt then. But it was also something deeper. She knew that they had shared a lot of love and passion over the last 5 years. For him to not remember was almost a shock to her system. But because she loved him so much, she would pretend for his sake.

Where had the time gone to? They had a series of dates where they connected on every level before marrying in the spring. They loved each other so completely that it was hard to even imagine that he wouldn’t remember. But fate had dealt them a cruel blow. Just when they thought their lives couldn’t be any better, their world and all his memories were gone. A tragic and unfortunate accident, they said. He lost most of his memory, they said. They didn’t know if he would regain it or not. She would have to slowly try to help him regain what was lost. That had been 6 months ago.

To hell with that, she thought. I want my husband back now. I want that wonderful, sweet and loving man back. This man in front of her now was sweet, but in a newborn kind of way. He knew his name, he knew how to do lots of things, he just didn’t remember her or the last 8 years. So she had taken him on a date to the same place they had started dating, hoping it would spark something in him.

As she looked at him, she thought she saw something. Not recognition. Instead it was something new yet old. It was that same wistful look he had given her back then. The start of their relationship and many long hours spent talking together. The start of their love, together.

They talked, just as they had back then. Sharing stories of growing up, family, school and friends. She carefully skirted around the years they had spent together and concentrated on the earlier times before they had met. She felt the same exhilaration she had felt back then. She was finally connecting with him. They talked even after leaving the restaurant. They went to his place. A place that was devoid of their love but not of him. It looked very much the same as when they had first met. His tastes hadn’t changed, only his memory.

The therapist from the hospital thought it would be better to go slowly, for him to have his own place, and not move back in with her right away. Instead she visited in the hospital until they released him. Then she had helped him set up an apartment, but let him choose what went in it.. She had pretended to be a friend, helping him without pressure. By way of thank you he had asked her to dinner and she could pick the place since he wasn’t too familiar with current restaurants. She had picked their place. They had gone there often over the years and the staff knew them. But they also knew the tragedy they had both suffered and so were respectful and didn’t call them by name or infer that they knew either one of them. They were well liked there and the staff was happy to help in any way they could. More than one of them shared a secret smile with each other when they saw the couple together again, laughing and talking until closing.

Back at his place, they shared a bottle of wine and continued to talk until almost dawn. The light in the sky was reflecting the light she thought she saw in his eyes. She started to go, claiming it was late and he needed rest. He stopped her with a gentle touch. Please don’t, he said. He needed no more rest. He had his fill in the hospital. What he wanted, what he needed, was for her to stay.

He pulled her into his arms. It felt so right, to both of them. No matter how much he had missed, no matter how long his memory took to come back, this felt right, this was home. He looked into her eyes, pushed back a little stray hair that had fallen over her face when she had tried to escape. He looked and looked deep into her very soul. This was his life. This woman was everything he wanted. It didn’t matter what had come before. Memories be damned. He kissed her.

His world exploded with fireworks, with memories rushing back at him. He felt dizzy with the turmoil going on inside his head. But he just held her tighter and kissed her deeper. And she started to cry, as everything she had hoped for, had painfully worked towards, melted away. He was hers again, she knew it. She knew that kiss. She knew his ragged breath as he deepened the kiss. She knew the way he tightened his arms around her like he would challenge anyone to dare take her away from him. He knew every curve of her. He knew where to caress, where to kiss, to make her feel alive. This was life. This was their life, together. There were no more words as they made love, like the first time and yet like every time since. It was sweet, it was beautiful and they both wanted more. They fell asleep in each other’s arms, twined together like only sated lovers can. When they awoke, the passion rekindled again and again. Neither of them wanted it to end.

When they both came back to their senses, she asked what had taken him so long. He answered with a kiss and the promise that it would never happen again.