A wistful 365-word tale of a elderly lioness and the husband for whom she cares.

Inspired by  Poetigress's Thursday Prompt.

oOo

Edward had a moment of clarity. His eyes shone with tears.

“I don’t want to forget again, Margaret,” he sobbed. “I want to remember everything again. All that happened. I can’t handle this, I truly can’t.”

I held his paw and spoke to soothe his fears. “It’s not important, love,” I offered, hoping he might relax a little. These moments of reality always hurt more than the months and years of emptiness.

“No, it’s all important.”

His voice returned to the strong tones of his prime, when his mane was rich and long and he and I made love for hours.

“Nothing,” he affirmed, “is more important than the past; all that’s gone before. Don’t you see?”

Honestly, I could not; it was too painful. The slow loss of my love, as I watched him degenerate from guardian to child… well, the shattering of my soul made angels weep.

I went from beloved to stranger, from cared-for to carer.

“I remember everything tonight, you know. I remember listening to Radio Luxembourg as a child. I went to sleep every night to lovely music. My mother put the wireless on the pillow and turned out the lights.

“The street lights were awfully dull. My bedroom curtains never closed because the rail was always dusty, so I cuddled up to my teddy bear and pretended I was on a spaceship. The room was cold, but I had my hot-water bottle, all warm and snug. I was loved, Margaret, truly loved. I would drift off to sleep to the latest hit songs. It was just magical.”

Edward turned towards the window and sighed. The light in the sky faded, as did the light in his eyes.

“Now … what was I saying,” he said confusedly. He took a deep breath and settled himself into his chair. He looked at me blankly for a time.

“You’re a pretty young thing,” he said with that mischievous grin I once adored. “A new nurse, perhaps? You’ll have to behave yourself. My wife Margaret will be ever so jealous!”

I patted his arm and forced a smile.

“I don’t think she’ll mind too much,” I answered lightly, fighting back my tears.

oOo