CIRCLE OF LOVE
"Look how my ring encompasseth thy finger
Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart
Wear both of them. For both of them are thine"
The beach had long since emptied of the sunbathers, and the light was dimming as the sun began to set. Bare-footed and hands shoved in his pockets, Ben Clark ambled along the sandy beach, his rucksack slung over his shoulder. The day had been unbearably hot, and although the air was still warm, the sea breeze felt cool against his skin.
Dumping his rucksack on the drier sand, Ben slumped down close to the water's edge with a heavy sigh looking out towards the horizon, lost in his thoughts. He let the small breakers wash over his bare legs enjoying the coolness of the salty water. Drawing his legs up, Ben rested his chin on his knees as he wrapped his arms around his shins watching as the sun began to set over the horizon, the reds oranges and yellows melting into the blueness of the ocean.Tears threatened, and Ben pressed his chin into his knees remembering the last time he had been on the beach. He and Emily had been celebrating their first wedding anniversary. They had been so happy and carefree as they had walked hand in hand along the sandy shore. Fingers and hands entwined, they had sat on the edge of the water watching the sunset together making silly wishes as the sun finally disappeared and talking endlessly about their hopes and dreams for the future.
But Emily was gone and Ben was alone. Alone with his memories of Emily and their short life together. He couldn't swim so he had never really liked the ocean, but Emily loved it - having been born in one of the small houses nestling on the cliff top. But Ben had loved Emily so he had learned to love the ocean during their first summer before she had become ill.
He tried to close his mind to the memories that insisted on popping into his head. With a heavy sigh Ben finally surrendered allowing the memories to sweep over him warming him with their intensity. Memories of their life together, their love and their laughter as they splashed in the ocean soaking one another. Memories of dancing by candlelight, their bodies pressed close together, breathing in each other's scent, kissing softly lost in their love for one another.
Stretching his legs out, Ben swept his hands in half semi-circular movements through the water making his own small waves as the memories bombarded his mind. A flash of light caught his eye, and he looked down. The two gold rings, worn together on his ring finger, glinted in the fading sunlight, and Ben lifted his hand out of the water.He gazed down at the rings as he slowly turned them on his finger remembering the months spent crafting the rings - a labour of love, his father had teased him. Wanting them to be perfect, all of his love for Emily had gone into fashioning the rings.
Emily had understood; hadn't laughed at him as he regaled her with the history of the wedding ring. But the romantic in Ben believed the customs. Believed that the third finger on the left hand had a special vein - vena amoris - that led directly to thhe heart of the wearer.
Emily had listened as he told her that ancient cultures believed that a circle was considered to be the symbol of perfection, a perfect unity without a beginning or end. They had giggled as he tied their wrists together with a silk scarf as he told her that cavemen had bound themselves to their mates with a cord of woven rushes to symbolise their spirits as one.
They had looked into each other's eyes, on their wedding day, as they exchanged the rings, both knowing that they were not only giving and receiving a symbol of their love, but also a symbol of their unity - a circle without a beginning or an end.
Ben wiped at the tears with the back of his hand choking back a sob as the now familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach threatened to overwhelm him. Hugging his body tightly to stop the ache spreading within him Ben rocked back and forth slowly as the waves gently lapped over his legs.
Ben lifted his head slightly turning his face into the breeze smiling as the wind ruffled his hair and buffeted his skin. Tears blurred his vision as he stared out across the ocean. "I miss you," he whispered. "Why did you have to go? I feel so alone without you."
The sound of the ocean surrounded Ben as the waves rushed towards the end of their journey amongst the sand, rocks and shells of the beach. Cocking his head to one side, Ben thought he could hear Emily calling him, but dismissed it as fancy, a trick of his ears, his heart and the waves lapping against the sand.
With a sigh Ben hauled himself to his feet retrieving his rucksack knowing that he had a promise to fulfill. "Time to get this show on the road," he said pulling out a small wooden box - all that was left of Emily. "No," he chastised himself. Emily would be forever in his heart, and he would carry her memory and wear their rings - the symbol of their unity and love - until the day he died.
Wading up to his knees in the ocean, Ben opened the box scooping up a handful of ash. He studied his clenched fist before lifting his arm high into the air. Ben slowly unclenched his fist and turned his hand slightly so the ashes fell from his palm, the breeze catching them as they fell. "Goodbye Emily," Ben murmured.
The wedding rings glinted in the fading light as Ben scooped another handful of ashes releasing them from his hand watching as they floated on the sea breeze. "Till we meet again," Ben murmured emptying the contents of the box, freeing them to dance with the wind and ride upon the waves of the ocean that Emily had loved so much.
THE END