Emma hesitated before opening the worn leather photo album. With shaky hands, she lifted the cover bracing herself for the flood of memories inside.
The first photo showed Emma and Nathan at a coffee shop, smiling over steaming mugs. She remembered how they had bumped into each other that chilly October morning. Nathan spilled his coffee down his shirt in the collision, and Emma couldn't stop apologizing. A friendly debate over books led them to chat for hours as they discovered their shared interests.
More photos chronicled their deepening relationship: walking through the park hand-in-hand, Nathan kissing Emma on the cheek at a cozy restaurant, the two of them dressed up for a friend's wedding. Emma traced her fingers over the images, reminiscing.
She turned the page to find photos of their first apartment. Moving day had been chaotic, with boxes strewn everywhere. But they didn't care, thrilled to start this new phase together. There they were, collapsing onto a mattress on the floor and laughing.
Emma's heart caught at the next photo. Nathan down on one knee in front of a sunset, her hand covering her mouth in surprise. Overwhelmed with emotion, Emma recalled the joy of that perfect moment.
She flipped forward to their wedding day. Emma radiant in her gown, Nathan handsome in his tuxedo. The way he gazed at her as she walked down the aisle...Emma could still feel that overwhelming love. Bright snapshots showed them feeding each other cake and dancing tenderly beneath twinkling lights, absorbed in their bliss.
Page by page revealed snapshots of their growing family. Emma with a swollen pregnant belly, then cradling a tiny newborn swaddled in pink. Nathan holding the baby proudly, pure adoration in his eyes. First steps, first days of school, graduations...each milestone faithfully documented.
Finally, Emma arrived at the latest photo, taken right before Nathan got sick. His warm embrace surrounded her, full of love and life. They didn't know the battle ahead of them then.
With tears filling her eyes, Emma lingered on Nathan's smile. Though he was gone, the love they shared would remain through these memories. She gently touched his face one last time before closing the album, keeping their story tucked safely in her heart.
