January 20, 1940
"Happy Birthday, Irene." Jack bent over Irene from behind and placed a silver necklace with a heart-shaped pendant around her neck. It was shorter than the necklace her father had given her, which she still wore constantly, and looked great with it. Jack then put his arms around Irene and kissed her face.
"Jack, it's lovely," Irene said as she looked in the mirror. She hugged her husband and he held her close.
"Forty-four," Irene said. "I used to think this was old." She looked at Jack. "Is it?"
"No," Jack replied. "You're still twenty-five in my eyes."
Irene smiled. "Yeah," she said with a slight smirk. "With a child who is eighteen."
Jack smiled. "Then, we're both old," he said. "That's OK. We'll grow old together."
Irene leaned on Jack and rested her hand on his chest. Her head also against his chest, she could hear his heart beating. She hoped that heart would continue to beat for many more years to come.
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