A sudden dream awoke her. It was neither bad or good. And the dream… it was so real. Disturbed by his wife's sudden movements, he turned and gave her a questioning look.
"It's…" she paused, lifting a hand to her head, as if she was crazy. "a dream."
He raised an eyebrow, and let her continue. She seemed unwilling however, and lowered her gaze to avoid his piercing look.
"You were… happy. A child was in your lap. He was smiling too. And then the child, he called you father." She swallowed, forcing herself to go on. "The child also called someone mother. But…"
It seemed her husband understood why it was hard. He nodded and replied: "She was not you."
Was it a sin?
To marry someone who loves you so dearly, and yet you can only love them partially back.
Their bittersweet marriage is almost at its end. She could tell. She could feel Death crawling towards her. It could grasp her heart any moment.
And then, maybe if she could still talk to him, she will tell him what his future wife will look like.
"You will give her as much love and kindness as you gave me," she whispered, after he fell asleep. "And best of all, she will fully love you back."
"After all, you cannot call me your wife anymore, not if I cannot bring myself to love you as much as her."