Just like she used to do in the first days of their marriage, Maria showered Jasper with the affection he never deserved. Overwhelmed, he simply followed her lead, but chose to perform a different role. For a few hours, Maria got the husbandly devotion she had been denied.
A million questions tormented his mind, but Jasper dared not voice them. His wife needed to feel loved at least once in her miserable life, even though her feeble mind no longer held the ability to form memories. Back when they were young, she had been sharp and bright, but for the past two decades Alzheimer's gradually washed away everything Maria used to be.
Falling asleep in her beloved's arms, Maria wondered about her good luck. She was loved by the owner of her heart and they were about to start a family – the miraculous conception of their baby after ten childless years never failed to bring tears of joy to her eyes.
Fortunately, she didn't remember the horror of being married to a tyrant or the pain of losing her only son. These days she didn't remember the daughter who had been taking care of her for the past fifteen years or the grandchildren who often visited.
She was a woman forever bound to love the men who never loved her in return.
