Copyright – John Nixon
He walked towards her as if holding together the edges of a wound.
A wound borne for 50 years.
She’d been beautiful then… walking down the aisle towards some other guy.
He approached her in his arthritic gait, the box in his pocket twitching like a thing alive.
Seeing him, she touched her face then dropped her hand, as if her skin pricked her fingers.
He hoped it wasn’t too late to make her feel beautiful again.
He went down on one knee though it hurt like hell.
It took him 40 years to realize… being second isn’t so bad.
© 2013 K.Z. Morano
The Eclectic Eccentric 
“Being second is not so bad” … why settle for second, when he can probably be first this time around? — just asking …
i guess,he just meant,being the second guy to marry her isn’t so bad. and it really isn’t. he just realized it too late. coz i suppose he’d been too hurt about not being able to be her first. 🙂
You blow me away kz! Just don’t know how you do it, really I don’t! I thought no-one could get a good story out of this…
really? coz i’m reading your story right now and it’s crazy good! haha
second or last..love does not die. It is beyond age and looks. lovely story
thank you 🙂
Forty years is a long time to wait to be second. Hope it’s worth the wait.
hope so too 🙂
He’s certainly not second in loyalty and love. Good for him…and her.
janet
Interesting 🙂
That is a beautiful story. Just plain beautiful.
thank you 🙂
Even though he was second, I think he came in first! What a good story KZ!
Wonderful story .cheers
thank you
I love your story, kz! Not everyone gets a second chance.
Dear KZ,
The next to the last line…He went down on one knee…classic! Sweet story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
My story has an old man who is a bit late as well. Wonderful story KZ 🙂
I don’t know why, but I expected something terrible was going to happen. Nice misdirection there.
‘hahaha’ – being first doesn’t matter as being the number one… “lol”
Very well written… 🙂
very true 🙂 well said, Drake 🙂
Hey, better second than never, right? A sweet story showing new beginnings can came any time.
I love this. So romantic!
thank you ^^
Great minds think (and sometimes write) alike.
She may realize by now that second was indeed better than first.
How wonderfully sweet. I hope they have many great years together.
40 years seems just in time
great story KZ
Yep, first isn’t always best, and sometimes, you need to take your time 🙂
Lovely! Sometimes the second time is the right time 🙂
Lovely as always, darling — Oh, and I’m so thrilled that we will be in an anthology together!!!
thank you 🙂 yey, i’m excited about the anthology too
Sweet, sweet, sweet, just SWEET! You are very much a romantic, KZ. You got the guy;s character down and the attitude, too. Super job!
I posted a new one to make you laugh.
http://kentbonham.wordpress.com/
Now that’s romance at its best. Well done! 🙂
Very lovely story and what a shot in the arm for second chances!
Once again, an extremely well written piece. I loved it.
Evidently, he’s outlived her first husband, so now he is indeed #1. I’m glad his memory held out that long 🙂
Dear Kz,
The best line in your story (which was full of good lines) was, “..even though it hurt like hell.” Good job with this one.
Aloha,
Doug
Another excellent happy love story 🙂
Awww, that’s sweet! And she accepts this time, doesn’t she?
definitely 🙂 thanks
Excellent! Had me cheering!
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/friday-fictioneers-ff-good-will-bride-pg13/
Oh so sweet – no being second isn’t bad at all… What nice sentimentality
You almost had me in tears. Beautiful descriptions, lovely sentiments. Really liked ‘He went down on one knee though it hurt like hell.’ – age impinging on his romantic gesture, but he’s not going to let it beat him.
Awwwww….<3
Great emotional depth in this, kz. I enjoyed it. Glad he’s getting a second chance.
Hi KZ,
Great story about the enduring nature of love. Now, if he can just get back up! Well-told story. Ron
lol 🙂
What really irks me, is how each week you manage to craft a truly beautiful story – and so quickly, too. This one has to be one of the most beautiful. Lines like this one: “He walked towards her as if holding together the edges of a wound” make me want to jump off the nearest cliff. That’s all I want to say.