I'm ready- Prologue

This was it- this was the last time. He'd told himself this many times before and it had always been the same.
"This time," he'd tell himself "this time is the last time. I know it." Every time he returned, seemingly no closer to the end than before, but this time was different- he knew this time he wouldn't be returning. This was it.

Slowly, he brought himself to his feet and lifted his hand to the air. He waited for her to ask once again, as she had done every day for the past 63 years. Every day until now, the answer had been no, and it progressed to 'I don't think I ever will be.', but she knew that he would be. One day.

Today.

He thought she'd give up on him. He thought that she'd leave- that one day he would come and sit and she wouldn't ask, maybe he wouldn't even see her anymore. For the first time in his life he'd be alone. He didn't know what he'd do when that time came, but it didn't matter now. He'd made it. This was it.

As he pulled himself up from his knees he saw her hand and for the first time in his life, he grasped it. For the first time in his life, he looked her straight in the eye and for the first, and last, time in his life the answer was yes.

This was it.