Song: You Are The Reason

I'd climb every mountain
And swim every ocean
Just to be with you
And fix what I've broken
Oh, 'cause I need you to see
That you are the reason

Henry and I woke up early the next day at six and arrived an hour later at the trail head near the intersection of D909 and Rue de Verdun.

After we parked and got out of the car, Henry slipped on the backpack of snacks and water we bought from last night. He walked over to my side and placed a black Nike cap on my head, the exact same design to the one he was wearing.

"Are you ready, honey?"

"More than ever. You ready?" I asked even though there was no reason. Henry was more athletic and fit than me. He would go on jogs in the morning and in the evening around the neighborhood. This hike was a piece of cake to him.

"Only with you." Henry smiled. "Let's go."

Our hands grabbed ahold each other, and we started walking on the soil trail into the side of the mountain where nature awaited us. The trees. The animals. The forest.

Not one hint of cloud drifted above except a colorful warm sky with the sun rising slowly in the east.

We met a few hikers along the way, both locals and tourists, all who were friendly and warm and helped pointed Henry and I in the direction of the summit.

The trail path wasn't easy as I thought. There were rocks, ditches, steep climbs and curves that slowed down my effort.

For a majority of the hike, the trail ascended through the trees, providing obscured or limited views of the lake, and the surrounding region.

But knowing what destination laid ahead of the path provided me the will to keep going.

Henry stopped on the trail and turned around to me. "How are you doing, honey? Did you want to me to carry you? You look like you need it."

I slightly frowned at him for teasing me. I shook my head. "I'm good. Let's keep going. I think we're almost to the top."

After another hour, we saw a sign that said the summit was only 500 feet up ahead on the trail.

This was it, the moment I had been waiting for all day.

I inhaled and exhaled deeply to catch my breaths. When I peered down at my watch, the time was close to noon. We have been walking for almost five hours.

Henry halted and sat down on the big rock on the side of the path, waiting for me to catch up. He was always a few steps ahead of me.

"You didn't have to wait for me," I told my husband.

"I wanted to wait and see the view with you." He handed me the canteen, and I took a drink of the cold water, refreshing my energy under this hot weather.

I handed the bottle back to Henry, who placed back inside his backpack. Then he took out two granola bars; we finished them before continuing on the path.

As Henry and I approached the highest point of Mont Veyrier, the view of the lake and town of Annecy came into sight from below.

The scene was like out from a dream.

Up here this high, it was tranquil, scenic, and relaxing.

It was almost like heaven.

There was nobody here, just the two of us—Henry and me—on top of the world right now.

My eyes burned, thinking about all the events leading to this very moment.

How much Henry and I had endured before arriving to this place: losing the people we loved, getting our hearts broken.

The list just went on.

But then I realized ... Everything was going to be okay.

No matter what came our way, everything was going to be okay because we had each other.

And understanding that ... I felt free.

Free from the past.

Free to find my inner peace.

Free to know that the people I had loved and lost—Papa, Baby Kale, and Nana—were in a better place.

Free to move on and start a new beginning with the man I loved by my side.

I felt Henry's fingers intertwining through mine. Our hands slid together, and we turned to each other, smiles growing on our faces as if he was thinking exactly like me.

We sat down on the cliff and dangled our legs freely over the edge, observing this heavenly paradise around us in each other arms.

"I'm glad you suggested we come here, Ally."

"I'm glad we did, too."

Being out in the wilderness reminded me that just like nature, death is a natural phenomenon that we can neither escape nor ignore.

I was able to find a piece of solace in my grieving, and I hoped Henry did, too.

.....

The day after the hike, Henry and I paid one last visit to Nana. We placed a large bouquet of daffodils on her grave before leaving her hometown to spend time in the countryside.

I wasn't sure which part of France we were going to, but as long as Henry was with me, it didn't matter where we went.

With this man by my side anywhere I went, I knew he would keep me safe and protected.

An hour later, our plane landed in Eze, a small medieval town perched on a hill on the French Riviera by the Mediterranean Sea.

By the time we checked into Chateau de la Chevre D'or Hotel, the time was almost one. There was almost a whole day for us to look around.

From our balcony at the highest floor, I looked out at the village and sea below. The scenery sadly reminded me of Annecy, and thinking of Annecy reminded me of Nana.

Henry circled his arms around my waist and nudged his chin on shoulder. "Are you tired, pumpkin? We could stay in and relax or did you want to take go out and look around the village?"

I turned my head so that our cheeks touched. "I vote for exploring."

Out on the medieval-looking streets of Eze, Henry and I walked everywhere. We checked out the numerous alleys, courtyards, and boutique stores there were.

As we passed a pastry shop, Henry pulled me inside. "Back in Bora Bora, you said you wanted to eat French pastries, so here's your chance, honey."

I smiled excitedly. "I forgot I did tell you that, and you remembered."

"How could I forget what you desire?" Henry smiled back. "Let's go check out the selections they have."

We picked out a few sweets the store had: crepes, palmiers, eclairs, and then went back outside to sit by an open area where there were lots of tourists taking pictures.

Every one of the desserts was delicious and melted in my mouth. Eating them also reminded of Nana and the desserts she would make for dinner, especially Henry's favorite coffee rolls.

After the little snack, we found a path down to the beach, the one I probably saw from the hotel balcony.

I reached for his hand and pulled him down the stone-covered stairs to the warm sand.

Henry took off his shoes and then bent down on his knees, urging me to get on his back, "Ally, we walked the whole today and yesterday. You must be tired and your feet," his gaze fell down to the shoes he bought me, "must be hurting in those sandals."

"They're fine, Henry. Don't worry about me."

"I always do. I can't help it."

That was enough to make me smile. "If you say so then."

I took off my sandals and held them as I climbed on his back, wrapping my arms across his front.

He lifted me off the ground with ease and walked along the beach in the clear water.

"Nana would have loved this place," I said. "I wondered if she ever came here before when she lived in France."

"I have a feeling she did with her husband."

"She told me about how they fell in love. It was really romantic."

"She did?"

"Uh-hmm."

"How did the story go?"

I told Henry their love story to the best of my knowledge to when they met on a cruise to the final days before Frank passed away.

In a way, sharing with Henry about Nana's stories made me proud of knowing something deep about her life.

We returned to the hotel room after dinner around nine. Henry sat down on the desk, answering some business emails on his laptop while I took a shower.

After I stepped out onto the carpet mat, the ceiling-tall mirror caught my attention and I walked in front of it. I turned to my side and looked at my body in the mirror, focusing on one part of me.

My right hand caressed over my belly, longing for something missing.

But knowing that Henry and I were ready, I remained hopeful.

I slipped on my silk nightgown and walked back out into the living room, but my husband was no longer sitting where he did.

I looked toward the glass screen door and saw him standing out on the balcony, staring up at the dark horizon.

He seemed to be in deep thought.

I went out to him and wrapped my arms around his waist to his front, placing the side of my cheek against his back. "What are you doing?"

His hands fondled over mine. "I was looking at the stars, thinking how lucky I am."

"What do you mean by lucky?"

"Because I have the most beautiful and most brightest star in my night sky by my side right now, holding me in her arms."

I kissed his cheek.

Without saying anything else, he turned around and sat down on the lounge chair, pulling me down on his lap. He secured an arm around my back and the other over my legs.

He kissed the side of my neck and smelled my blow-dried hair. "You smell very good."

I chuckled. "That tickles."

"Want me to do it again?" He chuckled too as he nudged his lips into the side of my neck, kissing me endlessly.

Our short laughs died away, and we both remained silent.

I stared out at the dark sea in the distance.

"What are you wondering about, sweetie?" Henry asked.

I turned around to face him, and my fingers caressed his cheek. "I was thinking about the future."

"Am I in it?"

"Of course, you're in it. That shouldn't be a question."

He softly chuckled. "I was just kidding with you, Babe. Do you know what we haven't done in a while?" he asked, a grin growing on his face.

I looked at me with curiosity, thinking of the answer. "I give up. What is it?"

"We haven't dance. I can't remember the last time you and I danced together."

"Nor could I."

"Then ..." He held up one hand. "Shall we?"

I smiled, slipping my hand into his.

We stood up, and I slid my arms around his neck as he enclosed his around my waist.

He held me close to him, our bodies molding together as if they were made for each other.

He rested his forehead against mind as we rocked slowly in silence to the sounds of the sea and the wind.

His left hand found my right, and as he moved away from he, he lifted our interlaced hands into the air. I twirled around like a doll before he pressed his front against my back.

We continued to sway quietly as he placed his cheek to mine, his chin on my shoulder.

I twirled again, and as Henry caught me, he secured an arm around my waist, leaning me over the floor while holding my back steady.

We both closed our eyes and kissed.

He pulled me back up to his level.

"Ally ..."

I gazed up at his eyes. "Hmm?"

"I love you."

I smiled, wrapping my arms over his shoulders. "Love you too."

His lips hovered mind for a second before pressing them softly in mind.

As we kissed, Henry slowly guided us back into the bedroom. Our breaths quickened.

My hands moved over his chest, feeling his chest rise and fall while our gazes never faltered from one another.

His hand caressed the back of my neck, and our lips melded together in slow, deep motions.

I turned him around and gently pushed him to the foot of the bed. He sat down at the edge, and I climbed onto him, straddling him.

My hands moved over his chest to his shoulders then to his jaw, and I bent down and kissed him.

His hands held my hips closely, then slowly slipped under my nightgown and pulled it over, revealing my naked body.

Henry kissed my neck from one side to the other, then descended down to my bosom while I held him close, my fingers weaving through his hair.

"Henry ..." I moaned.

He picked me up and gently laid me onto the mattress on my back as he climbed over my body.

My hands caressed the sides of his face, feeling the soft bristles of his clean shaved mustache.

He kissed my lips and moved off the bed.

With that smirk on his face, he grabbed both my ankles and hauled me close to the foot of the bed.

I watched him as he lifted my left foot into the air. He placed kisses starting at the bottom of my sole then up along my leg.

When his lips found my hot area, I arched my back from the sensation.

He stuck out his tongue and laid flat against my area, licking up in one motion before feeling my folds.

"Henry ..." I moaned out loud, twisting my upper body to the right.

He continued faster with force, sending my mind into a frenzy. His hands gripped tightly on my leg, holding me down.

My breaths quickened as my climax drew closer.

My fingers reached down and tangled through Henry's hair as he continued driving my body to vulnerability.

His tongue descended lower and he entered me, getting as much flesh as he can.

I moaned out loud as I came, my toes curling against the bed intensely.

My body fell into a frenzy state of intense, euphoric feelings as I reached my beautiful high.

My chest rose and dropped fast, parallelling with my heartbeat before I was able to catch my breaths again.

Henry's lips traveled up over my stomach, leaving kisses along the way. He came through the valley of my breasts, up my neck, then to my lips.

"I want you now," he whispered in my ear. He gently bit my ear lobe before standing back up.

I sat on foot of the bed and gazed up at Henry, my hands undoing the clasp to his pants and then pulling it down his legs.

He stepped out of his clothes and leaned down to kiss me, his hands caressing both side of my face as my hands held onto his wrists.

I broke the kiss and crawled backward onto the bed. I chuckled as Henry caught my legs and hailed me under him, biting his lips.

He moved down to me and kissed my lips, slowly easing his length between my legs. He rocked his body against mine, pulling in and out of me in pleasurable movements.

He picked me up quickly into his arms and carried me over to the wall, holding me up against it.

His large hands caught my wrists and raised them over my head, securing with one of his large hands while his lips crash against mine.

He kissed my neck, our bodies trying to reach our release.

"Henry ..." I groaned out as my now freed fingers dug into his back.

He drove in me.

Harder. Faster. Deeper.

A wave crashed over me.

A volcanic explosion grew from my weakness and spread electrically throughout my body, clouding and bewitching my mine.

As I found my breathing again, I smiled at Henry and kissed him on the lips.