"John, stop running around so much. You might trip and hurt yourself" an elderly old man lightly called out to one of the kids running around.
"It's OK, let them play. That's how they learn" an aged feminine voice softly laughed.
The 2 elderly couple had been married for more than 40 years and were well and good into old age with the old man balding with only a few strands of brittle white hair left and wrinkles adorning his face. The old lady was in a much better state with only some wrinkles peeking from the corners of her eyes and an almost lush had of white hair curling down her neck for someone of her age.
The 2 had gone out for their regular outings to the local children's park with the kids from their orphanage as always just enjoying watching them play.
It was mid-autumn with the sun just a little before noon with a cool breeze.
"Do you remember when we first opened the orphanage?" the old man asked thinking about happy memories but for some reason, hid a deep melancholy in his fading eyes.
"How can I not?!" the old lady's voice asked back with a hint of excitement.
"Heck, I was against it but you like the stubborn bull you are, just went through with it anyway!" her soft laughter rang by his failing ears.
The old man smiled remembering how difficult it was to get a plot and funding when they first started out.
"Heh, I wanted to start an orphanage yet I didn't know the first thing about raising a kid and my ugly mug would also cause the children to run away from me" he continued reminiscing with so much love in his voice that it felt tangible yet there was also a profound sadness and self loath in it.
The park became silent while he was deep in revere with the sweet sounds of children's laughter and the vibrancy they brought with them disappearing.
The old lady's voice spoke to him again but this time it was filled with bittersweet feelings, "My love, the fire was not your fault. Let us go"
The old mans fading sight suddenly cleared up and he looked at his companion that was now standing in front of him with the children except she looked much younger without a single hair of grey or wrinkles. She exuded that motherly feeling that had always managed to calm the children down when they needed to be.
"It is OK. That happened 20 years ago, let us go for now. We will meet again" she spoke again with a voice much younger than before, in a pleading tone as if it hurt her seeing him like this.
"... I can't" tears streamed down his cheeks