Nisha stood at the edge of the ocean staring as the water slowly drifted inward and outward from the shore. Nisha closed her eyes and let the cool air of the night sea envelope her completely. She inhaled & exhaled softly, taking in the smell of the salty ocean. The waves gently crashed against her legs. She held her white dress up above her ankles so as to not get them wet. Nisha opened her eyes and looked off into the sky. The stars were brighter than normal. “Are you okay?” She heard Sean, her husband, ask in the distance. He waited inside while Nisha was lost by the beauty of the ocean. Other than her home, the beach was her favorite place to be. As he approached her, she began to cry softly. Nisha held her head down and let the tears fall. Sean slowly grabbed her and gave her a long hug. Nisha’s only response was trembling in his arms. They stood there for no more than 10 minutes while Nisha sobbed gently on his shoulder. She trembled and snifffled trying to keep her composure while at the same time setting her emotions free. Sean felt a twinge of sadness for her because he knew the reason why Nisha was upset. Sean thought back on their many years together. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Sean took a deep breath and focused on his breathing. He listened to the waves crashing, the wind blowing the sea breeze as it tickled his nostrils. Sean wanted nothing more than to see Nisha happy. He had promised her the world but gave her only grief. In his mind there were no words to describe his guilt. Sean knew that he had made promises over the years, unfortunately he fell short on most of them. “I’ll make it up to you,” he whispered softly in her ear. “I promise.” Nisha pulled back still shaking from sobbing. Hesitating a bit, she smiled at him. “I know you will, I believe you,” she said as tears fell. She was trying to convince herself. He hugged her once more under the starry sky. Then he held her hand as they made their way back inside.