Hiccuping Around the World

"You know, you really haven't changed at all," said Evan.

"What?" said the redhead, who was now brushing her hair with a stick. "I've changed a lot! Have you seen me lately? I've grown my hair out, and I've put on some weight in the ass area."

Evan grimaced. "Well... it's not a bad change. But still, it's weird. It's like I'm talking to myself from ten years ago."

"Oh shush," she said with a smile, "it's been fifteen years of travelling!" She stood up from where she'd been sitting in the sand and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her green eyes shone as she looked up at him. "You look great too, by the way."

He smiled back and pulled her closer to him. "That's good to hear. Ah, if only we could stop travelling for a while and stay somewhere for more than a few days..."

"We will," she said, squeezing him tighter. "When we finally find that treasure we're looking for..."

"Yes, when we find it," he sighed, leaning his head against hers. He looked up at the bright blue sky and drew in a deep breath. A cool salty breeze swept over them as they stood on an island off the coast of Africa. He'd never get tired of this smell. Never get tired of being here with her by his side. "We've had so many adventures together since we left home."

She pulled away enough to look at him again, still smiling, but with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "And then some."

He held her gaze for a long moment before he turned away from her and stared out over the ocean, watching the waves roll in over the beach and disappear back into the blue emptiness beyond where they stood. The roar of rushing water filled his ears and tickled his mind as he let himself be carried away by memories of past places and times...

-=o=-

The world was different then; smaller than it is now. Homes, towns, and countries were all quaint and close-knit – shaped by a single continent that stretched from pole to pole where people lived, fought, loved, and grew old together.

He remembered leaving England with his new bride when they were just nineteen years old, leaving everything they knew behind them as they set out to travel around Europe and beyond to North America. They didn't know what dangers awaited them or what kind of future lay ahead on their journey across the ocean. Their excitement peaked when they finally arrived safely in New York City. They could never have anticipated how much fun their life would become, nor how many adventures awaited them after their hasty marriage ceremony, thanks to her hiccups at the wedding. It was love at first sight, the kind of love that changes people forever, bringing them together regardless of distance or time or circumstance.

Their journey brought them through countless trials and moments of pure joy. Through mountains and forests, deserts and jungles, cities and villages, rainstorms and snowstorms, they held hands tightly, celebrating each experience that life offered without hesitation. Their love remained strong despite the hardships they faced, including multiple separations and reconciliations, divorce, and even the dark cloud of death that loomed over them fifteen years ago. Could she really still be alive? And how had they both defied the odds to find themselves reunited on this island off the coast of Africa?

As they pondered the enigma of their reunion, they wondered if there must be an explanation somewhere – perhaps not divine intervention but rather one based on hard evidence and scientific reasoning. Yet the mystery remained, waiting for someone brilliant enough to unravel the puzzle of their destiny and reveal the truth that brought them back together once again.